Queen Bea bookies' tip for dance crown

Beatrice Faumuina and TV partner Brian Jones.

Beatrice Faumuina is the punters' favourite to win the second series of Dancing with the Stars.

The Australia-based bookmaker Centrebet says Faumuina, a former world champion discus thrower, is paying $3 to succeed last year's winner, Norm Hewitt.

Sunday night's opening show presented another line-up of New Zealand celebrities, with eight couples taking to the dance floor.

Former Shortland Street actors David Wikaira-Paul and Angela Bloomfield are paying $3.25 and $4.50 respectively on Centrebet.

At the other end of the scale is former Miss Universe Lorraine Downes, at $21.

Centrebet spokesman Gerard Daffy said that while being "drop-dead gorgeous" was an advantage in most walks of life, it was a major handicap to winning a Dancing with the Stars crown.

"Lorraine must have noted that Nicky Watson was the first celebrity voted off New Zealand's debut series and another ex-Miss Universe, Jennifer Hawkins, did not last long in Australia," Mr Daffy said.

Clustered around the middle in the betting stakes are former Olympic swimming champion Danyon Loader at $10 and Act Party leader Rodney Hide at $11.

Former Work and Income NZ chief Christine Rankin is at $15, and nine-times Coast-to-Coast race winner Steve Gurney is at $17.

The judges gave Faumuina the highest score on Sunday night (32 points) and Hide the lowest (23), but it was just one point lower than three other couples' results.

Carol-Ann Hickmore, Hewitt's partner last year, has joined 2005 judges Paul Mercurio, Alison Leonard and Brendan Col on the panel.

The show already looks set to follow last year's as a ratings hit.

TVNZ spokeswoman Amy Todd said about 10,500 texts were received in the first 20 minutes after the show ended as people voted for their favourite contestant.

Next week will see the start of the weekly eliminations, and the final is scheduled to be screened on June 25.

- NZPA