Strictly Come Dancing star faces crushing blow moments after first live show

Strictly Come Dancing sensation Tasha Ghouri has now emerged as the favourite to clinch the title of the BBC hit show after wowing viewers and judges on the dance floor, dealing a crushing blow to another contestant.

Toyah Willcox's chances of winning are looking bleak as the singer saw her odds take a nosedive. Following the pre-recorded launch show last weekend, week one of the BBC One dance contest kicked off on Saturday night (September 21) with a routine from the professional dancers.

Before the show, JLS star JB Gill, who has been paired with Welsh professional Amy Dowden, was the bookies' favourite to bag the Glitterball trophy but now Tasha Ghouri has leapfrogged in the outright market, despite finishing in second place on last night's leaderboard.

Tasha received a standing ovation after her Cha Cha Cha performance to Espresso by Sabrina Carpenter with partner Aljaz Skorjanec. Head Judge Shirley Ballas praised the reality star for having 'the most spectacular leg actions she has ever seen on this show' and was awarded a whopping 30 points from the panel.

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The Love Island star, 26, is now priced at 3/1 to win. Hot on her heels is comedian Chris McCausland, who has surged from 20/1 to a competitive 7/2 after impressing fans with an outstanding performance, pushing JB Gill into third at 4/1, reports the Mirror.

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BBC TV ScreengrabCAPTION: Strictly Come DancingTasha Ghouri wins 30 points despite professional dance training (Image: BBC)

Pete Wicks and Toyah Willcox have suffered setbacks in the betting stakes, with Pete's odds slipping from 16/1 to 20/1, while Toyah's have taken a nosedive from 16/1 to a staggering 100/1.

Consequently, Toyah has emerged as the favourite to be the first shown the door, with odds of 3/6 indicating she could be leaving next weekend.

Betfred's Kayley Cornelius commented on the shifting odds: "A tough first week for Toyah Willcox, who now finds herself trailing behind her peers at the bottom of the leaderboard after the first round of live performances. Priced at 3/6, she's now the favourite to be the first eliminated from the competition."

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Strictly Come Dancing 2024,Generics,Generics,Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones,**EMBARGOED FOR PUBLICATION UNTIL 21:00 HRS ON SATURDAY 14TH SEPTEMBER 2024**,BBC Public Service,Ray Burmiston (Image: BBC/Ray Burmiston)

"It wasn't just a rough night for Toyah-Pete Wicks also struggled, and as a result, his odds of 16/1 to win have now been lengthened to a measly 20/1. He now finds himself in a worrying spot for next weekend and risks landing in the dance-off if he doesn't step up his game."

"On the flip side, football pundit Paul Merson, who tied with Pete at a score of 17, may have caught a break. Before Saturday night, he was almost certain to be the first to go, but he's shown he might offer more competition than expected. While his position is still shaky and priced at 2/1 to go next weekend, if Paul delivers on the dancefloor, he could survive another week."

"Meanwhile, Nick Knowles seems to have turned things around. Like Paul, Nick's chances on the show looked grim, but after narrowly beating Paul and Pete by a single point this weekend, a solid performance next week could keep him in the competition a little longer."

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