Strictly Come Dancing / Joe Dyer / 07 September 2011 / 1

Everybody needs good Neighbours and a pair of Australian former soap stars should be on your side in this year's SCD, says Joe Dyer, but could a Scottish sexagenarian spring a surprise?

Another set of C-list stars and ageing sportsmen are limbering up for a spell in the lycra-clad spotlight with the eighth series of Strictly Come Dancing on the horizon.

The lineup for the BBC's X-Factor alternative has been announced and it's the usual mix with the contenders seemingly chosen to fit the series stereotypes we have been primed to expect. As Len Goodman will no doubt say, seveeeen!

So in the attractive, no doubt drama school-trained female camp we have Holly Valance, formerly of Neighbours and the (old man alert) pop charts and currently starring in a Fosters advert. Valance - [6.6] to win - will surely come equipped with a pair of fully-functioning dancing feet and more importantly for red-blooded males on the sofas of great Britain, she will presumably look ravishing in any number of tight-fitting outfits the BBC have lined up. Yowser!

Similarly young and female are the One Show's Alex Jones and Chelsee Healey of BBC1's Waterloo Road, and once of Hollyoaks. The pair are [6.4] and [13.0] to win.

Male counterparts to Valance, Healy and Jones come in the shape of Harry Judd and Dan Lobb. Yes, we don't know them either but the former McFly drummer (and F-list star if ever I saw one) and ex-Sky Sports presenter look genuine contenders at [4.4] and [12.0] respectively. Importantly, Judd has already won a Children in Need SCD special. The boy can dance.

This year's big names come in the form of 80s mega-star Jason Donovan (yes, he was) and annoying ex-footballer Robbie Savage.

With a long career on the stage, Donovan surely possesses a bit of dash in his step and will have millions of mums willing him on every week. He's a lively contender at his current price of [9.0].

Dodgy tackles won't get you very far in SCD and neither will arguing with the referees (read, judges) and it's easy to imagine Savage possessing two left feet, just as he did on the football pitch. Blondie is definitely one to watch before having a bet at his current price of [17.0].

Another ex-sportsman Audley Harrison is readily written off by the layers, trading at [70.0] (with a lay price of [470.0] but will he be as wooden and lumbering on the dancefloor as he was in the ring? Probably, but the big man could go further than his price suggests.

Filling the Pamela Stephenson role is Lulu who should retain plenty of moves in her sexagenarian hips. The market isn't taking any chances on the 62-year-old Scottish singer though - pricing her up at [14.0] to win. An outsider with promise, for sure.

After that lot, it's easy to write off Anita Dobson ([22.0]), Rory Bremner ([27.0]), Nancy Dell'Olio ([42.0]) and Edwina Currie ([70.0]), so we will.

Finally, in the 'hasn't got a hope' category we can safely place Russell Grant, who somehow manages to look flat-footed in his 128px × 208px pen pic on the SCD website. The roly-poly astronomer can go deep a la John Sergeant but surely cannot win, whatever the stars tell him.

The show gets under way with a special launch show on September 10.

Recommended Bets
Back Jason Donovan @ [9.0]
Back Lulu @ [14.0]

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1. Benisjamming | 07 September 2011

   Nice article Mr Dyer,

   I fancy Dan Lobb myself for the below reasons:
   1. Ex Tennis player, the man can move
   2. Presenter of day time TV (Day break)
   3. Former model
   4. Appeals to middle aged woman = high percentage of votes
   5. Leads SCD poll on who people would like to see dnce the most

   Got to be worth a back at 10/1

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