YouTube sensation George Clarke has made his prediction for this year's Strictly Come Dancing champion, and surprisingly, he doesn't think it will be him lifting the glitterball trophy.
The Surprising Prediction
Despite performing strongly with professional partner Alexis Warr throughout the current series, George believes the victory will go to one of two other contestants. Speaking to The Independent, the social media star shared his thoughts on the intensely competitive competition.
"It's such an insanely competitive competition in the sense that the dancing's good," George revealed. "But I think I'd love to see Alex or Vicky do it personally if I had to put my money on anyone."
His dance partner Alexis Warr found it more difficult to choose a potential winner, emphasising how close the competition has become. "All of them bring something so special," she explained. "I can see anyone doing it because it is such a close compact scoring."
Judges Divided Over Performance
The couple recently performed a Viennese Waltz to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody, which sparked contrasting reactions from the judging panel. While Craig Revel Horwood criticised George's footwork, head judge Shirley Ballas offered strong praise for the same elements.
Shirley declared that George was "back with a bang for sure" and complimented his "natural turns, reverse turns" and good stride on his first step. She went even further, calling it "some of the best footwork" she had seen in a Viennese Waltz and describing it as his "best dance" of the series.
However, Craig Revel Horwood strongly disagreed, stating: "I don't think the footwork was that perfect, I've got to be honest." He added that he felt George was "using your thighs and your knees rather than your feet" and that "the rise and fall was too much."
Overcoming Injury Challenges
The performance came just weeks after George suffered a significant injury that threatened his participation in the show. During an appearance on The Useless Hotline Podcast, he disclosed that he had been dealing with a pinched nerve in his back throughout the week leading up to the performance.
"I had a pinched nerve all week in my back," George confessed. "I had acupuncture" to manage the pain and ensure he could continue competing.
Despite the physical setback and divided opinions from judges, George and Alexis remain strong contenders in the competition, having consistently impressed audiences and most of the judging panel with their performances week after week.
The current series of Strictly Come Dancing continues to deliver unexpected twists and impressive performances, with the competition remaining wide open according to both contestants and judges alike.
