Carlos Gu poised to become first openly gay Asian Glitterball winner on Strictly Come Dancing

Carlos Gu, 32, a dancer from Taiyuan, China, is the bookmakers’ clear favorite to win this weekend’s Strictly Come Dancing title, competing with former England footballer Karen Carney. Bookmakers have him at roughly a 70 percent chance of victory, buoyed by a season that has seen him and Carney surge through the final lineup. If he wins, he would become the first openly gay and Asian professional to lift the Glitterball Trophy on the long-running BBC competition. The finale is set to unfold this weekend, with the three remaining couples facing a final performance lineup and a public vote that will determine the champion.

Gu’s rise spans continents and disciplines. He began his dance training in China, where he rose to prominence as the Chinese National Latin Champion before joining Strictly Come Dancing in 2022. In his first Strictly season, he partnered with EastEnders star Molly Rainford and finished in second place, signaling his emergence as a formidable presence on the show. The following year, he danced with TV and radio presenter Angela Scanlon, and the duo finished sixth. His trajectory on the series reflects a steady climb from national success to international television exposure.

The personal backstory that surrounds Gu is a focal point for many observers. He has spoken publicly about the pressures of growing up in a country where discussing sexuality can be difficult, and where conversations about being openly gay are constrained by social norms. Since relocating to the United Kingdom, Gu has described finding a greater sense of opportunity and a home-like environment that encourages personal and artistic growth. He has also acknowledged his mother’s support, noting that she, raised as a single parent, chose to back his decision to pursue a life abroad, underscoring the resilience that has accompanied his career.

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Gu’s competitive history on Strictly demonstrates both consistency and adaptability. He has worked with a variety of partners, leveraging his Latin-dance background to deliver performances across technical and expressive spectrums. The current partnership with Karen Carney, a former England winger and midfielder who earned 144 appearances for her country, has become a focal point of the season’s narrative. Carney, who retired from professional football in 2019 and has since built a profile as a pundit for TNT Sports and Sky Sports, has brought a blend of athleticism and storytelling to the dances she performs with Gu. Their collaboration has resonated with audiences and judges, contributing to the momentum that now places them in the final rush.

Carney has faced her own battles in the public eye, including a long-standing struggle with Scheuermann’s disease, a spinal condition that can complicate high-level athletic performance. She has candidly discussed past injuries and the mental health challenges that accompanied them, including difficult periods of depression and self-doubt linked to online abuse she has endured as a high-profile sports commentator. Her willingness to speak openly about these experiences has been widely noted as part of a broader conversation about resilience in sport and entertainment. The couple’s chemistry on the dance floor has been complemented by Carney’s openness about her personal history, a combination that has helped shape their narrative as final contenders.

As the Strictly Come Dancing final approaches, betting markets have continued to push Gu and Carney as the duo to beat. Coral, a bookmaker cited in coverage of the season, has pegged Carney’s odds at roughly 4-9 to win, aligning with the broader assessment that the pair hold a strong chance of clinching the Glitterball Trophy. The firm’s analysis has framed the weekend as a showcase of both technical prowess and emotional storytelling, with the public vote expected to reflect a combination of these elements.

The competition has also seen its share of upheaval in recent days, with other finalists and previously eliminated couples shaping the final’s dynamic. The show’s weekend wrap clarified that several stars, including Balvinder Sopal and her partner Julian Caillon, had departed the competition, narrowing the field to the trio of Gu and Carney, Amber Davies, and George Clarke. Davies and Clarke bring their own distinct strengths, and the ebb and flow of public sentiment during the finale’s performances will likely influence the final tally alongside the judges’ scores.

In a broader sense, the season underscores how Strictly Come Dancing continues to blend entertainment with personal storytelling. Gu’s journey—from national Latin champion in China to a leading figure on a global dance stage—highlights the program’s role as a platform for diverse stories, including those of athletes who pivot to new disciplines and individuals who navigate identities in a changing public sphere. The potential historic milestone—an openly gay, Asian professional winning the Glitterball Trophy—adds a layer of significance to the finale that resonates beyond the ballroom.

For Gu, the final represents more than a title; it stands as a personal milestone in a career that has traversed cultural barriers and geographic distances. His path, marked by early triumphs in China and a sustained ascent in the UK, reflects both talent and perseverance. If he secures victory, the achievement would be celebrated as a landmark moment within the show’s history and a broader point of cultural representation in mainstream entertainment.

As the curtain closes on the season, audiences will watch not only for the choreography and scores but also for the stories that have accompanied these performances. Gu and Carney’s final act will be a culmination of weeks of practice, public vote, and the interplay of past experiences with a present moment that could redefine what it means to be a winner on a stage that has long celebrated diversity while continuously expanding its horizon.