James Bye is gearing up for a 'battle' to stay on Strictly Come Dancing, according to bookmakers, with odds suggesting the EastEnders actor's days on the BBC show could be numbered this weekend.
EastEnders stars have a habit of doing rather well on Strictly, with Rose Ayling-Ellis winning alongside Giovanni Pernice last year and Maisie Smith making the final with Helen Skelton' s partner Gorka Marquez a year earlier. Going further back, Jill Halfpenny won series two back in 2004, while Kara Tointon has also lifted the Glitterball trophy.
However, experts aren't convinced James, known to millions of soap fans as Martin Fowler, is going to follow in their triumphant footsteps. While he is yet to land in the dreaded dance-off, his scores haven't exactly set the leaderboard alight, although they did improve last week.
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Three celebrities have been given the ballroom boot so far - Kaye Adams, Richie Anderson and Matt Goss - and bookies think James could be next out, with BetVictor having him on the same odds as comedian Jayde Adams to be voted out this weekend, after he dances to the EastEnders theme tune for Strictly's BBC anniversary special. Both are on 9/4 to be the next casualty of the new series, just ahead of Ellie Taylor, who is on 15/8.
William Hill have James and Ellie on joint favourites to go on 2/1, with spokesperson Lee Phelps saying: "We might be saying Bye to James earlier than expected following a series of poor scores from the judges and make the EastEnders star 2/1 to be the fourth contestant eliminated this weekend.
“Ellie Taylor is also in trouble, with her professional partner not able to spin her out of the woods just yet. We also make her 2/1 to go this weekend, while Jayde Adams only holds a slight advantage in the betting at 3/1.”
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