Huge blow for Dancing On Ice finalist as series closer ‘becomes a two-horse race’

A DANCING On Ice finalist has been hit with a major blow ahead of tomorrow night's show.

Three contestants remain in the series closer - Michaela Strachan, Sam Aston and Anton Ferdinand - though only two have a chance of winning, according to a leading bookmaker.

3

3

Retired footballer Anton, 40, has very wide odds of 20/1 with Ladbrokes, leading the bookmaker to claim it will be a two-horse race.

Alex Apati of Ladbrokes said: "He's arguably been one of the standout performers of the series, but Anton's got no chance of taking home this year's crown, if the latest odds are anything to go by."

Michaela, 58, is the favourite at 4/7 while Coronation Street star Sam, 31, is at 6/4.

Anton hadn't expected to make it beyond the semi-finals in which he beat Dan Edgar in the skate-off.

He previously said: "If you had said to me at the start of it that I would have got to the semi-finals I would have said no chance, but I am here and I here because of you guys. 

“Thanks for voting for me, keep voting for me.”

If Michaela were to win, she'd be one of just five women to lift the trophy.

There have been claims from viewers that female celebs are treated more harshly on the ice than their male counterparts.

But former show pro Alex Murphy insists the programme isn't sexist.

Speaking to The Sun, Alex - who has won DOI twice - said: "Oh, I don't think it's sexist. If I'm honest, I think it's just so simple.

"I think the audience is smart, and the audience knows that it is extremely hard for a man to lift a professional ice skater and learn how to skate.

"I think then they look at it and go, 'But the female doesn't have to. The female celebrity doesn't have to learn to lift. So the men have to learn two different disciplines'.

"And I think they go, ‘Wow! That must be so much harder for them’.

"So I think that they give them more votes and they feel more, maybe not respect towards them, but they feel like, ‘Wow! They've got it harder. They drew the short stick'. Almost.

"I think that's why it carries over, even though the women are fantastic every year."

Alex went on to list a string of female celebrity DOI contestants who have impressed her, including Olympic gymnast Beth Tweddle who won the show in 2013 and soap star Hayley Tamaddon, who won in 2010.

3