The stars of Strictly Come Dancing are being announced for the Christmas special.
Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly will host the BBC show for the very last time after announcing they were quitting the show earlier this year. The BBC has yet to announce who will be the new hosts of Strictly.
Six couples will compete beneath the famous glitter ball to be crowned the Strictly Christmas Champion.
The celebrities competing on the Strictly Christmas special often go on to star on the main series. Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey competed on this year’s show after taking part in 2024’s festive episode, following in the footsteps of Jamie Borthwick and JB Gill, who also graduated to the main show from the Christmas specials.
Head judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke will be on hand to offer their advice, but the voting studio audience decides who the winner is.
The Strictly Christmas special is pre-recorded in December and kept a secret until it airs. As a jewel in the BBC’s crown, the show always airs on Christmas Day.
All announcements for the final four celebrities will take place this week on Strictly: It Takes Two, at 6:30 p.m. on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. There are four celebrities left to reveal for the Christmas special.
Here are the celebrities lined up to take part in the Christmas special so far… Keep dancing!
Scarlett Moffatt
Scarlett Moffatt is taking part on Strictly’s Christmas special. (BBC)
Former Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt will waltz her way onto the Strictly ballroom for the festive special.
The I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here winner is dancing with Strictly pro Vito Coppola when she foxtrots into the Strictly Christmas ballroom this December.
Moffatt says: “Strictly has always held a special place in my heart, so being part of the Christmas Special feels truly magical. It’s the show that brings everyone together around the TV, and being part of that is a genuine personal and career highlight.
“I’m sure it’ll also introduce me to a few muscles I didn’t know I had. I can’t wait to live my best life on that dancefloor.”
The ballroom gets a festive makover for the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special. (BBC/Guy Levy)
Moffatt already has experience in ballroom dancing, including participating in competitions. Years ago, the reality TV star ruled out ever participating in the show.
She told The Sun in 2018: “I feel like I probably couldn’t [take part in Strictly] because I can already dance. I feel like I would have a very unfair advantage. As a little kid, I always said to me mam that my dream was to own a dance school.”
It was an out-of-the-blue announcement on Strictly: It Takes Two, where she was appearing as a guest on the show’s Friday Panel.
Melanie Blatt
Melanie Blatt is taking on the Strictly Christmas special. (BBC)
Celebrity Race Across The World‘s Melanie Blatt is the second celebrity announced to be taking a Cha-Cha-Chance in the ballroom.
The All Saints singer will learn the moves from her Strictly Come Dancing pro partner, Kai Widdrington.
Most recently, the musician was on TV as a contributor in the documentary series Girlbands Forever.
On joining Strictly Come Dancing this Christmas, Blatt says: “If you can’t have a dance at Christmas, when can you?! I’m so excited to meet Kai and start training to make this a dance to remember.”
The news was revealed on the Radio 2 Breakfast Show with Scott Mills on Monday.
Jodie Ounsley
Jodie Ounsley is going to be on Strictly. (BBC)
Gladiator, ready? Fury from Gladiators, real name Jodie Ounsley, is third celebrity on the Strictly Christmas special.
The athlete, who was profoundly deaf from infancy and received a cochlear implant as a child, will compete in the ballroom alongside professional dancer Neil Jones.
Ounsley says: “I’m absolutely buzzing to be doing the Strictly Christmas Special. Being the first female rugby player means a lot to me too. I honestly can’t wait to get stuck in, I’m used to smashing into people so this is definitely going to be a challenge!”
It was announced the star, who joined Gladiators in 2024, will be on the Strictly Christmas special on Strictly: It Takes Two on Monday.
The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer this Christmas.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source uk.news.yahoo.com ’
