Strictly Come Dancing finalists 2022: who is in the final - favourites to win

Strictly Come Dancing has confirmed its line-up for the 2022 final.

The four chosen celebrities will be battling it out this weekend for their chance to win the Glitterball trophy. However, Coronation Street actor Will Mellor and professional dancer Nancy Xu will not be joining them after they lost out on a place in the top spot following failing to impress the judges in their dance-off against Fleur East.

The judges were split on the decision, with head judge Shirley Ballas making the final call, opting to save East, adding that “the British public has spoken”.

Mellor has thanked fans and those who voted for him, telling Tess Daly: “I have to thank you all for giving me this chance to put a smile on my mum’s face, she deserves it.”

So, what contestants have made it through to the Strictly final and who is the favourite to win? Here’s everything you need to know.

Who left Strictly last week?

Mellor left Strictly Come Dancing in the semi-final on 11 December and will not be making it through to this year’s final. The Coronation Street actor and professional dancer Xu were up against East and Vito Coppola in the dance-off. They chose to perform their Couple’s Choice routine, whilst East and Coppola danced the Charleston to Tu Vuo’ Fa L’Americano by Fiorello.

The judges debated about who to save, with Anton du Beke choosing Mellor, however, Motsi Mabuse chose East, “because of micro details”. Head judge Shirley Ballas had the final call, opting to save East, adding that “the British public has spoken”.

Speaking to Tess Daly after the elimination, Mellor said: “I have to thank you all for giving me this chance to put a smile on my mum’s face, she deserves it. I’ll take whatever I have learnt from this show forward in whatever I do, because it shows you can achieve more than you think. I didn’t think I’d be able to get anywhere near this and I am so proud of what we have achieved but also everybody who has voted for me, who has supported me, the messages I’ve had from my local community and children. Thank you all so much, we really, really appreciated every bit.”

When asked if she had any words for her dance partner, Xu added: “I want to thank everyone who works on the show, it’s an incredible show, I’ve had such an amazing journey. The support from the whole team is just phenomenal. I’m proud of the partnership, we’ve had such an amazing journey together. I really wish I could make more memories with you and your family.”

Who is in the Strictly Come Dancing final?

The four celebrities who have made it through to the final and have a chance of winning the Glitterball trophy are: Hamza Yassin, Helen Skelton, Molly Rainford and Fleur East.

Here is a recap on who the four Strictly finalists are:

Hamza Yassin

Yassin has been a fan favourite throughtout the series. Alongside professional dancer Jowita Przystał, the Countryfile cameraman scored a nearly perfect score of 39/40 when he lifted Przystał in the air during a salsa.

Helen Skelton

The former Blue Peter presenter topped the leaderboard alongside professional dancer Gorka Marquez in Blackpool with 39/40.

Molly Rainford

Rainford has made it into the final alongside professional dancer Carlos Gu, however the singer has had a rocky run in the competition and has been in the dance-off more than the other finalists. Her highest score was in week 11, when she earned an impressive 38/40 for her Charleston.

Fleur East

East has also been in the dance-off a few times, but holds the prestigious title of being the only celebrity to have scored a perfect score with her professional dancer Vito Coppola.

Who are the favourites to win?

The favourite to win Strictly Come Dancing is Yassin. Accoring to Gambling.com, the Countryfile presenter currently has the best betting odds and is now priced at 8/15 to win this year’s series. Skelton is a close second with odds of 9/5, whilst Rainford has 25/1 to lift the Glitterball trophy and East has fallen behind at odds of 80/1.

When is the Strictly final?

The Strictly Come Dancing final will air on Saturday 17 December on BBC One at 7.05 pm.