Brendan Cole doubts they’ll be taking home the Glitterball Trophy

Former Strictly Come Dancing pro Brendan Cole has exclusively shared his predictions for the 2024 final and it’s bad news for Tasha Ghouri.

While he believes that Tasha and Aljaž Škorjanec have the potential to deliver a “phenomenal” show dance, he’s not convinced it will be enough to secure them the Glitterball Trophy.

Discussing the much-anticipated show dances on behalf of SkyVegas, Brendan hinted at an emotional routine from Tasha and her partner, Aljaž.

“I’m looking forward to all of the show dances because it’s a real chance for the couples to show their journey on the show,” he admitted.

“It’s no longer just about flashy lifts – they’ve been doing those all season. The show dance has evolved into a summation of a couple’s journey.”

Former Strictly pro Brendan Cole predicts that Tasha and Aljaz will not take home the Glitterball trophy (Credit: ITV)

Brendan Cole’s bad news for Strictly star Tasha

Brendan predicted that many of the finalists’ routines would draw on their personal stories.

“Chris [McCausland] will likely focus on his experience as someone visually impaired. Tasha’s will reflect her journey as a hearing-impaired dancer, and JB [Gill] will probably pay tribute to his family. These narratives have been central to their stories on the show.”

It won’t be enough to win them the show.

Regarding Tasha and Aljaž’s performance, Brendan has high hopes but more realistic expectations.

“I get the feeling Aljaž and Tasha are going to do something really quite amazing. It won’t be enough to win them the show, but she’s got the ability to be able to. Apart from a few little foot faults in my view, she did a really good Waltz.

“If they combined that kind of beauty with the excitement that she had in the Salsa and put this big number on with the lighting, costume, and staging, you’re going to get a phenomenal number.”

Tasha and Aljaz may not have what it takes to snatch the trophy (Credit: BBC)

Judges ‘plant doubt in people’s minds’

The former Strictly pro also acknowledged the influence judges can have on public opinion and the competition’s final results.

“The audience will make up their own minds, but a lot of people do listen to what they [the judges] say. Otherwise, what’s the point of them?” he mused. “It won’t alter [the results] that much, but they can plant doubts in people’s minds. They’ve been really strong on JB Gill because they’ve been championing him for the last few weeks.”

Brendan noted a subtle shift in how Tasha has been judged in recent weeks, which may affect her chances.

“They’re not quite as kind about Tasha, which they were in the first few weeks. That can plant a seed in the audience’s minds that JB is the best as he’s getting the best marks, so let’s vote for him. That’s essentially what happens.”