A body language expert has revealed who the eventual winners of Strictly Come Dancing could be following the first live show.
With no results show on Sunday, every contestant has a second chance at impressing the judges and the public when they take to the floor again next week. But body language guru Darren Stanton believes he has already worked out who could lift the Strictly glitterball.
Analysing the interactions and body language between the pairings as they performed for the first time, Darren, on behalf of Betfair, shared who he thinks has what it takes to go far in this year’s competition and who is at risk.
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Kym Marsh and Graziano Di Prima
Darren said: "For their first performance, we saw the fantastic rapport Kym and Graziano already share. They have already developed a firm friendship and it shows. That said, it doesn’t detract from the fact that Kym has clearly worked very hard on her routine.
"Throughout the routine and while receiving the judges’ commentary, Kym and Graziano displayed plenty of eye contact and genuine emotion as they both flashed sincere smiles. We saw a great deal of tactileness between the pair, demonstrating the bond they share, with their closeness no doubt going to play a huge part in the pair progressing in the competition."
Tyler West and Dianne Buswell
Darren said: "Tyler appears to be throwing himself into the experience and it’s clear he’s thrilled to be a part of the series. He and Diane share a great rapport and appeared to move as one during their routine.
"Sometimes people don’t always see the connection between body language and dancing, but it’s all about communication, depth of connection and being intuitive - Tyler and Diane have definitely achieved this already and there is clearly a very strong rapport between the two.
"While the judges pointed out Tyler needs to work on his technique in order to progress, judging on his connection and communication with Diane alone, he could definitely go far in the process."
Kaye Adams and Kai Widdrington
Darren said: "With Kaye, the need for her to relinquish control and allow herself to be led by her dance partner is proving challenging. She appears to be having difficulty handing over the reins and letting someone else be in charge.
"Trust is the key word here. Kaye is a very strong woman, known for her forthrightness, which could be why there’s visibly a little awkwardness between herself and Kai.
"As the competition gains momentum, this could hinder her progress - especially as she hasn’t yet established a good rapport with Kai. When receiving feedback from the judges, we saw Kaye’s head move downwards and she withdrew inwards.
"It’s not an easy challenge she’s taken on and she knows this, with the presenter lacking in confidence compared to her fellow celebrities."
Richie Anderson and Giovanni Pernice
Darren said: "Richie is a natural extrovert and clearly loves being in the spotlight. He is definitely this year’s wildcard contestant.
"While he and Giovanni do have a great rapport, this wasn’t portrayed as well during their first routine and as a result, it could lead to Richie being at risk of an early exit from the competition."
Molly Rainford and Carlos Gu
Darren said: "From the very first moment they met, Molly and Carlos displayed a great level of communication both verbally and non-verbally. Determined to do well, Molly appears to put a lot of pressure on herself.
"It’s clear being on Strictly is extremely important to her and as a result, she seemed to suffer from nerves. However, Carlos appears to be a calming presence around Molly, boosting her confidence, and they are already displaying a great friendship which enabled them to put on a fantastic performance.
"If Molly can get a hold of her nerves and not let them get the better of her, she could be a serious contender."
Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystal
Darren said: "Hamza and Jowita are another pairing who are already displaying a fantastic friendship. Hamza appears to be very easy going and that was evident in the fact his first dance appeared to be effortless - surprising the judges.
"He quite easily could make it far in this year’s competition, already impressing on his debut and landing the highest score of the night alongside Will."
Fleur East and Vito Coppola
Darren said: "Fleur was a real powerhouse on her debut. The electricity coming off her during her routine was incredible. Fleur is someone who doesn’t do anything by halves and we saw her throw herself into her performance.
"The level of connection and rapport displayed by her and Vito was probably the strongest out of all the other contestants, proving the pair have a great level of communication and it will no doubt take them far in the contest - as long as Fleur can control her excitement, along with her emotions."
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