BBC Strictly Come Dancing star 'under pressure' as they face early exit from show

Strictly Come Dancing star Toyah Willcox is the favourite to be the first contestant to leave the show, according to the bookies

Strictly Come Dancing's Toyah Willcox faces a potential setback ahead of Saturday's second live show.

The renowned singer and TV presenter, 66, is among the 15 celebrities aiming to showcase their dance skills on the famous BBC One dance floor each week, where she is partnered with professional dancer Neil Jones.

However, Toyah might be in for an early departure as she's currently the bookies' favourite to exit Strictly this weekend. According to Coral, Toyah is the 6-4 favourite to be the first contestant to leave Strictly Come Dancing this weekend.

The actress and musician leads the betting, followed by Paul Merson at 7-2 to leave, and Nick Knowles at 9-2 to depart. Conversely, Tasha Ghouri is the 3-1 favourite to win, with JB Gill and Chris McCausland next best at 7-2.

Commenting on the new findings, Coral's John Hill said: "Toyah Wilcox is under the most pressure for a big performance on Saturday night, as we make her the favourite to be the first contestant eliminated from this year's series.

"Paul Merson and Nick Knowles are also the top end of the first elimination betting and are in danger of being in the dance-off this weekend."

This news comes as Strictly pro Neil, 42, has spoken out after landing at the very bottom of the leaderboard with Toyah following the first week of the BBC competition, reports the Express.

During the first live show of the series on Saturday night, Toyah took to the dance floor with her professional partner Neil, performing a tango to Madonna's Ray of Light alongside Tom Dean and Nadiya Bychkova.

However, their debut dance only earned them 12 points from the judges, Craig Revel-Horwood, Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, and Motsi Mabuse.

This marked Neil's return to the show after a three-year hiatus, his last partnership being with former EastEnders star Nina Wadia in 2021. Despite the disappointing start, Neil is determined to bounce back with a strong performance this Saturday.

Addressing the low score on Instagram, Neil shared a clip of their performance and wrote: "Okay, week one and what can I say. Firstly, I am having a blast with Toyah. Her love for the show and honesty I mean every part is incredible and she just brings joy into everyone's lives. I've always said I love a complete beginner and I'm standing by that because it is a joy to enter the studio every day with Toyah and watch her grow and learn.

"If you watched her on day one you will see how much Toyah has improved. So, we are starting our journey with a 12, and we will keep finding ways to direct her incredible energy. Let's go partner with week two."

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 6:15pm on both BBC One and BBC iPlayer.