To compare last year to this is ridiculous. Technically, there was a cigarette paper between the finalists last year. Ricky is the best natural male celebrity dancer there has ever been on the show. The much maligned Natalie has done her best to showcase just how good Ricky is (and has made mistakes in the process). Ola has done a brilliant job in hiding how limited Chris is.
Whichever way the public vote, I hope that Ricky obliterates Chris on the dance floor. If he gets that quickstep right (and there is no guarantee that he will) I suspect it will go down as the best dance of any series.

five leaves left 18 Dec 11:08


I still make mince favourite

me too fll if my life depended on it and i had to pick 1 of the 2 right now it would be mincey for me. Looking at all the options and also what i hear of people then its still minceys to lose.

**ard,

Brendan Cole is bullish:-

Brendan Cole has claimed that Chris Hollins's chances of winning Strictly Come Dancing are "huge".

In an interview with Hallam FM, the show's professional dancer suggested that BBC sports presenter Hollins may prove to have a bigger fanbase than his rival Ricky Whittle, who plays Calvin Valentine on Hollyoaks.

Discussing the pair's forthcoming showdown, Cole commented: "It's hugely possible Chris will win. Being on [the] BBC he has a key audience."

He added: "Ricky is on Hollyoaks and I don't know about you but I've never watched it."

Mincey probably to win, but moving my position to a more balanced result whoever wins....happy to take profits on wagers placed in the 30-40 range.

what a sh!t Ricky is :p


http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/soaps/s13/hollyoaks/news/a190734/potd-malachy-makes-a-devastating-discovery.html

I am confident Hollins will win. My confidence has increased this week with news he'll be reprising the Charleston and also there was a montage on ITT of the couples that reiterated to me why Hollins should maintain what I am reading to be a solid lead in the polls which he has had series long. It will require some ramping by Len of the same intensity as last week, and the showdance of all showdances that is head and shoulders above Hollins to get Whittle anywhere close to winning, and even then I think Hollins will win.
Hollins pipes directly into the hardcore BBC/Strictly Middle Englanders. And Ola has built up an affinity with viewers having been on the show for many years, and never winning, and coming across better than ever series-long. Collectively, they have a story viewers have got involved in.
Natalie is the exact opposite - a newcomer this series, cold and transparently competitive. And we knew Whittle was great wk1 - there's been no progression to encourage viewers to support him. Sure, the Brits are fair-minded but they also love an underdog, and they have been entertained by Team Cola series long.
If Hollins continues to drift I'll be backing him again. Anyone backing Whittle at 4-6 or shorter needs their head read imo.

only one problem with all that... Ricky is in fact head and shoulder above Hollins

More confident Chris will win now than earlier this week, because now I know he's doing the Charleston for certain and that the Lindehop should be manageable.
I still said Chris would win earlier this week but that I 'd wait for the higher prices- still expecting higher come Saturday.
I'll go back in at 3 on here or perhaps lower depending on how the first dance pans out.
In saying that I reckon he's great value now and should what I expect to happen during the show does happen then I'll back him all the way down to odds on :)

I think the press around Chris and his wife will be further negatives for MINCEY imho.

and deservedly so too, he's played a blinder.

Glasgow100 18 Dec 15:40


only one problem with all that... Ricky is in fact head and shoulder above Hollins


Colin Jackson was head and shoulders above Darren Gough :-)

Angela Rebecchi 18 Dec 17:18


I think the press around Chris and his wife will be further negatives for MINCEY imho.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
What PRESS? where is it reported?

Chris said that Ola was a "great teacher", but revealed that she is so gorgeous he struggles to remember his steps or even keep time.

He added: "You have to count eight steps.

"You get to four, and then this blonde bombshell grabs you, gets you between her legs and you've lost count."

Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/tv/strictly_come_dancing/2645243/Chris-Hollins-My-girlfriend-cant-get-over-sexy-Ola-Jordan.html#ixzz0a3xbMbOy

Maybe I am out of touch, but he has harped on about Olgas looks in the last few articles, surely not going to endear him to the public, especially the raunchy Samba.

that article is ancient - from the start of the series!

lol! ill get my coat!

i do think ricky and nat will pull out some massive numbers on the night. he is a handsome chap, people will vote. different to lisa, who people just didnt get, a female danyl.

Kiddies still on beebies. I notice the mince drift is on

I am here squares - always disappointed and baffled they don't have a wrap to the final on the Monday after. Sure, people want to break for Christmas but doing fans of Strictly a huge disservice - no post-final interview and chat about final dances, show dances etc. It really does merit it imo

fat nats still fat

Fat Nat's progress during series still astounds me. You can dress a pig in a suit but it still grunts.

hahhaahhah revel called him mincey