Strictly Come Dancing / Chicken Dinner / 22 October 2007 / 2

Betting experts Chicken Dinner run through the contenders still taking to the dancefloor on SCD

Three shows into season five of Strictly Come Dancing and the early cull of old people (Brian Capron, Stephanie Beacham and Willie Thorne) is complete. Still on the floor are....

Alesha Dixon (3.2 on Betfair)
Didn't look much like a contender pre-show, what with Mis-teeq no longer registering with the BBC1 teatime viewing public, but now she's beating Kelly Brook, herself a strong contestant, for the sassiest female spot. The most recent has-been-ish pop star to take part was Emma Bunton, who came third last year.

Kelly Brook (4.9 on Betfair)
Pre-season favourite and show crumpet, her dancing appears to be exemplary. Her main problem is Alesha Dixon's brand of 'fun hotness', which has pushed Brook's more adult 'sultry sexiness' out to a longer price (from 3.0 to 4.9).

Gabby Logan (5.3 on Betfair)
Sports presenter Logan looks like a man in make-up. However, she used to be a gymnast, and on the evidence of her Arab spring/splits ending to Saturday's jive that gives her a head start with the tricky leg-bendy, lean-backy stuff. She's also in the right not-too-young age range, and has a reasonably high TV profile - both essentials for winning outright.

Matt Di Angelo (8.0 on Betfair)
A pretty boy from Eastenders, in the same mould as (series one runner-up) Christopher Parker, Matt is already benefiting from his Sylvia Young stage school grooming. A massive hit with younger viewers and many of the nation's underground soapaholics. Understandably the top boy.

Gethin Jones (9.8 on Betfair)
The caring, responsible face of children's television, Blue Peter presenter Jones is already a BBC darling - the new John Noakes/Peter Duncan, if you like. Popular with the phone-vote-happy mums, Jones also has a lock on the influential pre-teen voting bloc, but disadvantaged by Di Angelo's greater fame.

Penny Lancaster (9.8 on Betfair)
Lingerie model Penny's gameplan is the scant costume, driving Forsyth back into his Victorian 'leg over' gags. Working against her is a complete lack of celebrity back-story, beyond having sex with one of The Faces. Voters will likely prefer younger, hotter Kelly Brook.

John Barnes (18.5 on Betfair)
The last two series have seen sporting heroes steal the top two spots (Ramprakash, Dawson, series four; Darren Gough, Colin Jackson, series three) so looking good for the agile, but fat Barnes. However, Barnes' wedding reception technique recalls the last football star to pull on the tight trousers - Peter Schmeichel - who waltzed his way to a poor seventh (series four). Doomed.

Dominic Littlewood (30 on Betfair)
Littlewood comes across as a chirpy chap who looks like he'd be quite handy breaking heads with a pipe. Has a great partner in Lilia Kopylova (winner, series three; runner up, series four), but has most in common with David Dickinson (second out, series one), in that he's a celebrity by default - a car salesman by trade. And therefore, has no chance.

Letitia Dean (36.0 on Betfair)
Eastenders stars fare well (Jill Halfpenny, winner, series one; Patsy Palmer, fifth, series three) and this should see her through the first five episodes. Unfortunately for Sharon, she has a range of disconcerting facial expressions and no amount of her rumoured versatility in the tap will help viewers see beyond her strange great legs/barrel-chested physique.

Kenny Logan (44.0 on Betfair)
Darren Gough and Mark Ramprakash were known, but not household names before their SCD wins, yet former rugby player Logan is not even the most household name in his own home. However, the general public adores watching burly sportsmen doing something a bit gay (remember prop forward Matt Stevens?, runner up, series 4), and Barnes and Littlewood are catchable.

Kate Garraway (80 on Betfair)
Perhaps a little down-market and 'ITV' for the BBC regulars, she might emulate her sofa buddy Fiona Phillips (ninth, series three) by being game, but undistinguished. She is best known for her dodgy leg, a handicap in more ways than one in the sympathy-free world of SCD.

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1. Preortmed | 27 November 2007

   Hi, hello, privet
   capped

2. joy and robert Cross | 17 November 2008

   Please do the decent thing John Sergent and GO before another good dancer bites the dust, Yes we know you appeal to some old /young people(not Dancers) with your smug grin and stumbling/bumbling show but it is a DANCE CONTEST not a personality contest what kind of reception must your partner receive from her fellow proffesionals PLEASE GO J.S. WE CAN ALL THINK BETTER OF YOU IF YOU ARE GRACIOUS then (also we can all enjoy real competition Joy and Robert

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