In a dramatic twist just hours before the Strictly Come Dancing final, the betting favourite has been dramatically overhauled, while a former contestant has broken his silence with explosive claims of a voting scandal.
Odds Overturn Hours Before the Final
George Clarke, the 26-year-old YouTuber from Bristol who had led the betting for "pretty much the entire series," has suffered a significant blow. Bookmakers have now installed him as the second favourite, with his odds drifting to 7/4.
Overtaking him as the new frontrunner is former Lioness Karen Carney, whose odds have shortened to just 4/9 to lift the Glitterball Trophy. Meanwhile, Love Island star Amber Davies remains a distant outsider at 40/1, though she could still cause a major upset.
"George may have fallen at the final hurdle if the latest odds are anything to go by... having led the way from pretty much the offset, he looks set to miss out on the Glitterball Trophy," said Alex Apati of Ladbrokes.
Tom Skinner's Explosive Allegations
Away from the finalists, a storm is brewing around Tom Skinner, the 34-year-old Apprentice star who was the first celebrity voted off the show back in October. In a lengthy statement on X, Skinner revealed he is seeking legal advice after claiming BBC bosses "rigged official voting figures."
Skinner, whose casting was controversial due to his outspoken right-wing views, stated he received an anonymous email from someone claiming to be a BBC executive. The email allegedly contained statistics showing he received a larger share of the public vote than was announced, which should have saved him from the dance-off.
"I’ve since had the email independently verified," Skinner wrote. He further claimed the email suggested the BBC was "very angry and nervous" because he had met US Vice President JD Vance, though Skinner insists he is "not a political bloke."
He added that after raising the issue with the BBC's welfare team, he was advised to seek legal counsel. Skinner also mentioned a series of smaller incidents, including his welcome gift being the only one that was "stolen," which compounded his suspicions.
Claims of Resignations and a Culture of Unfairness
Skinner's statement made further startling claims. He said that after receiving and verifying the email information, "a very senior BBC figure has since resigned," and the show's main hosts stepped down the following week. While careful not to directly link these events to his situation, he described the timing as "all very coincidental."
The TV personality expressed frustration that details of a private Zoom call with BBC executives became national news the next day, suggesting a leak. He denied being a sore loser, acknowledging his poor dancing, but insisted on fairness, pointing to his significant public following.
"I just believe in fairness and respect," Skinner concluded, wishing the finalists well before stating he had "fish to sell" on his stall. The Daily Mail has contacted BBC representatives for comment.
The Strictly Come Dancing final on Saturday night will now proceed under a cloud of these allegations, even as Clarke, Carney, and Davies battle it out for the crown.
