How soap fans will decide the winner of Strictly as Bobby Brazier and Ellie Leach go head to head
TONIGHT’S Strictly final is set to become a battle between rival soap fans backing EastEnders’ Bobby Brazier and former Coronation Street actress Ellie Leach.
It could leave West End performer and Bad Education actor Layton Williams caught in the crossfire and scrapping for leftovers.
Devotees of the prime time soaps have previously proved they have the power to make cast members winners on the BBC1 dance contest.
Since Strictly began in 2004, six out of its 20 winners have come from returning dramas boasting huge audiences ready to back their favourites.
A TV insider said: “Ellie is already a favourite to win, but the question is, who will be left in the final two pairings when the first couple are knocked out of the contest this evening?
“Bobby will be hoping that EastEnders fans will come through for him on the night, and they’ve already showed huge loyalty to the Albert Square soap and its actors.
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“And if they vote in large enough numbers, he could stand a chance of stealing a march on Ellie — so Corrie fans are likely to be backing her in a bid to ensure she triumphs.”
Both Bobby, 20, and Ellie, 22, are aware of the track record of soap fans in helping their favourite stars to victory in the competition.
Actors who have previously taken home the Glitterball Trophy include Coronation Street and EastEnders’ actress Jill Halfpenny in 2004, and fellow Albert Square stars Kara Tointon in 2010 and Rose Ayling Ellis in 2021.
Other winners include Holby City hunks Tom Chambers in 2008 and Joe McFadden in 2017 — with the latter up against Hollyoaks’ actress Gemma Atkinson in the final.
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Former Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher won in 2019 — competing against EastEnders actress Emma Barton in the final.
Bobby, whose pro partner is Diane Buswell, only joined EastEnders last year but has proved an instant hit with the soap’s viewers.
Albert Square fans have already proved they can come through with their support when they need to as they showed in last year’s National Television Awards, which hands out gongs solely on the back of public votes.
The show won the coveted Best Soap honour and Bobby got the Rising Star award for his portrayal of Freddie Slater, the son of “Little” Mo.
Ellie, who is paired with Vito Coppola, left Coronation Street earlier this year but had been on the cobbles since 2011 playing Faye Windass.
Throughout this series of Strictly, Ellie has never been in the bottom two and has been at or near the top of the scoreboard almost every week.
Layton, 29 — paired with Nikita Kuzmin — has been in the bottom two, partly because he has been dogged by constant complaints that he comes from a professional dance background.
He previously appeared in West End shows including Billy Elliot and There’s Something About Jamie.
Bobby has also been in the bottom two, but has surprised everyone with his natural dance ability since the first week having only done acting or modelling previously.
Although he is the favourite to leave first tonight, he knows the odds cannot predict with any certainty what will happen on the night.
Last week, Annabel Croft was second favourite among bookies to win the contest.
But after being in a dance-off with Bobby she got booted off by the casting vote of head judge, Shirley Ballas.
Bobby admits he was shocked when the former tennis star left the competition.
He said: “In the dance-off, I was watching Annabel and I thought it was flawless. So I feel lucky.”
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He said he is grateful to have got so far but was not pinning his hopes on taking home the Glitterball Trophy.
Bobby said: “It would just be the cherry on top, you know. The ‘cake’ is being in the final and having done as much as I possibly could. The cherry on top would be to lift the trophy.”
