Strictly Come Dancing fans believe EastEnders star Lacey Turner and British skeleton racer Tabby Stoecker are in a two-horse race to win this year's glitterball trophy. With 15 celebrities competing, viewers of the BBC show think the pair could be the ones to beat.
Other contestants this year include Love Island's Cach Mercer, TV personality Dani Dyer, singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem, actress Jaime Winstone and TV dog trainer Graeme Hall.
Fans predict a duel
Following last Saturday's Halloween spectacular on October 31, one fan of the show took to Reddit to suggest the competition was evolving into a duel between the two stars. They wrote: "Lacey's Charleston was an absolute vibe! So glad she finally had her breakthrough moment!"
They added: "And as much as I love Tabby, I'm glad she's had her wobble now so she can regroup and bounce back. Lacey rising, Tabby fighting back... this is turning into an exciting duel"
A fellow Strictly enthusiast agreed, writing: "I loved her Charleston and I'm not normally a big fan of the style. Lacey was so light and relaxed it was just really fun to watch. And she was nearly Katya levels of fearless with those lifts!"
Leaderboard positions
A third viewer declared Lacey was "fantastic", while a fourth chimed in: "Lacey and Vito! That's what we've been waiting for." Lacey, 38, and her professional partner Vito Coppola scored 36 out of 40 for their Charleston, placing them at the top of the leaderboard.
Tabby, 25, experienced her first shaky routine last weekend, receiving 25 out of 40 for her Quickstep. This left her joint-bottom of the Week 6 leaderboard alongside Graeme Hall. The previous week, she and dance partner Mark Karmalita secured 37 out of 40 for their Couple's Choice performance.
Tabby's growing support
Supporters have been suggesting for weeks that Tabby could claim victory, with one remarking last month: "Tabby's becoming one of my favourite contestants in this competition, she's delivering in these dances and got potential winner written all over her."
Another commented: "Same, I had no idea who she was before strictly but she quickly became my fave celebrity I absolutely love her!" While a third noted: "Tabby and Mark, I am obsessed!"
Bookmakers appear to agree, with both Lacey and Tabby engaged in a close contest at the summit of the markets to win Strictly Come Dancing this year. While numerous major UK bookmakers continue to favour Lacey as the overall frontrunner, recent impressive performances, including a pair of perfect tens, have seen Tabby climb to the leading position on several alternative trackers.
Strictly Come Dancing next airs on Saturday, 7 November 2026 at 6:30pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
