15 reasons why Ore Oduba should win Strictly Come Dancing 2016

He's pure class

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by Emma Dodds |
Published on

If you're a big Strictly Come Dancing fan, you'll have probably had your favourite pegged out from the very first week.

And for me, it has always been Ore Oduba.

I don't know about you, but I tend to support the participants who don't have previous dancing experience, and yet still perform just as well as those who do.

So I'm SUPER psyched that Ore has made it into the Strictly Come Dancing final with his partner, Joanne Clifton!

But the Strictly Glitterball isn't in his hands just yet. Here are just a few reasons why I think it should be!

He gets fully into character

In the very first week, Ore and his partner Joanne danced the Tango to Geronimo by Sheppard, and even though Ore has absolutely no previous dance training whatsoever, you could see how much he was enjoying the experience thanks to his animated facial expressions. A lot of celebrities on Strictly struggle with what to do with their faces whilst dancing, and many can't stop their "concentrating face" from taking precedence. But Ore got into it straight away, and kept it up the whole way through the dance!

*He's up for anything

In week two, Ore and Joanne dance the Cha Cha to Hot Stuff - and their performance really lived up to the song! Ore was so in character, he didn't even seem to mind dressing up as a sexy fireman. We also REALLY loved his Michael Jackson-inspired solo right at the start of this dance. #Hot

He's a proper gent

Even though his previous performances were top notch, it was the American Smooth that he and Joanne did in week three that really stepped him up a notch, and made Strictly viewers realise he was a serious contender. He was such an old-fashioned gent in this 50s inspired dance, and that fancy footwork sending all our hearts a-fluttering – and did you see that he flipped an umbrella at the end?! If anyone else tried to do that (ahem, me), it would end up a right mess. And was I the only one who just couldn't help wishing that he could swing me round with those lovely arms...?

He's not afraid to cry

Regular Stricly fans will know that Ore is prone to getting #TotesEmosh. And you know what, there's nothing wrong with that! The way I see it, only a real man can cry in front of millions of people on telly!

He's SO COOL (And yes, I know it's not cool to say 'cool')

In week four, Ore and Joanne danced the jive to Runaway Baby by Bruno Mars – and it was AMAZING. He did all the steps perfectly, did some pretty high kicks, jumped all over the place – and did it all with the most relaxed, 'cool guy' facial expression I've ever seen in the ENTIRE history of Strictly Come Dancing. It's no wonder he was scored not only the first 10 of the series. In fact, he got three of them!

He can be as graceful as a swan

No but really, he can! Don't believe me? Then have another watch of his week five performance, when he and Joanne did a Waltz to Whitney Houston's I Will Always Love You. It was a game changer! How did they manage to carry on dancing after all those spins? I get dizzy just watching them!

He has so much energy

I don't know about you, but each week I am baffled by how Ore has the energy levels of a 6-year-old child who's had too many smarties. It was tiring just watching him do the Charleston in Halloween Week, and yet he looked like he'd just taken a stroll to the shops. Also, while we're talking Halloween week - HOW CUTE did he look in his Beetlejuice werewolf outfit!

He's got a fab body #SorryNotSorry

Yes, Danny Mac really does have an excellent body, no-one is disputing that. HOWEVER, in week seven Ore flashed us a bit of chest whilst performing a Salsa to Turn The Beat Around. Actually, a rather large portion of chest. Anyway – I can't be the only one that LOVED it? Especially when he shimmied it all over the place. That chest combined with those lovely arms just THROWING Joanne about like it was no problem got us a bit hot under the collar. And those hips... Phew.

He's so gentle

Week eight's Rumba to Ordinary People by John Legend was another of Ore's super sweet, gentle dances. I've said it before and I'll say it again: Ore Oduba is as graceful as a swan.

He can rock a pink tie

Ore's charming, charismatic personality shone through in his 60s-inspired Viennese Waltz in week nine. And even though it was Blackpool week, he didn't let the nerves get to him and performed brilliantly. Oh yes, and he totlally rocked his pink tie, which is no easy fashion feat!

He can turn on the drama

In week 10, Ore and Joanne danced the Paso Doble to Lorde's cover of Everybody Wants To Rule The World. Although Ore's usually a gentle chap, he really got in character and upped the drama for this passionate dance, throwing Joanne round the stage with single-visioned concentration. But while his moves were perfect, it was his thighs of steel which really took centre stage. Obvs.

He's seriously slick

Week 11's quarter final was a tough week for Ore as he and Joanne faced elimination for the second time in the competition. The judges saved him over Judge Rinder, but his turn as Willy Wonka in a Foxtrot to Pure Imagination was lovely and graceful once again. I'll put my hands up and admit it wasn't his best, but by the quarter finals, his dancing was much more professional than it had been in previous weeks.

He takes pride in his work

Like I said, I think Ore's been pretty darn good the whole way through the competition, but in the semi-final in week 12, his Quickstep to Are You Gonna Be My Girl by Jet was 100% his best dance of the show so far. He took a turn as a bit of a bad boy in leathers coming in on a motorbike, and he was somehow able to bring together both his boundless energy AND his dramatic side from the Paso Doble. And at the end of the performance, he punched the air in happiness because he KNEW he'd nailed it.

He's really quite sexy

In his second dance of week 12's semi-final, Ore and Joanne took on the Tango to Can't Get You Out Of My Head by Kylie, and it was without a doubt his sexiest dance yet. So. Slick. So sexy. He SO has to win.

He's an all-round nice guy

When Claudia Fragapane was eliminated in the semi-final, Ore was SO complimentary about her, it nearly brought a tear to my eye. What a guy!

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