The Strictly Pirates of the Caribbean performance slashes odds of 2021's champ

The Strictly Pirates of the Caribbean performance with John Whaite and his professional partner Johannes Raddibe has totally slashed bookies' odds on who'll win this season.

At last, the Strictly Come Dancing line-up features the show's first-ever male same-sex couple. Said pairing is dancing miles ahead of their fellow Strictly 2021 couples in the latest odds revealed by Betfair.

The couple's incredible performance on week 3 of the show, movie week, was inspired by the blockbuster film franchise Pirates of the Caribbean. The showstopping Paso Doble is sure to go down in history as one of Strictly's greatest ever performances.

John and Johannes' unforgettable dance closed the episode in which the Strictly Come Dancing same-sex opening dance left fans 'in tears'.

John—a GBBO winner, chef, author, and presenter—saw his odds shorten to become the 6/4 favorite from 3/1 after being awarded the highest ever week 3 score.

Betfair spokesperson Sam Rosbottom said, “A near-perfect score of 39 on Saturday has propelled John Whaite and partner Johannes Radebe to be the new 6/4 favorite to win this year’s competition."

Although the Strictly Come Dancing 2021 judges previously revealed their favorites, not one of them mentioned John as a potential winner. However, they definitely changed their tune after that game-changing Paso Doble.

Lead judge Shirley Ballas said, "I haven’t seen anything like that. Thank you for closing our show with such a magnificent performance."

John is having an absolute hoot during his time on the show and after his and Johannes' week 2 dance to 'Starstruck' by Years & Years, he joked that he'd get a tattoo in its honor. 

Since then he told Janette Manrara, who hosts It Takes Two after Zoe Ball's Strictly exit, that he wasn't actually joking after all! He said, "Even though we did our little gag, I am definitely going to get one of those planets tattooed on me, because that night I felt like I'd been born. Honestly!"

Although this year's couples are proving popular with fans, there have also been controversies and criticism surrounding the latest season. From protestations against unvaccinated pros to Strictly Come Dancing viewers demanding a major change to the show’s format.

Who is the favourite to win Strictly 2021?

• John Whaite 6/4 (was 3/1)
• Rose Ayling-Ellis 7/4 (was 3/1)
• AJ Odudu 5/1 (was 2/1)
• Rhys Stephenson 14/1
• Tom Fletcher 16/1
• Adam Peaty 18/1 (was 6/1)
• Dan Walker 25/1
• Robert Webb 33/1 (was 14/1)
• Tilly Ramsay 40/1
• Sara Davies 66/1
• Judi Love 66/1
• Ugo Monye 80/1
• Greg Wise 100/1