All eyes will be focussed on Danny Mac tomorrow night, the deserved favourite to lift the Glitterball Trophy after thirteen gruelling weeks of practice and performing live each Saturday night at Elstree Studios, Hertfordshire. Like the Agatha Christie novel fifteen contestants started the journey with one shuffling off the stage each week, leaving us with the three Finalists: Hollyoaks' best Danny Mac, BBC Sports presenter Ore Oduba and ex-Eternal singer Louise Redknapp. Danny has quite simply been Strictly's best ever performer in the whole twelve years' history of the competition, with his Charleston performed at the Tower Ballroom, Blackpool reminiscent of Fred Astaire and worthy of a West End or Broadway show. Ore Oduba has had his wobbles, but might have won in any other year, with a particularly memorable American Smooth which Gene Kelly's widow felt moved to compliment. Louise Redknapp has been the surprise of this competition but at 41 her knicker elastic will surely be stretched to breaking point with the three dances she will have to cope with tomorrow night, though she may remain housewives' favourite.
This will sadly be Head Judge Len Goodman's last performance, exuding as he does a reassuring avuncular persona along with a gruff sandpaper voice, a dash of cantankerousness and unsurpassed knowledge of ballroom dancing, which combine brilliantly with the other judges' skills-Darcy's ballet, Craig's musical theatre and Bruno's choreography. It might not be too much of an exaggeration to say that Strictly's future may even be in doubt should the producers fill the void with the wrong person, faced already with the crushing blow of Bruce Forsyth's departure last year and an ever cringeworthy Tess as she asks the distraught reject couple each week to "come on over" and forgetting sometimes to vary the "how do you feel?" patter as Claudia does her best with a superior brain to counteract and engage the audience with a seemingly impromptu comedy routine.
Danny Mac 8/11 Louise Redknapp 6/4 Ore Oduba 6/1
