Layton Williams has emerged as the most likely Strictly star to bag the first perfect score of 40 of the series this coming weekend, according to eagle-eyed fans.
The actor - who's previously insisted Strictly isn't "easy" for him despite his background in theatre - is taking on a Couple's Choice routine with pro partner Nikita Kuzmin.
After narrowly missing out on a 40 this past weekend thanks to Craig Revel Horwood's nine paddle, the Couple's Choice to Christina Aguilera's Ain't No Other Man has led a number of the Strictly fandom to predict a perfect score is imminent.
He'll be taking on the Couple's Choice in the hopes of impressing over the likes of Ellie Leach and her Charleston, Nigel Harman's Quickstep, and Bobby Brazier's Jive.
Angela Rippon's American Smooth, Angela Scanlon's Argentine Tango, and Annabel Croft's American Smooth complete the routines for Blackpool Week.
Spotting Williams is the only one taking on a Couple's Choice, Strictly fans on Reddit are predicting glory, with Redditor u/dmastra97 saying: "Happy we're seeing a quickstep. Nigel's opportunity to keep in front running for 3rd spot in the final. Layton guaranteed 40 incoming. Ellie hopefully close to him as well."
Layton Williams narrowly missed out on 40 this past weekend
BBC
Fellow Strictly fan u/clobo9625 agree: "I think the top of the leaderboard will be Layton, Ellie and Nigel (if he doesn't make any mistakes as he tends to in his ballroom)."
While u/VaguelyObservant mused: "I’m ready for the ellie and layton battle for the first 40. i’m invested in both of them that i’ll actually be disappointed if they don’t both get one this Saturday."
The prediction was echoed by u/Competitive_Area1414 who penned: "Ellie and Layton look like potential 40s - only potential risk is Layton in ringer status and a tight leaderboard, meaning he could be a shock dance off contestant..."
Elsewhere, u/Shoddy-Comparison615 weighed in: "Ellie v Layton for first 40. Those dances just have iconic written all over them."
Will Layton and Nikita finally get a perfect score?
BBC
And another Strictly fan, u/RainbowRevolver, commented: "Layton & Nikita’s couples choice has 40 written all over it." (sic)
While Williams may be tipped to land the perfect score with judges, the latest odds suggest it may not be enough for him to go all the way and lift the Glitterball Trophy.
Despite finishing near the summit of the leaderboard week after week, it's Leach who is now the odds-on favourite to win the entire series.
According to William Hill, Leach is 2/7 to win the series - much shorter odds than Williams' 8/1.
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Spokesperson for William Hill, Lee Phelps, said of the odds: "Ellie Leach has really started to assert her dominance in this year’s edition of Strictly Come Dancing and is now our firm favourite to win the show.
"Having been backed into 4/6 to win the show last week, the former Coronation Street actress is now just 2/7 with us to lift the Glitterball Trophy this year after another solid performance – the shortest price we’ve had on any contestant to win the show so far.
"Nigel Harman has drifted from 4/1 to 7/1 despite scoring a personal best of 34 points on Saturday, with Layton Williams now the third favourite at 8/1 after scoring a near-perfect 39 points on Saturday."
Whatever happens in Blackpool, the remaining seven stars will all be hoping to avoid the dreaded dance-off and follow in the footsteps of latest casualty, Krishnan Guru-Murthy.
