Rose Ayling-Ellis is the HUGE favourite to win 'Strictly'

Strictly Come Dancing Rose Ayling-Ellis
(Image credit: BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing 2021 can only crown one winner, and currently it's Rose Ayling-Ellis who's the big favourite to lift that coveted glitterball trophy. 

The EastEnders actress wowed judges with her dramatic tango during Halloween week, which was described as "perfect" by new judge Anton Du Beke.

Rose is currently at 2/5 on shot with William Hill to win the competition. So far Rose has never scored below a nine in the competition and her 40 score during Halloween week broke a new record for the series, as it was the earliest perfect score they've seen. Could she and pro partner Giovanni Pernice make it all the way to the final?

Rose is followed by TV chef John Waithe in the betting, who's the second favourite to win at 7/2. John is in the show's first same-sex pairing alongside Johannes Radebe, and has quickly become a fan favourite. Their fun, baking-themed Charleston dance received an impressive score of 38 from judges before Rose and Giovanni were awarded their first 40.

Meanwhile, AJ Odudu is at 13/2 chance, making her the third most likely to win the competition, according to the bookies. She's partnered with professional Kai Widdrington and has also been impressing judges, especially with their steamy Argentine tango which awarded them 35 points. So there's a real chance that Rose, John, and AJ could make it to the final if they carry on impressing the judging panel and the voting public.

They're not safe just yet though, as there's still plenty of dancing to be done and they're competing against outsiders Tom Fletcher, Tilly Ramsay, Rhys Stephenson (84/1), Dan Walker, Adam Peaty and Sara Davies.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday nights, with the results show on Sundays. Previous episodes are also available on-demand via BBC iPlayer.

Lucy Buglass
Senior Staff Writer

Lucy joined the WhatToWatch.com team in 2021, where she writes series guides for must-watch programmes, reviews and the latest TV news. Originally from Northumberland, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Film Studies and moved to London to begin a career writing about entertainment.


She is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and has a huge passion for cinema. She especially loves horror, thriller and anything crime-related. Her favourite TV programmes include Inside No 9, American Horror Story, Stranger Things and Black Mirror but she is also partial to a quiz show or a bit of Say Yes to the Dress