Strictly Odds: Love Island contestant Tasha fav for 2024

“DA DA DA DA DA DA DER, DA DA DA DA DA!”

Get your spandex ready and a brew in your hand people, because Strictly is BACK and its the 20th anniversary! The 15 celebrities have been announced and here at Betfred Insights towers, we've taken a fun look at the runners and riders and their respective odds to win the Glitterball trophy.

So without further ado, here are your 2024 Strictly odds...

What is Strictly Come Dancing?

Strictly Come Dancing (or Strictly to its fans) is a successful long-running BBC dance show, that is an annual affair on weekend primetime television.

Fifteen celebrities partner with professional dancers to compete weekly in Ballroom and Latin dance routines and are then graded by four celebrity judges. There is also a public telephone vote where one of the celebrities is voted out of the competition on a weekly basis.

Strictly was first broadcast in 2004 and is about to enter its 22nd series of the much loved and widely syndicated show. The launch show is scheduled to take place in mid-September, with live shows being shown weekly afterwards. There is also a scheduled 20th anniversary special, featuring a look at how the show was created and all the highlights from the last 20 years of the competition.

Who are the judges, hosts and professionals this year?

No changes this year, with head judge Shirley Ballas joined by Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse and the show will be hosted again by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.

All your favourite professional dancers are back, including Aljaž Škorjanec who is back after a two-year break.

The full list of professionals taking part is:

Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Amy Dowden, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Jowita Przystal, Johannes Radebe, Aljaž Škorjanec, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas and Vito Coppola.

We will find out who has been partnered with which celebrities just before the launch show.

Who are this year’s Strictly contestants?

Tasha Ghouri @ 9/2

The 25-year-old model and TV personality is primarily known for being the first-ever deaf contestant on ITV's reality dating show Love Island and the reaction to her announcement has been met with a mixture of joy, with some fans calling it an 'iconic' moment in the show's history and unfair, due to her large amount of commerical dance experience.

Along with Andrew Le Page, Ghouri finished fourth on Love Island but has since used her platform to raise deaf awareness to her 2.2m social media followers and stated this week:

“Pinch me, I can't believe I'm going to be on Strictly Come Dancing! I’ve been watching the show since I was little – it's a firm Ghouri family favourite - so this is a total dream come true. I know it's going to be an unforgettable experience and I hope to represent and make everyone proud out on that dancefloor.”

Tasha Ghouri

Ghouri would be the second deaf winner of the show, following 2021 winner Rose Ayling-Ellis.

Jamie Borthwick @ 9/2

Next up we have 30-year-old Jamie Borthwick, who rose to prominence as a child actor playing the role of Jay Brown in Eastenders, who he has been playing since the age of 12 and has won numerous awards for portraying.

Borthwick has some experience on the ballroom floor, after taking part in last year's Strictly Christmas special, winning the competition with a perfect 40 score. With that kind of record, it's no wonder to see him at the head of the betting.

Sam Quek @ 5/1

The former Great Britain Hockey player won gold at the Rio Olympics back in 2016 and has been a regular face on our TV screens ever since. She has presented various shows including numerous sports such as American Football, Rugby Union, Football and of course, Hockey.

It remains to be seen how Quek transfers her quick feet to the ballroom stage but she appears to have no previous dance experience, making the 5/1 on offer look very short indeed.

Shayne Ward @ 7/1

Ward shot to fame in 2005 as the second series winner of X-Factor and his debut single 'That's My Goal' became the third-fastest selling single of all time in the UK. After releasing four albums and being dropped by Simon Cowell's record label, the 39-year-old moved into acting, starring as Aidan Connor in Coronation Street.

The talented Mancunian also has reality TV dance experience, competing on Dancing on Ice back in 2013.

JB Gill @ 8/1

Jonathan Benjamin Gill first shot to stardom as part of the hit boy-band JLS, who were runners up to Alexandra Burke on the fifth season of X-Factor in 2008. Following their split in 2013, Gill has starred in a number of reality TV shows but his primary passion is for farming and has presented numerous farming-themed shows including Countryfile and Down on the Farm.

Not only does the 37-year-old have dance experience from his JLS days, he also won a Strictly Christmas special back in 2012, where he performed a jive with Ola Jordan.

Tom Dean @ 8/1

Triple Olympic Gold Medallist Dean has stepped straight from the poolside into the spotlight of the Strictly judges. Just a few weeks ago the 24-year-old won his third gold in the 4 x 200m freestyle relay in the Swimming for Great Britain but is now taking on a brand new challenge.

According to his mum, Tom used to have dance lessons and has won a Strictly-style competition in the past, so don't be surprised to see this ultra-competitive swimmer turn his talents to a new subject.

Montell Douglas @ 12/1

Montell Douglas is perhaps better known to viewers as 'Fire' - one of the new line-up of Gladiators on the hit TV show. She first came to fame though as an Olympian, competing in the 2008 summer Olympics as a 100m sprinter (and former British record holder), before taking up the Bobsleigh and representing GB in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

This multi-talented 38-year-old can't wait to get out on the floor, stating recently:

“Strictly ARE YOU READY, Fire is here to light up the Ballroom. Wow I am so honoured to have been asked to do the show. It is such an amazing thing to be a part of and I can’t wait to get started. Hopefully a few of my Gladiator moves will come in handy with the Tango or Paso Doble!”

Montell Douglas - Gladiator 'Fire'

Sarah Hadland @ 12/1

Actor Sarah Hadland is our next contestant and the 52-year-old has a long resume of TV, Film and Theatre appearances.

Best known as Stevie in Miranda, she also appeared in The Job Lot, Horrible Histories and the James Bond film Quantum of Solace.

Chris McCausland @ 16/1

Chris McCausland is a British comedian who is registered blind and is most famous for appearing on the CBeebies show MeToo! as well as performing stand-up comedy.

The 47-year-old Scouser was a shock addition to the show and said:

"If anybody out there is thinking - How the hell is he going to do that? - then rest assured that I am thinking exactly the same thing. I don't dance, I haven't danced, I can't dance, I can't see the dancing I will have to do. What can possibly go wrong? Ok don't answer that...!”

Chris McCausland

Pete Wicks @ 16/1

The lip-licker extraordinaire! Pete Wicks is a reality TV personality who has been on our screens for the last decade, first bursting to fame in The Only Way is Essex before appearing in pretty much every reality-show going, including Celebrity Masterchef, Celebs Go Dating and Celebrity SAS.

The 35-year-old considers himself a bit of a ladies man but will he get the female vote on a Saturday night?

Toyah Willcox @ 16/1

Toyah is a singer-songwriter, turned actor and TV presenter. The 66-year-old is the oldest contestant on the show this season and despite performing in front of huge crowds for 50+ years, has admitted she is terrified at the thought of Strictly.

It'll be a Mystery, a MYSTERY if she wins this...

Wynne Evans @ 33/1

Goooooooooooo Compaaaaaaare!!! Sorry, just had to get that out of the way.

The Welsh opera singer is well known on British screens as the Gio Compario on the Go Compare insurance adverts but has had a hugely-successful career on stage and on record also.

Evans also won Celebrity Masterchef last year, so is going for back-to-back reality wins, although this one looks unlikely.

Punam Krishan @ 40/1

Krishan is a former Scottish Doctor and current TV presenter. The 41-year-old left the medical profession due to burn-out and has since starred on The Weakest Link and Morning Live, as well as presenting Laid Bare.

Nick Knowles @ 40/1

Try to hold it together people...

Knowles rose to fame as presenter of DIY SOS which was initially a home improvement show but in recent years has transformed into the big build where local handymen work on community and special projects, often helping people in dire situations and the show often ends in tears.

Sixty-one-year-old Knowles has no known dance experience but is relishing the challenge and in particular embarrassing his children.

Paul Merson @ 40/1

Last but not least we have 'Merse', ex-England and Arsenal legend and current Football TV-pundit.

A two-time Football league winner with the Gunners, Merson remarkably only picked up 31 caps for the national side, despite a phenomenal talent, something that he put down to his heavy drinking and drug-taking and has spoken of his continuing struggles with addiction.

You can find all the latest Strictly Odds over on Betfred.com and all our latest Specials Betting Tips on Betfred Insights.