Entertainment

Rev Richard Coles puts money on Joe McFadden to take Strictly crown

The vicar has backed the Holby star with a £50 bet.
The vicar has backed the Holby star with a £50 bet. The vicar has backed the Holby star with a £50 bet.

Broadcaster the Rev Richard Coles has backed Holby City actor Joe McFadden to take this year’s Strictly Come Dancing crown.

The former Communards star turned vicar had an early exit in this year’s competition, crashing out after just three dances with partner Dianne Buswell.

But he has maintained a keen interest in the programme and has put £50 on McFadden and professional dancer Katya Jones to take the glitterball trophy.

Joe McFadden
Joe McFadden
Joe McFadden (Guy Levy/BBC)

He told the Press Association: “I’ve always thought Alexandra (Burke) should be favourite but I’ve put money on Joe.

“I love Joe, he’s a lovely guy and he’s just brilliant. He gets better and better… I actually put 50 quid on Joe but I can’t remember the odds.”

McFadden has been labelled a dark horse of the competition by head judge Shirley Ballas and topped the leaderboard two weeks ago.

Coles added he would also like to see Debbie McGee win as to have an older woman win it would be “terrific”.

On his own brief appearance on the show, he said: “It’s quite brutal because it’s so much fun.

“It was like being a kid and playing again with fantastic toys.”

He revealed he had already planned an outfit for Blackpool – a cassock for the Argentine tango.

Coles was speaking as he released a Christmas album full of his favourite festive tunes.

“I wanted to put together a Christmas album that went back to the stable in Bethlehem and the source of it all. It kind of gets lost sometimes,” he said.

:: The Reverend Richard Coles – Songs For Christmas is out now.