The race for the Strictly Come Dancing 2024 Glitterball Trophy has a dramatic new frontrunner with just weeks left in the competition. Former England footballer and sports journalist Karen Carney, 38, alongside her professional partner Carlos Gu, has surged to the top of the leaderboard, both in judges' scores and in the betting odds.
From the Pitch to the Ballroom: A New Favourite Emerges
The pivotal moment came last Saturday when the pair delivered a stunning performance, earning them a perfect score of 40 from the judges. This flawless routine has propelled them into the quarter-finals and fundamentally shifted the competition's landscape. Bookmakers have reacted swiftly, with BetMGM now installing Carney as the clear favourite to win the entire series.
Her odds have been slashed to 1/2 (odds-on), overtaking previous favourite George Clarke, the online content creator, who now sits at 7/4. The rest of the field trails behind, with actor Lewis Cope at 8/1 and actress and singer Amber Davies a distant 50/1. In the elimination betting, Balvinder Sopal is the 2/1 favourite to be the next contestant voted off.
Betting Shift and Sporting Pedigree
Dan Towse, Brand Director at BetMGM, confirmed the significant shift in fortunes. 'George Clarke had been the Strictly favourite pretty much since the opening night, but it’s all changed as we approach the business end,' he said. 'Karen Carney has improved week-on-week, and she’s now surpassed Clarke in the betting, with the former England women’s footballer odds-on at 1/2.'
If Carney triumphs, she would make Strictly history on two fronts. She would become the first footballer ever to win the competition, despite several attempts from Arsenal legends like Tony Adams, Alex Scott, and Paul Merson. Furthermore, she would be the first champion from a sporting background since gymnast Louis Smith in 2012, joining an elite club that includes cricketers Mark Ramprakash and Darren Gough.
Emotional Exit for Alex Kingston
The news of Carney's ascent comes on the heels of another emotional weekend for the show. Actress Alex Kingston, 62, became the eighth celebrity to be eliminated after the judges' vote went against her. Despite judge Anton du Beke choosing to save her and her partner Johannes Radebe, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Shirley Ballas all voted to save rivals Balvinder Sopal and Julian, sending Kingston home.
An emotional Kingston told presenter Tess Daly, 'I had never in my wildest dreams imagined that I would last this long. It's been just the most incredible journey for me.' Her emotions spilled over onto the spin-off show It Takes Two on Monday, where she broke down in tears revealing a secret her husband had kept. 'He has been taking for the last five weeks Salsa lessons. He’s been learning Salsa so he can be my partner,' she shared, moved by his gesture to continue her dancing journey.
With the quarter-finals now set, all eyes are on Karen Carney and Carlos Gu to see if they can maintain their momentum and make sporting history on the Strictly dancefloor. Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
