Emmerdale star Lawrence Robb has been dealt a crushing blow ahead of the first Strictly Come Dancing live show, as bookmakers' forecasts suggest he may struggle to secure victory in the 2026 series.
During Saturday night's broadcast, the celebrities and their professional partners will perform before the judges in the opening live episode. While no elimination will occur this week, and the final remains some time away, bookmakers have begun revealing their forecasts on the eventual winner - and it's not looking good for the Emmerdale star.
Betting odds favour Dani Dyer
Dani Dyer continues as the 10/3 favourite with Betway to claim the Glitterball Trophy. Both Lawrence Robb (5/1 from 7/1) and John Nellis (9/1 from 16/1) have attracted considerable backing following Saturday's opening programme, yet former Love Island participant Dani Dyer maintains her position at the top of Betway's overall market.
Lewis Knowles, Betway's spokesperson, commented: "Youtuber John Nellis has been by far the best backed contestant following Saturday's launch show, nearly halving in price to 9/1 (from 16/1) to win this year's Glitterball Trophy.
"Lawrence Robb is another we've seen good support for, but Dani Dyer remains strong in the market as our 10/3 favourite, and the former Love Islander will be hoping for more luck this time around after having to withdraw from last year's competition due to injury."
Shaun Wright-Phillips outsider
Conversely, at the opposite end of the spectrum, Shaun Wright-Phillips may face becoming the first contestant eliminated from the competition.
They added: "Sports people have an outstanding record in Strictly Come Dancing over the years, so Olympian Tabby Stoecker will certainly be one to watch, but expectations for football legend Shaun Wright-Phillips are seemingly low, with the former England international the outsider of the field at 40/1."
Lawrence's reaction to launch show
Audiences tuned in last week to witness the Strictly Come Dancing launch show, during which the celebrity contestants were matched with their professional dance partners.
During the launch show, Lawrence was asked about his predecessors on Emmerdale who had competed on Strictly. He said, "They are very big shoes to fill. I guess I can empathise with you guys, filling Claudia and Tess' place, reports the Daily Star.
Reflecting on his training sessions, the soap actor added: "It was amazing. Honestly, now I am chomping at the bit to get down and do it. Watching the girls do it makes you feel like, 'I just wanna do it now'."
The following weekend will see the first elimination of the series, putting all the celebrities at risk, including Lawrence, Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer, Will Best, Dame Sarah Story, Jaime Winstone, Bethany Antonia, Shaun Wright-Phillips, and Graeme Hall.
Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturday at 6.15pm on BBC One.
