The Strictly Come Dancing ballroom is heating up, but for one celebrity, the spotlight may soon fade. EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal and her professional partner Julian Caillon, a newcomer to the Strictly professional dancer roster, are facing a precarious moment in the competition. Despite earning a respectable 28 points for their Paso Doble on Saturday, October 18, the duo have found themselves in the bottom two for the second consecutive week, raising fears that their journey may be nearing its end.
Balvinder and Julian have so far defied the odds in the dance-off, previously overcoming Ross King and Jowita Przystal, as well as Chris Robshaw and Nadiya Bychkova. However, bookmakers at Coral are predicting that their luck may run out this weekend, with Balvinder listed as the 5-4 frontrunner for elimination. Close behind is RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star La Voix, who is pegged at 6-4 to be the next celebrity to exit the competition, according to the Mirror.
“The odds suggest Balvinder Sopal and La Voix will be involved in this weekend’s dance-off on Strictly, with the EastEnders actress the most likely to lose her place on the show,” said Coral’s John Hill.
La Voix, partnered with professional dancer Aljaz Skorjanec, had a particularly tough night last weekend, landing at the bottom of the leaderboard with just 14 out of a possible 40 points for their Cha Cha to Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar. Reflecting on her performance during Sunday’s results show (October 19), La Voix admitted, “That was beyond terrible.” She expressed disbelief at advancing to the next round, stating, “I am absolutely speechless. I did not expect to be sat here with these amazing people… I wouldn’t have voted for that.”
Elsewhere in the competition, Coral’s latest odds place Gladiators’ Harry Aikines-Aryeetey at 6-1 for elimination this weekend, followed by footballers Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink at 10-1 and Karen Carney at 12-1.
As for the coveted Glitterball trophy, architect and TV presenter George Clarke is the current favorite at 10-11, with Lewis Cope trailing at 5-1. Vicky Pattison and Alex Kingston are both tied at 7-1. Meanwhile, Balvinder’s chances of claiming the Strictly crown are a distant 100-1, while La Voix stands at 50-1.
With the competition fiercer than ever, all eyes will be on the dance floor this weekend to see if Balvinder and Julian can escape elimination once more or if their Strictly journey will come to a dramatic close.