It’s bad news for Paul Merson as bookies are pretty confident he’s next for the Strictly Come Dancing chopping block.

The retired footballer found himself in the dreaded dance-off last week, managing to scrape through thanks the judges opting to send Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones home instead, but it looks like the final whistle could be blown on Paul’s Strictly stint this week.

Grosvenor Sport predicts Paul will be the next contestant to leave the competition, with the sports star 1/2 odds-on favourite to be eliminated on Sunday night. Injury-prone Nick Knowles is second-favourite to get the axe at 6/4 while TOWIE heartthrob Pete Wicks is 3/1 to go.

“In the elimination market, Paul Merson is tipped to be the next celebrity to leave at 1/2. He found himself second from bottom on Sunday, scoring 19 out of 40, but he miraculously survived the dance-off with Toyah,” Simon Kew, spokesperson from Grosvenor Sport, explains.

Paul and Karen on horses on strictly
Will it be Paul Merson’s last rodeo this weekend? ( 
Image:
PA)

“Over nine celebs scoring 30 or more combined during Movie Week. As the competition heats up, it’s clear that Paul is progressing at a much slower pace than the other celebrities and is still lagging behind. Week four could very well mark the end of his ballroom journey.”

Simon added: “DIY SOS star Nick Knowles is second favourite to be eliminated this weekend, priced at 6/4. The BBC has yet to announce whether Nick will dance this week after he suffered an injury and withdrew from last week’s show. Another celebrity at risk is Pete Wicks, priced at 3/1. The TOWIE star managed to escape the dance-off last week by seven points.

“Since being near the bottom of the leaderboard in week one, Pete and dance partner Jowita Przystal have improved their marks week on week and, on Saturday night, despite Pete hating his Movie Week theme of George of the Jungle, the couple got their highest score to date from the judges.”

Paul might be the favourite to leave Strictly this weekend but that doesn’t mean he isn’t a hit with fans. It Takes Two viewers were left in hysterics earlier this week, as Paul cheekily “threw shade” at ex-competitor Toyah. This came hot on the heels of Toyah’s intriguing remarks on the BBC show previously, which some interpreted as a subtle dig at her co-contestant Chris McCausland.

In conversation with It Takes Two presenter Fleur East, Paul opened up about facing off with Toyah in the dreaded bottom two – and winning the bout to waltz another week alongside his dance partner Karen Hauer. When probed by Fleur about his mindset during those tense moments at the brink of elimination, he deadpanned: “Do you know what? Nothing. Honestly, it’s completely out of my hands and I’m completely powerless at that moment in time. So I just sit there and relax.”

Paul then revealed his strategy for sizing up his rivals, stating: “I do sit there and think, ‘Very good, very good, very good… Toyah’ still in – she’s the same as me, so I’ve got a chance!” The audience burst into laughter and Karen was seen facepalming as Paul continued: “That’s the way I looked at it! I mean, I was sitting at the back afterwards and it was between Jamie and Toyah.” He concluded with: “If it was Jamie, I would have been out and there’s no doubt about that. But when it was Toyah, it was the flip of a coin, so I knew I had a chance.”