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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Zoe Delaney

Ex Strictly star pro says final is 'two horse race' as he rules couples out

Strictly Come Dancing's big final this evening is a two horse race, according to one of the show's former stars.

James Jordan thinks only two of the four couples competing to lift the Glitterball trophy this evening stand a chance of winning and thinks the public will make the correct decision when voting for their winner.

Molly Rainford, Fleur East, Helen Skelton and Hamza Yassin and their respective professional dance partners will be hoping to impress Strictly viewers tonight, as they take to the dancefloor one final time during this year's grand final.

BBC wildlife cameraman Hamza, 32, is the bookies' favourite to win this evening over his three celebrity co-stars, but has admitted that he's "super nervous" and still isn't convinced he can dance.

Strictly Come Dancing fans will get the chance to vote for their favourite celebrity dancer tonight (BBC/Guy Levy)

However, former Strictly professional James thinks he is one of the four finalists leading the way.

Writing on Twitter this morning, James wished all the finalists good luck as he shared his thoughts on the big live final scheduled to begin in less than an hour.

The dancer, who left Strictly in 2014, told his followers: "Good luck to all the Strictly finalists!!

"It’s been another great year of dancing and once again the pro’s were exceptional.

The former Strictly pro finished runner-up with Denise Van Outen during the 2012 series of the show (PA)

"I think it’s a 2 horse race between Hamza and Helen BUT whoever wins is down to the public so it will be the correct result.

"GOOD LUCK ALL."

Replying to James' tweet, one Strictly fan wrote: "Hamza and Helen have both grown so much in their dancing ability. However I do want Helen and Gorka to win. Helens confidence since day one to now has multiplied, which is great to see."

Another quipped: "I will be happy with either of them. Helen deserves to because of her progression and Hamaza is just so lovely as well as being good."

Hamza is favourite to lift the Glitterball trophy and has previously denied any dance experience (BBC/Guy Levy)

James isn't the only former Strictly professional sharing their thoughts about the BBC show ahead of this evening's final.

Earlier this week, Robin Windsor claimed Strictly bosses refused his requests to introduced same-sex pairings during his time on the star-studded dancing series.

Robin, who joined the BBC show in 2010, claims he "was a massive advocate for same-sex dancing" during his time on Strictly and mentioned it "many times" to bosses, but their reply was always "a flat out no".

In an interview, Robin said he realises now that "it wasn't the right time" for the change and praised Strictly for "paving the way" in terms of diversity and inclusivity over recent series of the star-studded competition.

The dancer competed on the show from series eight until his departure after the 11th series and was partnered with Patsy Kensit, Anita Dobson, Lisa Riley and Deborah Meaden for those four stints on the famous dancefloor.

When two Strictly professionals, Johannes Radebe and Graziano di Prima, danced together on the show in 2019, almost 200 viewers took to Twitter to claim they found it "offensive to watch two men dancing as a pair".

Jayde Adams and Karen Hauer were one of two same-sex pairings on Strictly this year (BBC)

Former boxer Nicola Adams and and Strictly professional Katya Jones were the first same-sex pairing on the show in 2020, with Great British Bake Off champion John Whaite and Johannes making it all the way to the final of last year's series.

This year's offering from Strictly saw two same-sex couples, with celebrities Jayde Adams and Richie Anderson partnering up with Karen Hauer and 2021 champion Giovanni Pernice respectively.

*The Strictly Come Dancing 2022 final will air on Saturday at 7.05pm on BBC One

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