Zara McDermott and Graziano Di Prima might be the next pair to exit Strictly Come Dancing because of their “red flags.”
The couple has survived two dance-offs, but it may be a case of third time lucky during the Halloween special, and they could be following the Sunday results show’s latest victims, Eddie Kadi and Karen Hauer, out of Elstree Studio.
Body language expert Darren Stanton examined the remaining couples and found flaws in the partnership of Zara, 26, and Graziano, 29, who previously competed against Nikita Kanda and Gorka Marques in the week three dance-off.
‘When looking at everyone else left in the competition, Zara and Graziano have a less strong connection,’ said Darren, who spoke on behalf of Betfair Bingo.
‘I’m getting some red flags from this couple, and it feels like it might be Zara’s time to go.’
Darren worries that they are revealing faults in contrast to other couples, and even Al Donahue and his Orchestra’s planned Charleston to Jeepers Creepers may not be enough to save them.
‘They get on well and they have good banter, but there are a lot stronger couples still there.
‘Their gestures aren’t always fully reciprocated and their postures don’t always mirror each other.
‘Zara and Graziano don’t have that Bluetooth connection other couples have shown on and off the dance floor.’
Despite ‘hunger from both of them to do well,’ Darren has concluded that he believes they will be leaving this week.
William Hill also has Zara as the firm favourite to depart the show, currently trading at odds of 1/2.
Adam Thomas is second in the betting at 9/2, with Annabel Croft in third place at 11/2.
But it’s not over yet, and Zara may have a few of secret weapons to last another week.
She promised partner Graziano that she would ‘work on controlling those nerves’ so they wouldn’t finish in the bottom two again.
‘I think I let those nerves get the better of me during our performance, and I knew I could have done better,’ she wrote on Instagram after last weekend’s shows.
The Love Island star and documentary-maker heartbreakingly said she ‘let herself down’ as she walked off the dancefloor, and believes she could have ‘pushed through those jelly legs’ to deliver more ‘both physically and mentally.’
Sam Thompson, Zara’s boyfriend, has also promised to do more to help her and boost her chances of winning the challenge.
The 31-year-old had previously used his 1.8 million-follower Instagram account to encourage people to vote for Zara, but he didn’t use it as much last week.
‘I was a bit distracted by the rugby, by the World Cup and I didn’t go as big with my usual efforts on Instagram but I’m going to come back stronger this week though,’ Sam revealed on his Hits UK radio show.
However, the Made In Chelsea reality star is planning to change that this week.
‘We’re not going to go down without a fight baby,’ he promised.
Strictly Come Dancing returns this Saturday on BBC One.
