The EastEnders actress will be hoping to avoid another stint in the dreaded dance-off this weekend

Balvinder Sopal is looking primed to leave Strictly Come Dancing this weekend as this year’s series heads towards its fourth week, that’s according to one former pro.

The EastEnders star landed in the dance-off last weekend against Lorraine reporter Ross King, and fortunately for her, the judges unanimously voted to keep her and pro partner Julian Caillon in the competition.

Mr King ended up following in the footsteps of Thomas Skinner, who was booted out the week before him, but for Ms Sopal, it may be third time unlucky.

That’s what former professional Ola Jordan thinks as she explained how the dances chosen for the remaining contestants could spell bad news for Ms Sopal.

BBC Strictly: Balvinder Sopal and Ross King landed in the Week Three dance-off

 | BBC

“This week, personally, I think it will be Balvinder,” Ms Jordan said of this weekend’s upcoming round of the competition.

Delving further, she explained: “Stefan [Dennis] and Chris [Robshaw] will be close by, but Stefan’s doing the Charleston, and that’s usually a dance that saves people from going home. It should be a fun performance, and I think viewers will vote for him.

“Chris is dancing to the Salsa, he’s going to be with Nadiya [Bychkova], being quite sexy and lovely, which could work in his favour and might save him as well.

“Balvinder, on the other hand, is dancing the Paso Doble, and I’m really not sure how that’s going to be received.

BBC Strictly: Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon

“So, I think Balvinder will be the one to go this week,” Ms Jordan added while speaking on behalf of Mecca Bingo.

If Ms Jordan’s prediction comes to fruition, it would be an almighty upset in the eyes of bookmakers.

Despite managing to avoid last week’s dance-off, Mr Robshaw is the man tipped for elimination, with his odds being shortened all the way to 1/2 with some bookmakers.

Simon Kew, a spokesperson for Grosvenor Sport, also offered his analysis of the weekend’s performance, saying: “After surviving previous close calls, Chris Robshaw is now odds-on at 1/2 to be the next celebrity eliminated. Punters clearly believe his time on the dance floor could be running out.

BBC Strictly: Balvinder Sopal’s Foxtrot failed to impress viewers

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“Stefan Dennis has also seen his odds shorten to 5/2 after missing last week’s show due to illness – a setback that’s left his position in the competition vulnerable.”

However, Ms Sopal isn’t out of the woods just yet. “Meanwhile, Balvinder Sopal, who found herself in the dance-off last weekend, is priced at 4/1 to go next, but she could rally with a strong performance if she bounces back on Saturday night,” he said.

Meanwhile, the likes of La Voix and Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink look like outside bets for the chop come Sunday evening with odds of 12/1 and 20/1, respectively.

While Ms Jordan’s words may not bode well, Ms Sopal and Mr Caillon are remaining upbeat ahead of their Week Four Paso Doble.

Speaking on It Takes Two this week, Ms Sopal said of their Foxtrot: “When I watched it back, I thought it looked absolutely beautiful.

“We played the parts really beautifully, audiences connected with it as well, you know, there was a warmth to the Foxtrot. And it was beautiful to dance as well. I felt like we were connected.”

When asked by Fleur East if she felt the “improved confidence” that Craig Revel Horwood alluded to during his feedback, Ms Sopal replied: “Yeah, yeah, I think so. I think each week it gets slightly easier because you know the formula now.”

“Confidence-wise,” Mr Caillon chipped in, prompting a laugh before Ms Sopal continued: “It’s been six years since I’ve been on stage so you know to do something like this was really scary at first but the more you do it, the more comfortable you get with the audience there.

Ola Jordan (left) starred in BBC Strictly from 2006 to 2015, while husband James Jordan (right) featured from 2006 to 2013

 | GETTY“They’re there to cheer you on, they want to see you do well.

“That’s what you’ve got to do is just go out there and dance. Every single Saturday night, Jules is like, ‘It’s just me and you, pal. It’s just me and you’.”

Discussing her Week Four routine ahead, Ms Sopal went on: “I mean, it’s hot. It’s passionate and fiery and strong and bold. It’s got a lot of attitude and I’m just looking forward to bringing that.”

Mr Caillon concurred: “What a dance for us to come back with, you know what I mean?

BBC Strictly: Ross King left in the latest episode during Movie Week | BBC“Obviously, I thought we did really well with the Foxtrot, we did beautifully, but we wanna come back fighting.

“And we wanna show everyone that we want to be here, we deserve to be here, and I just don’t think there’s a better dance or a better song for that.”