It's barely been three months since the last series ended, but the rumour mill is already throwing up potential contestants for Strictly Come Dancing 2022.
Just as reigning champions Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice reunited for a moving performance on Comic Relief, bookies put out odds on who they think will take a spin in the BBC ballroom this year.
And the hot tip to be a Strictly star this autumn is famous football referee Mike Dean, following the announcement that he will retire from the game at the end of the current season. Mike is on odds on 4/1 with William Hill to be on Strictly this year and not far behind him is a famous face who finds herself in the mix for the show every year, TV host Lorraine Kelly.
Lorraine, who often jokes about doing the show when she interviews Strictly stars on her ITV programme, is on odds of 6/1 to compete this year.
With Little Mix taking a break at the end of their upcoming tour, Jade Thirlwall could be a great shout to be a contender on the dancefloor this year. The South Shields singer has already appeared on two seasons of BBC's Drag Race UK and William Hill have her at 12/1 to add Strictly Come Dancing to her CV.
And, a year on from his controversial walk off and exit from Good Morning Britain, Piers Morgan is at 20/1 to be a Strictly star, having also been linked to I'm A Celebrity last year. He will soon to return to screens in his own current affairs show but could he also have time for a tango?
William Hill spokesperson, Tony Kenny, said: “Mike Dean has been a mainstay of the Premier League for over two decades but after he announced he was hanging up his whistle for good, we think he’ll be inundated with offers in other fields of work.
“The word is he used to do a bit of Ballroom dancing and so looks tailor made for an appearance on Strictly Come Dancing at 4/1, while he also looks a solid contender to head Down Under for a stint on I’m A Celeb at 8/1.”
