Strictly Come Dancing is back and the celebrities have been paired up with their professional dance partners hoping to impress judges over the coming weeks with their dance floor moves. We look at who is favourite to win Strictly 2023?

Now fans of the BBC One dance show know who is doing Strictly Come Dancing 2023, all eyes are on the scoreboards, the judges' remarks from Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke plus the dance partnerships that ooze that Strictly magic.

Viewers who tuned into the Strictly launch show will have witnessed the pairings, but for anyone who missed the show, we won't spoil it just yet in case you plan to watch it on catch up but we do come to the pairings a little later in this article.

In its 21st year, the popular show hosted by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman has a mixture of dance abilities, and previous show winners like 2022 Strictly winner wildlife photographer Hamza Yassinprove it's not only those with previous dancing experience that can make the final.

And while we all might have our own favourites, we look at who the bookies predict will come out victorious...

Who is favourite to win Strictly 2023?

The most likely celebrity to win Strictly 2023 according to online betting site BetVictor's spokesperson Sam Boswell for the second week running is still EastEnders star Bobby Brazier.

He explained, “EastEnders star Bobby Brazier has been backed to land the Glitterball trophy at 11/5, he’s been the favourite since the market went live! Bobby and Dianne are set to dance to the Charleston, to Do Your Thing by Basement Jaxx.”

“Former EastEnders bad boy Nigel Harman comes in as the new second favourite, with odds of 7/2. His price has been cut as he was originally coming in at 8/1. Nigel and Katya are going to dance the Viennese Waltz to Until I Found You by Stephen Sanchez.”

“Journalist Angela Scanlon comes in as third favourite. Her odds have drifted slightly since last week as she was coming in at 4/1, but now she comes in at 11/2. We will see Angela and Carlos Jive to the song Trouble by Shampoo.”

In the elimination market, the favourite star to be voted out this weekend is Nikita Kanda at 11/8. Partnered with Gorka, they are dancing the Charleston to Single Ladies by Beyonce.”

Close behind Nikita, Les Dennis has odds of 15/8 to be eliminated first. Dancing the Samba to Rock the Boat by Hues Corporation, can he steady the ship to safety?”

Paralympian champion Jody Cundy is third favourite to be eliminated first, with odds of 7/1. Jody and partner Jowita are dancing the Paso Doble, to Thunderstuck by AC/DC.”

Strictly Come Dancing winner 2023 odds

The Strictly Come Dancing odds are changing daily so it's always best to check with individual bookmakers. The current odds for outright winner held by BetVictor are as follows* (*odds correct at the time of publishing):

• Bobby Brazier – 11/5
• Nigel Harman - 7/2
• Angela Scanlon – 11/2
• Ellie Leach – 7/1
• Annabel Croft – 9/1
• Layton Williams – 12/1
• Amanda Abbington – 14/1
• Angela Rippon – 18/1
• Eddie Kadi – 20/1
• Zara McDermott – 25/1
• Jody Cundy – 50/1
• Adam Thomas – 50/1
• Krishnan Guru-Murthy – 66/1
• Les Dennis – 100/1
• Nikita Kanda – 100/1

Strictly Come Dancing 2023 couples

• Amanda Abbington and Giovanni Pernice
• Zara McDermott and Graziano Di Prima
• Jody Cundy CBE is paired with Jowita Przystał
• Krishnan Guru-Murthy is dancing with Lauren Oakley
• Angela Rippon CBE is with Kai Widdrington
• Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin
• Nigel Harman is dancing with Katya Jones
• Bobby Brazier is with Dianne Buswell
• Eddie Kadi and Karen Hauer
• Annabel Croft is dancing with Johannes Radebe 
• Ellie Leach was paired with Vito Coppola
• Adam Thomas is dancing with Luba Mushtuk
• Angela Scanlon has professional dancer Carlos Gu
• Nikita Kanda and Gorka Márquez
• Les Dennis is dancing with Nancy Xu

Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturday, 30th September at 6.20pm and Sunday 1st October at 7.15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

In other entertainment news, you might be wondering Who is on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins 2023? or where is First Dates filmed? and fans of Welcome to Wrexham, might be thinking Is Rob McElhenney married and does he have kids?

Strictly Come Dancing season is almost upon us and fans are asking when is the Strictly launch show 2023?

Weeks after is was revealed who is on Strictly Come Dancing 2023, news of this years' launch show has been confirmed and a fresh set of celebrities and their professional dancer partners will be rehearsing to give their opening night dances everything they've got.

Over the course of the series, which is expected to run up until Christmas, the dancing duos will be tackling various dance styles from the Cha-Cha-Cha, Latin and Ballroom to Salsa and Samba. But who is favourite to win Strictly 2023?

All will be hoping to impress the judges, and more importantly the audience at home, to be in with the chance of making it through to the final and lifting the prestigious Glitterball trophy. Strictly Come Dancing winners of 2022 were Hamza Yassin and his Strictly professional dance partner Jowita Przystal.

And with the return of Strictly's It Takes Two with a new presenter, we look at all you need to know about the launch show...

When is the Strictly launch show 2023? 

The Strictly launch show 2023 will air on Saturday September 16 on BBC One at 6.35pm when all couples competing for the Glitterball trophy will be revealed, according to the BBC. The show shared on its official Instagram page, "Ready to sparkle on Saturday 16th September, our Strictly class of 2023!"

And fans cannot wait for the series to start. One fan wrote, "Can't wait, I think the costumes this year are going to be incredible."

Another fan put, "Love strictly, watched it since I was a baby, the best show ever, the glitz, the glamour, the fun and of course the dancers and judges and host. Cast look amazing."

And a third added, "That’s all the family WhatsApp groups going great guns again. Yay!!!"

Who is hosting Strictly 2023?

Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly are hosting Strictly Come Dancing 2023. The presenting duo have hosted the show for a different number of years - Tess Daly, who is wife of Vernon Kay, has co-presented the show since 2004 when she hosted alongside Bruce Forsyth until his retirement in 2013. Then Claudia Winkleman joined Tess as co-host in 2014 and the pair have fronted the series ever since. Claudia also hosts BBC show Traitors.

When does Strictly Come Dancing 2023 podcast return?

The Strictly Come Dancing: The Official Podcast by BBC Studios returns for a new series on 16 September. It is any fan's perfect accompaniment to the dance programme bringing more stories, secrets and behind-the-scenes interviews.

Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Joe Sugg and Strictly superfan and producer Kim Winston are back on hosting duties bringing with them their extensive knowledge of the show.

After each Sunday night results show airs on BBC One, fans can download the latest episode of the podcast on BBC Sounds where our hosts will reflect on that week’s results and take listeners backstage for news, interviews, games, laughter and tears. They’ll be speaking exclusively to the contestants, professional dancers, judges and the backstage crew who bring the party on the dancefloor to screens.

For other entertainment shows, there's Australian Traitors, Celebrity Hunted, and dating show fans are wondering where is First Dates 2023 filmed?

Congratulations are in order as Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse has announced she is pregnant with her first child!

Oti Mabuse shocked fans last year when she stepped down from her starring role as a professional dancer on ITV's hit show Strictly Come Dancing but she remained in the hearts of many as she replaced John Barrowman as a judge on the not dissimilar ITV show Dancing on Ice. 

But as Strictly plans for it's 2023 return this Autumn, with fans drooling over it's rumoured line-up and returning presenters Tess Daly and Traitors host Claudia Winkleman, Oti has some very different plans in mind - she's having a baby! 

During an appearance on ITV's Breakfast Show yesterday morning [26 August], the 33-year-old revealed the happy news that she and her husband, Romanian-born professional dancer Marius Iepure, are expecting their first child live on TV.

As the show was wrapping up, Oti said, “Speaking of things you didn’t know at home, we have a little something for all of you, we’ve been holding some good news. We’re having a baby!”

The couple hugged each other as the crew and audience cheered, smiles plastered on every face in the studio. 

Following the live episode, Oti took to Instagram to reshare the news and debut a number of sweet photographs that showed her cradling her baby bump.

Alongside the pictures, she wrote, “Our ‘yes’ year is getting better and better and so is our little family…This is new for us scarier than swimming with sharks, jumping off cliffs or even swinging from bridges but the best news we could have ever ask for.

“We love our little bundle of joy so much already... and can’t wait to see what our future will now look like as family of three plus Leo. It’s been a beautiful journey so far with close friends and family and nearly over but we have learnt a lot a long the way…”

While the couple have not announced when the baby is due, Oti teased, “Christmas is about to get even louder.”

As Strictly prepares to step back onto screens later this week, fans are already asking who is doing Strictly Come Dancing 2023?

The hit BBC One show, which is in its 21st year, will return this Autumn, hosted by returning presenters Tess Daly and Traitors host Claudia Winkleman. With Janette Manrara and Fleur East hosting It Takes Two on Tuesday evenings chatting to who went out of Strictly after the weekend's show.

Having scooped three BAFTA TV Award nominations for its Strictly 2022 series, a brand new set of celebrities and their professional dance partners will take to the dance floor in the hope of winning over this season's judges. Up for grabs is the Glitterball trophy which is currently with reigning champion Hamza Yassin.

As we look at who's doing Strictly 2023...

Who is doing Strictly Come Dancing 2023?

Doing Strictly Come Dancing 2023 is judges Craig Revel Horwood, Let’s Dance Germany judge Motsi Mabuse, NTA Award winning judge Anton Du Beke and the Queen of Latin Shirley Ballas who will return as head judge. Dancers taking to the floor once more, promising viewers an abundance of spectacular routines are as follows; Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Graziano Di Prima, Amy Dowden, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Giovanni Pernice, Jowita Przystal, Johannes Radebe, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas and Vita Coppola

Strictly Come Dancing 2023 professionals

• Dianne Buswell - Australian Open Champion and four-time Amateur Australian Open Finalist. Having joined in 2017 Dianne reached the Strictly final with her dance partner Joe Sugg in 2018. Since then, she has danced with Radio DJ Dev Griffin, Max George from the Wanted and last series made it all the way to Blackpool with DJ Tyler West.
• Nadiya Bychkova - She is a two-time World Champion and European Champion in Ballroom and Latin ‘10’ Dance. Originally from Ukraine, Nadiya joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2017 and has danced with celebrity partners including Davood Ghadami, Lee Ryan, David James and Dan Walker. Last series, she danced with Matt Goss.
• Graziano Di Prima - This Italian Latin champion joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2018. His celebrity partners have included Vick Hope and Judi Love and in 2021, Graziano was crowned Strictly Christmas Champion with celebrity partner Anne-Marie. Most recently, Graziano made it all to way to the Quarter Finals with his partner Kym Marsh. Before Strictly, as well as competing for his home country, Graziano also represented Belgium at the World Championships and made the top 24 at the Under 21 Latin World Championships.
• Amy Dowden - Began dancing at the age of eight, is a four-time British National Finalist and went on to become British National Champion, making her one of the highest-ranking Ballroom and Latin dancers in the UK. Amy grew up watching Strictly Come Dancing from her hometown of Caerphilly, South Wales and in 2017 joined the series as a professional dancer. In 2019 she danced all the way to the final with CBBC’s Karim Zeroual and most recently she partnered EastEnders star James Bye.
• Karen Hauer - Originally from Venezuela, Karen moved to the US when she was eight years old and there became American Rhythm Rising Star Champion, Professional World Mambo Champion and appeared in the television series So You Think You Can Dance. Karen is the longest serving Strictly dancer of the current pro line up, returning for her twelfth series. Over the years she has enjoyed many memorable partnerships including with Jeremy Vine, Mark Wright, Chris Ramsey, Jamie Laing, Greg Wise and most recently comedian Jayde Adams.

• Katya Jones - World Champion Latin dancer Katya Jones was born in Saint-Petersburg, Russia. Competing for England, she became World Professional Latin Showdance Champion, three-time World Amateur Latin Champion, and four-time undefeated British National Professional Champion. Katya is also a Strictly Come Dancing champion, having won the series with Joe McFadden in her second year on the show. Some of her other Strictly students include Ed Balls, Nicola Adams, Adam Peaty and most recently footballing legend Tony Adams.
• Neil Jones - A four-time undefeated British National Professional Champion and three-time winner of the World Amateur Latin Championships. In 2015, he was crowned World Professional Latin Showdance Champion and has won over 45 titles around the world during his competitive career. Neil has been a Strictly professional since 2016 and his celebrity partners include professional footballer Alex Scott and actress and comedian Nina Wadia.
• Nikita Kuzmin - Nikita moved to Italy aged 9 from his home country of Ukraine and there became a six-time Italian Champion. In 2020 he competed on Let’s Dance, Germany’s version of Strictly Come Dancing before joining the UK series in 2021. His first celebrity partner in the UK was Tilly Ramsay and they made it to week 10 of the competition. His most recent partner was Paralympian swimmer Ellie Simmonds.
• Gorka Marquez - He began dancing at the age of 12. He represented Spain in the World Latin Championships in 2010 and reached the semi-finals of the 2012 WDSF World Cup. After touring the world with dance show Burn the Floor, Gorka joined Strictly in 2016 and has danced in three finals, with Alexandra Burke in 2017, Maisie Smith in 2020 and most recently with Helen Skelton in 2022.
• Luba Mushtuk - Originally from Russia, Luba is a four-time winner of the Italian Dance Championship and is also an Italian Open Latin Show Dance champion and Latin European Championship finalist. Luba was part of the Strictly Come Dancing family for several years as an assistant choreographer, before becoming a professional dancer on the programme in 2018. She has danced with two celebrity partners in the main series: James Cracknell in 2019 and Jason Bell in 2020.
• Giovanni Pernice - Italian Champion Giovanni is the longest-serving male professional amongst the current line-up of Strictly dancers, having joined the show in 2015. His celebrity partners have included Georgia May Foote, Debbie McGee, Faye Tozer and Michelle Visage. In 2021, he was partnered with actress Rose Ayling-Ellis and together they lifted the Strictly Glitterball trophy giving Giovanni his first Strictly win. His most recent partner was Radio 2’s Richie Anderson.

• Jowita Przystal - Polish Open Latin Champion Jowita ended her competitive career in 2015 to join the cast of touring dance company, ‘Burn the Floor’ where she stayed for four years before moving to the UK in 2019 to pursue her dancing dreams. Jowita won the BBC’s ‘The Greatest Dancer’ in 2020, which gave her the prize of performing in the Strictly ballroom, and in 2021 she officially joined the Strictly professional line-up. Last series, she was given her first celebrity partner Hamza Yassin and they both went on to lift the trophy, making Jowita the current reigning Strictly champion.
• Johannes Radebe - A two-time Professional South African Latin Champion and a three-time South African Amateur Latin Champion. He competed on Strictly Come Dancing South Africa twice, reaching the final both times. He joined the UK show in 2018 and in 2021 was partnered with celebrity baker John Whaite in the show’s first all-male partnership. Together they reached the final and became the series’ runners-up. His most recent partner was actress and comedian Ellie Taylor.
• Kai Widdrington - Southampton born Kai was set to follow in his dad’s footsteps by becoming a professional footballer but aged 9 he decided to take up dancing instead. By the age of 14, he became World Junior Latin champion. Kai joined the professional dancer line-up of Strictly in 2021 and his first celebrity partner was TV presenter AJ Odudu. The pair danced all the way to the Strictly final, but sadly had to pull out due to an injury. Last series, Kai was partnered with Kaye Adams and also went on to be crowned Strictly Christmas champion alongside his Christmas partner actress Alexandra Mardell.
• Nancy Xu - A world-class Latin dancer who was a finalist in the Under 21 World Championships in 2010. She was also a finalist on So You Think You Can Dance in her home country of China. Nancy joined Strictly in 2019, performing in the show’s group routines and music acts. Nancy has reached the semi-final of the competition with both of her celebrity partners, CBBC presenter Rhys Stephenson in 2021 and actor Will Mellor in 2022.

• Carlos Gu - Chinese National Champion Carlos Gu is a multiple world semi-finalist, placed 3rd at the German Open Championship and was Amateur Latin Rising Star Runner Up at the 2017 UK Open. He joined the Strictly Come Dancing pro line up in 2022 and was partnered with CBBC star Molly Rainford. Together they reached the final and were runners up alongside Fleur East and Helen Skelton.
• Lauren Oakley - Birmingham-born Lauren started dancing at just 2 years old and began competing soon after. Early successes include becoming Juvenile Champion at the prestigious Blackpool Dance Festival, winning across both Ballroom and Latin disciplines. Lauren was also crowned Under 21 British National Champion before exploring a career on stage. She has toured all over the world and joined the Strictly Come Dancing family in 2022.
• Michelle Tsiakkas - Latin dance champion Michelle Tsiakkas first started dancing at the age of 6 in her home country of Cyprus.  There she became an undefeated champion, winning national titles consecutively from 2001-2011 before moving to London to study. Whilst in the UK she continued to compete, representing England at major international championships. Michelle joined the pro line up of Strictly Come Dancing in 2022 dancing in the show’s group numbers and music acts.
• Vita Coppola - 11-time Italian Latin American Champion Vito began dancing at the age of 6 and by the age of 10 was winning national championships. His career highlights include being a 3-time World Championship finalist and European Cup Winner. In 2021 he left the competition world and joined the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing, where he won in his very first year. He came to Strictly Come Dancing in 2022 and was partnered with Fleur East making it all the way to the Strictly final. Vito and Fleur were runners up alongside Helen Skelton and Molly Rainford.

What date does Strictly Come Dancing start again?

Strictly Come Dancing 2023 starts again in the autumn, on September 16 as this is when the Strictly launch show 2023 returns. Last year the 20th season of Strictly started with the launch show on 23rd September on BBC One followed by live shows beginning the following day on 24th September. So this year fans are getting their Strictly fix a little earlier than expected.

Sarah James, Executive Producer, BBC Studios said, “Excitement is already building for the 21st series of Strictly and we are so lucky to have the best team in the business both on and off camera.  Our amazing presenters, incredible panel of judges and world class professional dancers are ready to bring the sparkle back to your screens this Autumn. We can’t wait!”

And if you've already got your eye on a winner, you might want to see who is favourite to win Strictly 2023?

Who are the celebrities on Strictly 2023?

The celebrities joining the Class of Strictly Come Dancing 2023 have been confirmed and are as follows; Amanda Abbington, Angela Rippon, Layton Williams, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Eddie Kadi, Angela Scanlon, Zara McDermott, Adam Thomas, Nikita Kanda, Ellie Leach, Bobby Brazier, Nigel Harman, and Les Dennis. 

If you can't wait until the launch show, why not re-watch last years' final...

Amanda Abbington

You might recognise Amanda as a star of some of the UK’s top drama TV series, including Sherlock, Mr Selfridge, Wolfe, and Desperate Measures, she also had a lead role in the series The Net and feature film The Lost King. 

With three decades acting under her belt, she has also performed in various plays in well renowned theatres across the country, she has recently starred in the West End transfer of Steven Moffat’s The Unfriend.

But her standout role as Mary Morstan in Sherlock won her the Best Supporting Actress gong at the Crime Thriller Awards, alongside nominations for this role at the Critic’s Choice Television Awards. 

Speaking about joining the Strictly line up, Amanda said, “I’m thrilled to have been asked to do Strictly. I’m actually really shy and self-conscious so this will be a great opportunity for me to overcome those things! Plus, I get to learn to dance which I am incredibly excited about. I’m really looking forward to the training too, I’m quite competitive as my family and friends will tell you. I can’t wait to start!”

Angela Rippon CBE

Angela Rippon CBE is an award-winning journalist, TV presenter, newsreader, and author. Her career spans over 50 years, having presented a wide variety of programmes from hard news and current affairs, to quiz shows and magazine programmes for broadcasters across the world.

She currently presents BBC's Rip-Off Britain and is a regular on Morning Live and The One Show, she presented the original Come Dancing between 1988 – 1991 and has fronted shows such as Top Gear, Antiques Roadshow, The Holiday Programme, Crufts, How to Stay Young and The Truth About Dementia to name a few.

Angela Rippon CBE said, “Having been a fan of Strictly since day one, and as a former presenter of Come Dancing, this will be quite an adventure for me.  A scary one, considering I’m about to be 79.  But I’m really looking forward to the challenge, and perhaps being able to learn to dance the Argentinian Tango!!”

Layton Williams

Layton is best known as a stage and screen actor and has performed in London’s West End, giving performances as the title role in Billy Elliot and Everyone’s Talking About Jamie.

Layton said: "Absolutely buzzing to confirm that I will be taking part in THE most iconic dance competition in the UK! It's time to bring it to the Ballroom. So excited to learn new skills from the best. Bring on the sequins… ALL the sequins!"

His stage shows credits also include Thriller Live, Rent, Hairspray and New Adventures. He is best known on TV for playing Stephen Carmichael in the Bad Education movie and recently rebooted series. Other TV features include Beautiful People, Benidorm, The Cleaner, and I Hate Suzie. Layton is the voice over artist for the U.K's first gay dating show, I Kissed a Boy on BBC.

Krishnan Guru-Murthy

Krishnan is best known as the main anchor of Channel 4 News, as well as reporting for the foreign affairs series Unreported World and hosting live debates for Channel 4 during elections, referendums and major crises, he also won the Royal Television Society Journalism Award for best Network Presenter in 2022.

Krishnan said, “I’m surprised, delighted and slightly confused to find myself taking part in Strictly on the basis of ‘you only live once!’ and I can’t wait to start learning to dance, but I am slightly worried about my general decrepitude. I know I’m going to love it and have a brilliant time and just hope I’m not the only one enjoying my participation.”

Eddie Kadi

Eddie Kadi is a multi-award winning stand-up comedian and radio presenter. 

Eddie said, “WOW. Anyone who knows me, understands that music and dance is so important and central to who I am. I’m so unbelievably proud and honoured that Strictly and the BBC have asked me to join the 2023 Team. I promise you, I’m going to give it everything I’ve got. This is going to be a VIBE."

Angela Scanlon

Angela Scanlon hosts the hugely-successful interior design show Your Home Made Perfect on BBC Two. Angela is the only woman in the UK and Ireland to have their own Saturday night chat show with Ask Me Anything on RTÉ One. 

Last year, Angela published her first book Joyrider, part empowering guide and part memoir, all about the importance of bringing gratitude into everyday life. Starting off as a stylist, she worked in fashion TV in Ireland, before beginning her UK career as the new presenter of Robot Wars along with documentaries for the BBC.

Ahead of the show, Angela said: “I’m terrified, I’m excited and I have so many questions. Will they make me tan? How itchy are sequins?! Do they do flesh coloured sports bras? Well - there’s only one way to find out, right!? Now I’m panicking a bit… but also secretly thrilled about the prospect of all that glitter. Let’s go!”

Zara McDermott

Zara was a government policy advisor, working for the Department of Energy and Climate Change and Department of Education before appearing on Love Island in 2018.

Since leaving the reality dating show she has fronted five successful BBC films so far: Revenge Porn, Uncovering Rape Culture, Disordered Eating, and Gaia: A Death on Dancing Ledge. Her other broadcasting work includes presenting  the entertainment show Love In The Flesh on BBC Three. 

Zara said: “I am so excited to be joining the world of Strictly! I grew up watching it every year with my nan and she was the biggest Strictly fan. We would dance around the house and I have such fond memories of that time in my life. I even remember the first ever series, and being mesmerised by all the beautiful dresses! I can’t wait to throw myself into this experience and start training. It’s going to be incredible.”

Adam Thomas

Actor Adam is best-known for his roles on Waterloo Road and Emmerdale, and for appearing on I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here in 2016. 

Speaking about his lack of dancing, Adam confessed, “No, I can’t dance to save my life! I don’t know what I’ve got myself into! Everyone says that I can dance, but the only time that they’ve ever seen me dance is when I’m drunk, and sober dancing and drunk dancing are completely two different things!”

Nikita Kanda

Nikita is best known for being the current host of the BBC Asian Network’s Breakfast show, previously having presented the Saturday afternoon show. Nikita has also fronted regular reports on BBC One’s The One Show on a range of topics from the rise of cashless businesses to government support for female sport.

Nikita said: “I can’t believe I’m going to be on Strictly. This is a dream come true. I’m still pinching myself. I don’t think it will properly sink in until I step onto the dancefloor. I can’t wait to get glammed up and get out there. Throw the glitter on me!”

Ellie Leach

Ellie is best known for portraying Faye Windass for 12 years on Coronation Street, nominated for multiple British Soap Awards and Inside Soap Awards for her role, hard hitting storylines included being pregnant at 13, discovering she was going through the menopause and reconnecting with the child she gave up - which led to her departing the cobbles earlier this year. 

Prior to Coronation Street Ellie appeared in independent movie A Boy Called Dad and drama Moving On.

Ellie said: “It still doesn’t feel real that I’m going to be doing Strictly!! It’s always been a dream of mine so I guess dreams really do come true!!!!” 

Bobby Brazier

Bobby is a 20-year-old British Model, and Actor, best known for his role as Freddie Slater in UK Soap Opera, EastEnders. Full of energy and sparkle, with boyish good looks and cheeky Essex charm; he has graced the runway for world renowned fashion house, Dolce & Gabbana at Milan Fashion Week, sat front row alongside Lewis Hamilton at London Fashion Week and starred on the cover of acclaimed style magazine, ‘Man About Town’. 

Bobby said: “I’m so excited to be part of the Strictly line up, I can’t wait to start training like a professional dancer and adding a few moves to my locker. I'm looking forward to performing in-front of everyone, it's going to be so much fun!”

Nigel Harman

Nigel’s acting career started when he was eight – working on multiple TV series, theatre shows, and the odd movie. Most recently joining BBC’s Casualty as Max Cristie, Holby ED's new Clinical Lead. Nigel was also in EastEnders playing Dennis Rickman and appeared in Downton Abbey.

Nigel said: "I'm amazed, excited, and terrified to be doing Strictly. As an armchair fan of the show I have watched  in awe as people have twirled and gyrated across the screen. And now it's my turn.....gulp!"

Les Dennis

Les Dennis has been in showbiz for over 50 years, including famously hosting Family Fortunes for 16 years. His TV career includes roles in Extras, Brookside, Death in Paradise and Midsomer Murders and two years in Coronation Street.  

On stage he’s starred with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the English National Opera, and in hit plays and musicals such as Hairspray, Legally Blonde The Musical and 42nd Street.  

Les Dennis said: “I’m thrilled to be doing this iconic wonderful show as I approach my 70th birthday! In my career I’ve always gone for challenges outside my comfort zone and this is the ultimate one! Can’t wait.”

Strictly Come Dancing launch show starts 16th September on BBC One at 6.35pm

If you like reality shows why not check out Anton and Giovanni Adventures In Sicily or tune in to Australian Traitors to see who can keep their cool.

There's been a shake up to the Strictly It Takes Two presenters for 2023 and while Janette Manrara will be back to take fans through all the highs and lows of the contestants' dancing journey she's got a new co-host.

Excitement for this year's show has been building with fans asking who is doing Strictly Come Dancing 2023? And while it's not yet known when Strictly 2023 will start, it's expected to be a similar schedule to the 2022 series start.

With Anton Du Beke returning for another year after making his debut on the judging panel in 2021 and Jowita Przystal remaining as replacement for professional dancer Oti Mabuse announcing 2021 was her final series as a dancer. 

Last year there were four new Strictly Come Dancing pros taking to the floor and there's plenty of dancing talent to keep viewers eager for more this autumn. 

Though if two shows a week just isn’t enough, for its 21st anniversary series, there’s always Strictly’s companion show, Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two, to see you through ahead of the weekend performances. 

But who are the Strictly It Takes Two presenters in 2023 and why did Rylan leave? We reveal all you need to know about the show’s changed presenting line-up...

Who are the Strictly It Takes Two presenters 2023?

The Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two presenters in 2023 are Janette Manrara and Fleur East. Fans of the Strictly companion show will already be familiar with Janette from last year and the popular presenter is also known for her appearances on Strictly and also Morning Live. Janette departed the Strictly main show after the 2020 series, where she reached the final partnered with singer HRVY. Janette had danced on the show from 2013 before joining It Takes Two. She announced she is pregnant with her and Alijaz Skorjanec's 'miracle' baby in February this year.

Meanwhile, Fleur East, a former runner-up contestant on the show and runner-up of The X Factor 2014, was announced as Rylan's replacement after he announced he has quit It Takes Two giving reasons for leaving the show saying, he wanted to "explore what else life has for me".

Fleur will be sharing presenting duties with Janette across each week, and Fleur has shared her joy at the role. "'I couldn’t believe it, I still can't believe it. I was with my husband, I was away, and got a phone call from my agent. She did all the pleasantries and moments later was like, you’ve got It Takes Two."

Fleur admitted she struggled to keep it a secret until the official announcement. "I was trying to just get it out of my head. With the social video, I tried to find the biggest boots I could find. With Rylan gone, I have some big boots to fill.

"It’s a lot of relief because the stress is real. It’s going to be a lot of fun."

Rylan had previously hosted It Takes Two alongside former presenter Zoe Ball from 2019 onwards and before returning for 2022 and departing again in 2023.

Previously Rylan sparked concern with his absence from hosting his Radio 2 show and from social media over the summer of 2021. Reports later claimed that he and his husband Dan Neal are “to divorce”. 

With many weeks still to come until we see this year’s winner of Strictly Come Dancing crowned, Janette and Fleur will have plenty more dancing, laughs and insights to share until the final.

Why was there a new Strictly It Takes Two presenter in 2021? 

Janette Manrara stepped in alongside Rylan as the new It Takes Two presenter back in 2021 after his previous co-host Zoe Ball departed the show after 2020’s series. The popular TV and Radio presenter Zoe took over from Claudia Winkleman as host of the Strictly Come Dancing spin off show in 2011. Meanwhile Claudia went on to present the main show and has previously opened up about her imposter syndrome upon taking on this prestigious role. 

However, despite capturing the hearts of fans across the nation and following in Claudia’s brilliant footsteps, Zoe took to Instagram in May 2021 to announce the sad news that she would be leaving after a decade on It Takes Two.  

Posting a selection of sweet snaps from her time on the show, Zoe explained in her caption, ‘Dance lovers, after 10 joyous years I am waltzing away from It Takes Two. As a massive @bbcstrictly fan I have loved spending my Autumn teatimes with the celebrity dancers, the gorgeous & awesome pro dancers, the judges, my girl Vicky Gill, Rylan, Gethin & of course my main man Ian Waite.’

She also reflected upon how, despite her departure, she would continue to remain a fan of the show and cheer on this year’s line-up from home.

‘I will continue to support the Strictly family on the Breakfast Show & can’t wait to watch the Class Of 2021 from my sofa’, she explained, before going on to add that she would miss everyone involved ‘immensely’. 

Meanwhile, Janette Manrara also announced her decision to step down from her former role as professional dancer on Strictly early 2021. During an interview with Hello! magazine, the talented dancer revealed that she and her husband and fellow pro dancer Aljaž Škorjanec, who quit in 2022, are hoping to start a family.

"Starting a family is something we have been talking about for a while now and dancing was something I really had to think about when it came to making any kind of decision," she said.

"The level of pressure that comes with being a professional on Strictly has now been lifted from my life, so I feel like I can breathe now when it comes to starting a family.”

Janette added, “We definitely want to be parents and this has given us an opportunity to really take a look at that part of our lives and see what we can do moving forward."

Why did Zoe Ball leave It Takes Two?

For anyone who was wondering who the Strictly It Takes Two presenters are in 2022, the question of why Zoe Ball left It Takes Two might also have been on your minds. In her original Instagram announcement, Zoe’s caption mentioned that it was, ‘Time now for some new cha cha challenges’. And this was something that the star reportedly mentioned once again during her BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show. 

As reported by Express.co.uk, Zoe told listeners that “walking away” from It Takes Two was “one of the hardest decisions” she’d ever had to make. She then reportedly went on to reveal more detail surrounding the reasons for her momentous decision. 

“I love that show, you know how obsessed I am with Strictly,” she explained. “But after 10 years, sometimes you’ve got to give yourself some new challenges.”

She added, “Also I don’t get to see my Nell in the morning. So to be able to see her in the evening is such a lovely thing because she’s growing up so fast.”

Zoe’s co-parents daughter Nelly (11) and son Woody (20) with her former husband Norman Cook, AKA Fatboy Slim. With her work on the Zoe Ball Breakfast Show meaning early starts, the evenings, when It Takes Two is filmed, will now be free for Zoe to spend with her children.

Strictly launch show airs later this year on BBC One.

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Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing with the Stars star Len Goodman has died aged 78 from bone cancer.

The TV judge, became a household name after appearing on BBC's hit dance show Strictly Come Dancing between 2004 and 2016. He also starred on the US version of the show Dancing with the Stars, appearing as an original judge from 2005, before his departure in 2022.

"I can confirm he died peacefully over the weekend surrounded by his family," a spokeswoman for Len told MailOnline. It is understood that Len had been diagnosed with bone cancer and passed away at a hospice facility in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. 

He leaves behind his wife, dance teacher Sue Barrett, who he married in 2012. Plus son James William Goodman, who he shares with an ex-partner called Lesley.

Goodman - known for his ballroom knowledge and dry wit - was a popular figure on the BBC entertainment show. Fans young and old will remember his trademark '7' catchphrase whilst handing out scores after contestants had danced.

Strictly's original head judge, Len appeared on the very first episode of the show which debuted on May 15, 2004. He was joined by fellow judges Arlene Phillips, Bruno Tonioli and Craig Revel-Horwood - with the latter still a judge to this day.

Goodman announced he was to quit the show in 2016, with his final appearance during the Strictly Christmas Special later that year. Latin dance champion Shirley Ballas was confirmed as Len's replacement in May 2017.

Strictly contestants were quick to pay tribute to Len Goodman online. Professional dancer Giovanni Pernace, shared a video of the late star on his Instagram stories alongside the caption 'RIP Legend'.

Channel 5 news presenter Dan Walker - who appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021 - also paid tribute to the show's former judge. "So sad to hear about the death of Len Goodman. He was an incredible man & an extraordinary talent.

"Loved making telly with him, being daft with him, playing golf with him & will never forget the little tips he would send every week on Strictly. All my love to his family."

BBC Director-General Tim Davie also shared a statement in wake of Len's passing. 

"Len was at the very heart of Strictly's success," he said. "He will be hugely missed by the public and his many friends and family."

Video of the Week

Britain's Got Talent 2023 gets underway this weekend with a change to its judging panel since the David Walliams' exit, viewers are wondering who is Bruno Tonioli and is he married?

Many fans will asking why is David Walliams not on BTG? after he was replaced by Dancing With the Stars judge and former judge on Strictly Come Dancing.

Bruno joins existing judges Simon Cowell, Amanda Holden and Alesha Dixon for the 16th season and while you can play along at home with the Britain's Got Talent 2-in-1 game, we look at all you need to know about the new judge...

Who is Bruno Tonioli?

Bruno Tonioli is an Italian choreographer, who is also trained in ballroom and latin dance and sits as a judge on the UK version of Britain's Got Talent and Dancing With the Stars on ABC in the US. He quit as a judge of Strictly Come Dancing after 18 years on the show because his work schedule clashed and he was replaced by Anton Du Beke. 

Born in Ferrara, Italy, to his bus driver father Werther and his mother Fulvia, who stitched car seat upholstery, lived with his parents and his grandparents until he was 12. He's been living in London since 1975 and can speak five languages - Italian, English, French, Portuguese and Spanish.

In 1980 he performed with an entry for Eurovision, with a group called Duke and the Aces and joined Paris-based company La Grande Eugene in the early 80s.

In his star-studded career he's worked on numerous films, plays, music videos, commercials and television series to name but a few with icons including Elton John and Michael Jackson.

Believe it or not, he even starred in Elton John's video of hit I'm Still Standing and has released a book in 2012 called Bruno: My Story.

Bruno has admitted he was 'petrified' at joining the judging panel on Simon Cowell's show. Speaking on The One Show, he confessed, "I was petrified. I was really nervous. Because nobody told me, I didn't have any rehearsals, nothing - 'You're on'. Someone said: 'Just do your thing'. Okay, I'll do my thing."

He did just that and teased that he pressed his golden buzzer mid-performance for a dance act he loved.

"There was this amazing act, that you will see, they were so incredible, I just couldn't wait to get the buzzer. It was 'Whack!' Dancers. I literally went for it. And it was mid-performance," he said.

"The stage exploded with gold and everybody [gasped]. [I thought] what's going on here? Have I done something wrong? - it was actually amazing. But honestly, nobody told me you had to wait until the end of the performance!"

We can't wait to hear his critique for those who aren't so good! and if you're wondering where the Britain's Got Talent stars are now take a look.

Is Bruno Tonioli married?

Bruno Tonioli is not married but he is thought to be in a long-term relationship with partner Jason Schanne. The pair have been dating since 2010 and held a committed ceremony two years after they met. Bruno keeps his personal life out of the spotlight but it's understood that Jason is a model, who turns 37 this year, and lived in Michigan, US. Bruno is 31 years older - celebrating his 68th birthday later this year.

There are no known photos of Bruno and Jason but Bruno was pictured at the European Premiere of Mary Poppins Returns with model Matt Law back in 2018 but he later made clear the pair were only close friends. 

In an interview with the Mirror Bruno opened up on the homophobic abuse he received as a youngster, "When I was 10, I knew there was something different about me.

"Everyone was football-mad but I just wanted to watch musicals and see art.

"It was frightening. I really WAS the only gay in the village.

"I was labelled 'the queenie guy' and 'the queer', which was the worst thing you could be told in Italy in those days."

Britain's Got Talent airs on Saturday, 15th April at 8pm on ITV1 and is available an hour later on ITV+1 or to stream on ITVX.

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Video of the week

Strictly Come Dancing pro Neil Jones is expecting his first child with Love island star Chyna Mills as they announce their surprise engagement.

The professional dancer and the former Love Island star have been dating for seven months after Chyna caught his eye while he was watching last year's season of the dating show and now the couple has announced both their engagement and lovely baby news.

In an exclusive interview with Hello! magazine, Chyna, who is 13 weeks pregnant, said, "After the baby news, we were on cloud nine – and now this. It still doesn't feel real." 

Neil, who was on the Strictly Professionals tour, reveals he had been planning to propose on holiday before he discovered she was pregnant.

He said, "I'd already planned to ask Chyna to marry me before we knew she was pregnant. Then we found out and I was like: 'Oh, this is brilliant, everything is coming together."

Speaking about the proposal, Chyna revealed, "At first, I thought he was joking because we play jokes on each other all the time," Chyna says. "Then Neil was like: 'Chyna, so is it a "yes" or "no"?' because a few minutes had passed and he was still on one knee. I was like: 'Yeah!"

And while not many people were aware of their happy news, Neil had confided in fellow Strictly star Tyler West, who confirmed his relationship with Mollie Rainford just last month.

Fans have sent the star congratulations.

One wrote, "How amazing, huge congratulations to you both," while another fan put, "This has made me so happy! You deserve all the happiness! Congrats both"

A third supporter added, "Awwww this is such beautiful news ❤️ Congratulations guys!!!"

Fellow Strictly pro Karen Hauer wrote, "So many congratulations to you both !!"

Neil's previous relationship with wife Katya Jones was subjected to the Strictly curse when Katya locked lips with Seann Walsh but fans are now delighted to see him happy.

Chyna, who worked as a youth support worker before taking part in the ITV2 reality show left the show in July and Neil messaged her on Instagram and they both met up at a party and the rest is history!

But the couple are expected to wait to tie the knot now the baby is on its way, as they want their son or daughter to walk down the aisle with them.

Strictly professional dancer Giovanni Pernice is back on screens alongside judge Anton Du Beke for a new travel show and fans are wondering is Giovanni Pernice in a relationship?

BBC One is airing a three-part series Anton and Giovanni: Adventures in Sicily and the producers have teased, "Strictly's Anton du Beke and Giovanni Pernice head off on a sun-soaked adventure. Expect breathtaking sights, bromance and sublime Sicilian cuisine - and maybe even a tango or two."

As we look at all you need to know about Giovanni's personal life...

Is Giovanni Pernice in a relationship?

No, it's thought he is single after Giovanni Pernice and fellow Strictly Pro Jowita Przystal have reportedly 'split' just a week after going public with their romance, blaming hectic work schedules' as the reason the romance fizzled out.

They were reportedly secretly dating after meeting on the show after being spotted backstage. 

In the official documentary trailer, Giovanni tells Anton, "Of course I want to have a family one day." Tow which Anton tells him, "You'd be a wonderful father."

He was previously linked to Rose Ayling-Ellis, with fans asking are they a couple? He paid a sweet tribute to the star in his home as the 2021 tour ended.

And fans are already eager to see the episode with Rose visiting his hometown.

One fan put, "Can’t wait for this and the ep with Rose too."

Another fan added, "Can’t wait to have a whole three hours of these guys and Rose too."

And a third fan added, "This is gonna be epic."

How old is Giovanni Pernice?

Giovanni Pernice is currently 32 years old. He was born in Sicily on 5th September 1990 but when he turned 14 he moved to Bologna to concentrate on his dancing career after watching the British ballroom dance television show Come Dancing. Having specialised in Latin style, Giovanni has won a number of competitions, most notably, the Italian Open Championship in 2012.

As a member of the Federazione Italiana Danza Sportiva, part of the World DanceSport Federation he competed at Youth and Adult levels between 2007 and 2014. 

Among his other accolades are coming second place in the International Open Latin in Slovenia in 2014, and wins in other Open competitions in Pieve di Cento, Italy (2011); Ancona, Italy (2011); San Marino (2011) and Sant Cugat del Vallès, Spain (2011). 

In competitions he danced with partners Erika Attisano (2011–2014) and Alexandra Koldan (2014–2015).

Giovanni tour 2023

Giovanni Pernice is currently touring the UK with his Giovanni Pernice Made In Italy tour. It kicked off in Hayes on 18th January and runs until May, finishing in Tunbridge Wells on May 7th.

Tickets are available to book from Giovanni's official website, and the full list of dates can be viewed in his Instagram post below...

Anton is touring with Giovanni for the Him and Me tour which kicks off in June 2023 and tickets can be booked from their joint website.

He is also touring in 2024 with his Let Me Entertain You tour and tickets are on sale now.

Anton and Giovanni: Adventures in Sicily three-part series airs on BBC One at 9pm starting on Tuesday 21st March 2023. 

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Video of the week

Strictly's Anton Du Beke is returning to screens with Strictly Pro Giovanni Pernice for their own travel show series Anton and Giovanni: Adventures in Sicily and fans are wondering who is Anton Du Beke's wife and do they have children?

Ballroom dancer Anton Du Beke has remained one of the most popular professionals throughout the years, captivating the audience with his hilarious responses and effortless elegance on the dance floor. From politician Ann Widdecombe to ITV daytime star, Ruth Langsford, Anton and his partners have given some of the most memorable performances. However, Anton is taking on a new TV role.

After filling in for Bruno Tonioli during the 2020 series, Anton landed a job on the judging panel of Strictly Come Dancing and while the series is on its annual break he is swapping his score paddle for his suitcase as he embarks on a new travel show. 

But who is his wife, do they have kids and how long has the dancer been on Strictly Come Dancing?

Who is Anton Du Beke’s wife?

Anton Du Beke's wife is businesswoman Hannah Summers. Hannah has reportedly worked as a marketing professional and the couple have been married since 2017. They generally prefer to keep their life together private, though Anton has occasionally shared pictures of himself and Hannah together on social media.

The professional dancer has, however, shared sweet details of the moment he first met Hannah. During an interview on Steph’s Packed Lunch, Anton shared he "knew almost immediately” that he “loved her" and that "she also loved [him] immediately". 

"She was sat across a big table at a do and I thought, wow she is absolutely outrageous," he said, before adding, "She went off to the loo as one does. Outrageously, I followed her! She went into the ladies and I waited outside for her. I'm staggered she actually spoke to me."

Revealing Hannah’s response, Anton explained, "She came out, she looked at me and went 'have you been waiting outside the ladies for me?' and I went, 'Yes, It's because I love you'."

Though he admitted the situation probably made him look “a bit weird”, the long-term couple have now been married for six years come May 2023.

Does Anton Du Beke have kids?

Anton Duke Beke and his wife Hannah Summers have two children, George and Henrietta. In 2021 Anton and Hannah shared deeply personal details about their IVF journey and also spoke about Hannah's painful struggles with endometriosis. 

Speaking to Lorraine Kelly at the time, Hannah explained, “It was one of those things where on a monthly basis, I looked like I was six months pregnant. One of the side effects is obviously the pain, but I had tremendous swelling.

“I was one of those women who was most asked that dreaded question, ‘When’s it due?’ And I never got pregnant,” she added.

Hannah went on to discuss their IVF journey to conceive their twins, revealing that Anton was a huge source of support.

“Once you go down that route, then it is something you’re very much doing together,” she declared, whilst Anton remarked upon how he was “overwhelmed” with “admiration” for everything his wife went through and how she handled it. 

Anton and Hannah are now proud parents after Hannah gave birth to George and Henrietta the same year that the couple tied the knot. 

How old are Anton Du Beke’s twins?

Anton Du Beke’s twins George and Henrietta are now five years old and celebrate their sixth birthday later this month. The twins were born on 30th March 2017 and their birth was adorably announced by their proud dad with an Instagram post of a Top Hat and cane. The props framed two pairs of little dancing shoes, one with blue bows for George and one with pink bows for Henrietta. 

More recently Anton has shared a snap of his growing children ahead of a family ski trip, and captioned it, "Start ‘em young! My little ones ready to hit the slopes in their gorgeous Smalls Merino wool base layers. Thank you so much Love My Smalls - a wonderful surprise! Anton XX"

And fans commented on how "adorable" they are. With another saying how George is the "spitting image" of Anton.

Where does Anton du Beke come from?

Anton was born and also grew up in Sevenoaks in Kent with his Spanish mother, Hungarian father, and his brother and sister. Discovering his passion for dance early on in life, Anton began dancing at just 14 and studied contemporary, jazz, ballet and modern theatre dance.

By the age of 17, Anton has chosen to specialise in ballroom dancing and favoured the Foxtrot. It was in 1997 that he met his current dance partner and former Strictly professional Erin Boag and from there their careers went from strength to strength. 

How long has Anton Du Beke been on Strictly Come Dancing?

Anton Du Beke has been on Strictly Come Dancing for an impressive 18 years. He made his debut on the hit BBC dance show back in 2004, when the judging panel consisted of former Head Judge Len Goodman, Arlene Phillips, Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli. In the past, Anton has been open about his desire to make the transition from Strictly dancer to Strictly Judge. And he did that in 2020.

As reported by The Mirror, the BBC announced the news in a statement, declaring: "Strictly’s longest serving Professional Dancer Anton Du Beke will be taking up residency on the opposite side of the judges desk this year as he joins the judging panel for the entire series, following a two-week stint as judge during the 2020 series.”

The statement continued, "Due to the ongoing uncertainty regarding international travel restrictions caused by Covid-19, Bruno Tonioli, who has been a fixture on Strictly since 2004 and is also a judge on Dancing With The Stars in the USA, will be unable to take part in the series this year."

According to HuffPost UK, the star revealed how much he’d love to move from dancer to judge as he opened up on Graham Norton’s Radio 2 show back in 2019. 

“Do you know what? I’m certainly qualified. I suspect there’ll be conversations going on, but it’s one of those things,” he explained. “I’m definitely qualified to do it, I’d love to do it, but we’ll have to wait to be asked in the normal way.”

He later humorously added: “I wish I could make the decision for them, but if I could do that I’d have made the final 12 times.”

Last year, due to the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions in place, Anton and Erin had to postpone their latest tour. The news came just days before the Strictly Come Dancing 2020 launch show. Anton took to Twitter to share that he and Erin's 2021 tour, Showtime, had 'very sadly' been postponed to 2022.

He offered 'huge apologies', remarking on how much they were looking forward to the tour.

Anton and Erin are touring in 2023.

Has Anton ever had a 10 on Strictly Come Dancing?

Anton Du Beke has received 10s during his time as a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing - but they were a longtime coming for the talented star. After competing in 18 seasons, Anton had yet to achieve the highest score from any of the eagle-eyed Strictly judges. This all changed, however, when he was partnered with EastEnders actor, Emma Barton, in 2019. 

To their surprise and immense delight, the pair secured Anton’s first 10 in the competition’s history with their American Smooth during the highly-anticipated Blackpool Week. Overall the dance partnership received a score of 37 out of 40, with Head Judge Shirley Ballas and Bruno Tonioli awarding them the maximum score. 

Showcasing his sense of humour later on, Anton dropped to the floor, his head in his hands, before hugging Emma after presenter Claudia Winkleman asked if the 10s were his first. 

“First ever tens,” he confirmed. “Seventeen series. you don’t understand.”

“This is how Kevin Clifton feels,” he joked, referencing fellow pro dancer Kevin’s impressive history of receiving 10s in the competition. 

He is also a record maker as he has been both the longest-serving professional dancer overall and longest-serving male professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing. The ballroom star has appeared in every single series since the show began in 2004.

Anton and Giovanni: Adventures in Sicily is a three-part series that airs on BBC One at 9pm starting on Tuesday March 21st 2023.

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Video of the week

Strictly Come Dancing's Tyler West and Molly Rainford have confirmed they're in a relationship by recreating an iconic Friends scene on TikTok.

The TV Presenter and singer are two of the celebrities who competed against each other in the 2022 reality dance show and three months after the series finale, Tyler and Molly have confirmed that they're dating.

Their coupling up comes after rumours of a romance and just a day after Strictly professional dancers Giovanni Pernice and Jowita 'split' just weeks after confirming their romance.

In the sweet TikTok clip, Tyler and Molly can be seen lip syncing along to a scene from US sitcom Friends in which Joey and Rachel found out that they both knew about Monica and Chandler's secret romance.

Tyler uploaded their rendition of the clip to his TikTok and captioned it, "Do you know?" followed by a crying with laughter emoji and red love heart and he tagged Molly in the clip.

And his feed has been inundated with messages of congratulations from Strictly pros and fans.

Dancer Neil Jones wrote, "This makes me soooo happy"

One fan put, "Ahhh the strictly curse has done it’s thingggg I see"

Another fan said, "Knew this was gonna happen!"

And a third fan added, "OH MY GOSH IM SO HAPPY RIGHT NOW"

While another fan noted, "Anyone else saw this coming from Dianne's YouTube video"

After Tyler had been announced for Strictly he revealed that he was already having people "slide" into his DM's. "Could Strictly find me my future wife? Who knows!" he hinted.

The KISS FM star was partnered with Dianne Buswell but they were voted off in Week nine of the show. Meanwhile the former BGT star was paired with Carlos Gu and they finished series runners-up.

Molly is said to be making a return to screens in EastEnders later this year as the daughter of a new family moving to Albert Square.

And Tyler told his fans he is gearing up to jet off to America in a couple of days.

But last night the pair attended a Matt Goss gig at London's Royal Albert Hall alongside former Strictly stars Tony Adams, Richie Anderson and Ellie Simmonds.

Strictly Come Dancing professionals Giovanni Pernice and Jowita Przystal are said to have ended their romance, blaming 'hectic work schedules' for the split.

Strictly stalwart Giovanni, 32, and newcomer Jowita, 28, reportedly grew close behind-the-scenes of Strictly Come Dancing 2022. Crew members caught the two kissing backstage in the lead-up to the Strictly final - which saw Jowita and dance partner Hamza Yassin walk away with the Glitterball trophy.

The pair were said to be 'secretly dating' during the latest series and spent more time together after Strictly filming had wrapped. The two reportedly attended a birthday party for Chelsea footballer Jorginho before Christmas. 

In early January, Giovanni and Jowita were photographed leaving the Italian dancer's flat in Notting Hill just moments apart - having spent the previous night together. The Strictly pros were also snapped out and about holding hands after grabbing dinner in February, seemingly confirming their union.

A source told the Sun of the shock split: "Giovanni and Jowita enjoyed a number of dates after the last series of Strictly and they got on really well. But as time has passed they have found it increasingly difficult to build on their relationship because of their hectic work schedules."

Strictly 2022 champion Jowita was busy appearing with Hamza on the annual Strictly Come Dancing tour up until mid February this year. Meanwhile Giovanni has been similarly on the road with his one-man dancing tour Made in Italy.

"Giovanni is on tour for the next five months and trying to make time for each other has proved absolutely impossible," the insider added. "Although their relationship has ended Giovanni and Jowita said they will stay good friends."

Giovanni is also set to become busier this month as he begins promotion for new ITV travel show Anton and Giovanni: Adventures in Sicily alongside fellow Strictly star Anton Du Beke.

But that hasn't stopped fans asking is Giovanni Pernice in a relationship?

Jowita in the meantime has enjoyed some downtime post-tour with a holiday in the Maldives. The 28-year-old has shared a number of bikini snaps from her travels on her Instagram account.

Giovanni has previously dated a number of reality stars including former Love Island star Maura Higgins, ex-TOWIE star Jess Wright and Pussycat Doll singer Ashley Roberts. He also dated Coronation Street actress Georgia May Foote after being coupled up together on Strictly Come Dancing in 2015.

Jowita split from her long-term boyfriend, fellow dancer Michael Danilczuk, before appearing on Strictly last year.

Video of the Week

Strictly Come Dancing former professional dancers Janette Manrara has fallen naturally pregnant with her and Aljaz Skorjanec's first child before the couple were planning an IVF route.

The happy couple has revealed that after trying for a baby for some time, they had contemplated IVF but before they even went down that route, Janette reveals she found out she was pregnant after feeling different one day. 

The former professional dancer, who previously admitted Strictly saved their marriage, took a pregnancy test in December 2022 and it confirmed that she was pregnant with their "little miracle".

Speaking to Hello! the Strictly It Takes Two presenter, said, "I know that IVF can be really strenuous on a woman's body and there is no guarantee it will work. To know that this little miracle just came from a wonderful night we had together is amazing. I think the baby decided to make Mum and Dad panic a bit before saying: 'Ok, fine, I'm coming now.'" 

Their baby is due to arrive in late summer and Aljaz has spoken of his joy at becoming a first time dad.

He said, "I was beside myself. I feel like I've been thinking and dreaming about this moment for so long. We were preparing for IVF mentally and physically and then it was just a relief to finally have that positive test. I have so much respect for any parent that goes through IVF, not just for what it puts them through physically, but mentally too."

Speaking about the moment they found out, Janette said she called her doctor first. "I said, 'Oh my gosh, I think I'm pregnant, what do I do?' And she said, 'First of all, calm down and second of all, congratulations. What has Aljaž said?'

"And I said, 'I haven’t told him; he's in the living room!'" Finally, she handed her husband her positive pregnancy test. "We cried and hugged; it was quite a moment," she said.

The couple are in the process of moving from their London flat to a house in Cheshire, with Gorka Marquez and Gemma Atkinson and their first child and second on the way, nearby - making the perfect playdates.

Stacey Dooley has given birth to a baby girl with Kevin Clifton and confirmed her sweet name.

The investigative journalist and former Strictly Come Dancing pro took to social media to share the news that their little girl has made her arrival and revealed the adorably unique name they have chosen. 

Alongside a photograph of an envelope addressed to "Minnie's parents", new mum Stacey simply penned, "Our Daughter is here. My little masterpiece! I'm COMPLETELY OBSESSED."

Expressing her love for her new family-of-three, Stacey added, "Love you Minnie, Love you Kev."

She later shared the first glimpse of baby Minnie with this 'adorable' likeness and confirmed Minnie's surname.

Sharing a similar post, ballroom dancing expert Kevin, who was crowned Strictly Come Dancing champion with Stacey in 2018, wrote, "Our daughter is here❤️❤️❤️❤️
The most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. So proud of u @sjdooley."

Plenty of Stacey and Kevin's celebrity friends took to the comment section to congratulate the happy couple. 

YouTube star Zoe Sugg, who welcomed her first daughter Ottilie with Alfie Deyes in August 2021, penned, "Congratulations my love!"

"Congratulations my friend!! It’s the beginning of a very exciting capital of your life ! I wish you all best," added Strictly judge Motsi Mabuse, while TV host Dermot O'Leary chipped in to say, "Huge congrats."

Stacey and Kevin confirmed the news that they were expecting their first child back in August 2022. 

Posting a snap of a polaroid picture of Stacey showing off her blossoming bump, the broadcaster told fans and followers, "Gaaaaaaang.....We are having a baby! 

"So bloody delighted. Kev, you're magic, I love youuuu," she added. 

Admitting that she was struggling to hide the signs of her pregnancy, Stacey joked, "(Was becoming impossible to hide and if one more person asks me if I've had my tits done in LA I'm gonna scream 🤣)"

Stacey Dooley Sleeps Over season 4 airs on W channel at 10pm on Wednesday, 22nd February. 

Strictly Come Dancing professionals Giovanni Pernice and Jowita Pryzstal have reportedly been secretly dating after meeting on the show.

• Giovanni Pernice and Jowita Pryzstal are said to be dating after growing close on Strictly Come Dancing.
• Jowita walked away with this year's glitterball trophy with celebrity partner Hamza Yassin.
• This comes after finalist Fleur East spilled some Strictly backstage secrets and said it was amazing for her marriage.

We could have a new celebrity couple on our hands as Giovanni Pernice and Jowita are said to be in a relationship. 

After making it through to the final, ballroom dancer Jowita took to Instagram to praise her partner Hamza Yassin’s achievements.

Sharing a photo of the pair performing the Charleston during the semi final, Jowita wrote, "We did it! We are in the final of @bbcstrictly and I couldn't be more proud of you @hamzayassin90. Beyond thankful for all your votes and support.

"Now it's time to go there and celebrate our journey x I had the best time, let's make the most of it".

Giovanni was quick to comment, adding three white love hearts alongside the words "well done".

Giovanni also shared a throwback snap of him and EastEnders star Rose Ayling-Elis winning last year’s show, on which Jowita commented a single red heart.

Are Giovanni Pernice and Jowita Przystal dating?

The two Strictly stars are said to have made things public at Chelsea football club Jorginho's birthday dinner at an Italian restaurant in Surrey.

An insider told The Sun newspaper, “She and Gio are the worst kept secret, but make a great couple.”

They added, “While they both kept insisting they were single, the pair’s chemistry was ridiculous — and they kept getting busted snogging in corridors.

“Crew even saw them kissing in the production office.

“They make a great couple though, and have been pretty inseparable in the last few weeks.

“Jowita, especially, wanted to keep things quiet so she could keep focused with Hamza, and not distract from the competition.

“Giovanni invited Jowita as his date to [Chelsea footballer] Jorghino’s birthday bash at Grappelli, an Italian restaurant in Cobham, Surrey, near the Chelsea training ground.

“They were flirting and made their relationship very known.

“It was the talk of the evening.”

With fans asking is Giovanni Pernice in a relationship?

This comes after Rose won Strictly alongside her on-screen partner Hamza.

Hamza told Strictly fans, "Words can't describe how I feel. I want to thank one person in particular, Jowita, you are an angel disguised as a human being. You're amazing.

"Thank you to everyone out there for voting for us, this is the best thing that's ever happened to me.”

Strictly Come Dancing fans who watched Hamza Yassin win the 2022 final have been buying tickets to see their favourite stars perform on the road but some fans are asking why is Gorka Marquez not on the Strictly tour?

The full celebrity line-up has been revealed for the Strictly Live 2023 tour, which will see seven couples from the show perform at venues across the UK.

But while Helen Skelton has been announced as one of the celebrities taking part, her professional partner from the show Gorka Marquez, is not going to be dancing with her as we look at his replacement...

Why is Gorka Márquez not on the Strictly Come Dancing tour this year?

Gorka Marquez is not on the Strictly tour because he has been replaced by Kai Widdrington who will dance with his partner Helen Skelton instead. Gorka, who reached the final of the 2022 contest with Helen, showed his support for fellow professional dancer Kai taking his place as after the line up was revealed Gorka posted a string of applause, throwing his support behind Kai and Helen. Gorka is yet to reveal why he's not taking part in the tour but it could be due to wanting to spend more time with his girlfriend Gemma Atkinson and their daughter Mia, aged three.

Kai took part in Strictly 2022 having been paired with Loose Women panelist Kaye Adams but they were voted out during week one.

After finding out the news that Gorka will not be on the Strictly tour fans have been quick to share their reactions. One wrote, "Gutted your (sic) not on the tour," and another fan added "Gutted that you will not be dancing with Helen."

While a third fan shared, "Can't believe there's no gorka 😢"

Fans have speculated on how "gutted" Gorka looked to have not won the glitterball trophy. One fan wrote, "Gorka been in 3 finals on Strictly Come Dancing has sadly not won he genuinely looked gutted last night when he didn't win again..."

And another fan pointed out, "As a professional Gorka really should be better at coving his upset at not winning when he knows he's on TV it's fine been upset but at least hide it better he has been on strictly long enough now to know that it's bad sportsmanship to look like this in front of the camera's."

Meanwhile another fan claimed, "gorka looks so sad and I have a horrible feeling this was his last final because he’s not going to be on strictly much longer #strictlyfinal"

And another replied, "I don’t want him to go but I get the vibe that he’ll only do another series or two if that. he’s one of my favourite pros and i’d have loved to see him win tonight."

Has Gorka quit Strictly?

Gorka has not quit Strictly, his latest Instagram post hints at his future on the show in which he thanked fans for their support and looked excitedly to "Strictly 23". The lengthy post concluded, "And to all of you guys! The biggest THANK YOU, because without you we wouldn’t be here and your lovely messages of support means the world. Strictly 23 lets go!!! In the mean time. Keep dancing!!"

Speaking about his time on the show, Gorka said, "Oh… Where to start, It’s has been a incredible journey. I feel so grateful I got not only to dance with you @helenskelton but also to be by your side in your own personal journey and see your transformation from day one.
Thank you for all the memories, laughs, coffees, toast, parent chats, car journeys.

"Like I said yesterday In the show you’re a special person who light up a room when walks in and I am so proud you got to smile and shine again.

"I’ve loved every single moment dancing with you and I am so proud of us until the last dance! You’re a Star.

Big congratulations!! to the @bbcstrictly champions @jowitaprzystal @hamzayassin90 you guys have been amazing the whole series and deserve it.

Congrats to the other couples in the Final @vitocoppola @fleureast @gkx_carlos @mollyrainford it has been a pleasure to share the floor with you guys.

Thank you to everyone that works in the show. from production, dance team, cameras, wardrobe, hair& make-up You guys are legends and I am so grateful to be part of the Best show in tele. @sarahjamesface @jack.will.g thank you for your trust in me."

Related BBC Features:

• Strcitly Christmas Special 2022 line up
• Who is Karen Hauer married to?
• Strictly Professionals 2023 tour
• The Traitors
• Who is Tony Adams' wife?

Video of the week

Strictly Come Dancing 2022 fans will be delighted that the show will be hitting the road in 2023 as part of the Live Tour but fans are wondering who will be there and how to get tickets.

Each Saturday fans have tuned in to see their favourite celebrities compete in the show and who is voted out of Strictly by watching the Sunday night results show. But as the series draws to a close, with the final couples leaving the contest, fans can catch them in action once more on the Strictly tour or Strictly the Professionals Tour 2023 and some pros will be competing in the Strictly Christmas special 2022 line up.

And tickets have now gone on sale - giving you even more time to snap up a pair of tickets for the shows which run from January 20th - February 12th 2023 as a Christmas gift for the Strictly fan in your life. 

Who will be on Strictly 2023 tour?

Strictly Come Dancing 2022 winner Hamza Yassin, actress Molly Rainford, Will Mellor, Ellie Simmonds, Fleur East, Helen Skelton and Tyler West are the celebrities confirmed to be going on the Strictly 2023 tour. They will be joined by Strictly professionals, Amy Dowden, Neil Jones, Robbie Kmetoni, Jake Leigh, Luba Mushtuk, Michelle Tsiakkas, and Kai Widdrington who has replaced Gorka Marquez.

Joining them, for the first time ever, all four TV judges Anton Du Beke, Shirley Ballas and Craig Revel Horwood will all star together in the Strictly 2023 tour which Janette Manrara will return to host.

Speaking about the upcoming tour, Hamza Yassin said, “Strictly has changed my life in ways I never imagined, so to be doing the tour on top of it all is a dream come true! I’ve heard the tour audiences are unparalleled, so I’ll be relishing the atmosphere every night, and I’m so excited to share that experience with my fellow dancers – not to mention the judges.”

Molly Rainford added, “I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining the Strictly Live Tour, performing for the huge arena crowds across the UK is going to be an incredible experience. I’m really looking forward to continuing my amazing Strictly journey and getting out on the road to meet all the fans."

Will Mellor said, "Strictly has been one of the most memorable and emotional journeys I’ve ever been on! Stepping out of my comfort zone and being a part of this massive show is something I’ll never forget. I can’t wait to put on my dancing shoes and go around the country to perform on huge stages in front of thousands of people who have watched and supported us. Bring on the tour!!”

Ellie Simmonds, explained, “Strictly was a such an incredible life-changing and emotional experience for me - it gave me a huge confidence boost and the feeling that anything is possible!  So to be able to continue my journey on the tour next year is going to be amazing. I can't wait."

Fleur East said, “As a huge Strictly fan, being part of the TV competition has been an unbelievable experience and I’m absolutely over the moon to have the chance to get back into those fabulous sequinned outfits for the live tour next year!”

Helen Skelton added, “Strictly has been the adventure of a lifetime and I'm so happy that it will continue next year on the live tour. I’m really looking forward to seeing the fans across the country and performing my favourite dances from the series. I can't wait!"

Tyler West, whose time on the TV series came to an end when he was voted off Strictly in week eight following a nail-biting dance-off, said, “I never realised how much dance would change my life but I can’t express how much I’ve loved it and fully embraced this opportunity to learn to dance with the best dance partner anyone could ask for in Dianne! I am so happy my Strictly journey isn't over quite yet and I can’t wait to relive some of our favourite dances and live like a pop-star on tour performing for audiences each night! I am buzzing to get on the road with the gang.”

The 2023 tour will be directed once again Strictly Judge Craig Revel Horwood and will feature many of the celebrities and professional dancers from the current series of the multi-award-winning BBC One show, together with the Strictly Live Band, a great way to celebrate the 20th series of this entertainment phenomenon. Further casting announcements around celebrities and Strictly pros will be made soon.

Speaking about the upcoming tour, tour newcomer Anton Du Beke said, "I'm so excited to join my fellow TV judges on the Strictly 2023 tour and have the chance to enjoy all the fun of the live experience with audiences around the UK."

Strictly’s Head Judge Shirley Ballas said, “I’m delighted to be returning to the judging panel, and it will be lovely to have Anton with us. It’s always so much fun! The audiences at the arena shows are phenomenal and it’s so nice to get to see everyone and perform for you all – I can’t wait for January when we get the show on the road!”

Meanwhile Craig Revel Horwood is "thrilled" to be back directing and judging the live tour. He added, “This tour is going to be bigger and better than ever before – my imagination is running wild! With Anton joining the judging panel, one word, three syllables: FAB-U-LOUS!”

Janette Manrara concluded, “I’m so excited to be returning to host the 2023 Strictly Live Tour! It is the most incredible experience to be part of this epic production, bringing all we love about the TV series to hundreds of thousands of people around the UK.”

Strictly Come Dancing 2023 tour tickets

Strictly Come Dancing 2023 tour tickets are on sale now and you can book them via StrictlyComeDancingLive.com. Tickets cost £35 - £95 (bands differ between venues) and all ticket prices are subject to a booking fee and may be subject to a venue facility fee.

This year the tour is no different, showcasing all the amazing choreography and fantastic live music that Strictly is famous for, so that audiences around the UK can experience everything they love about the TV show live on stage.

As in 2022, each performance of the tour will host a British Sign Language interpreter, who will be displayed on two very large screens either side of the stage so that attendees can book tickets and sit almost anywhere in the arena to enjoy the experience with family and friends.

Strictly Come Dancing 2023 tour locations

 This Strictly Come Dancing 2023 tour will visit a variety of locations across the UK - Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle, Glasgow, Nottingham, Manchester, Sheffield, London, and Belfast, bringing 31 supersized sparkle-filled shows foxtrotting in January and February 2023.

Opening at the Utilita Arena Birmingham on 20 January, the scintillating live show will then waltz across the country to some of the UK’s biggest entertainment venues: Nottingham’s Motorpoint Arena, Leeds’ First Direct Arena, the AO Arena Manchester, Sheffield’s Utilita Arena, Newcastle’s Utilita Arena, London’s O2 Arena, SSE Arena Belfast, culminating at the OVO Hydro in Glasgow on 12 February.

Strictly Come Dancing 2023 tour dates

• 20–22 January - Birmingham Utilita Arena - (Friday 20th at 7.30pm, Saturday 21st at 2.30pm &; 7.30pm, Sunday 22nd at 1.30pm & 6.30pm)
• 24-25 January - Nottingham Motorpoint Arena - (Tuesday 24th at 7.30pm, Wednesday at 25th at 2.30pm & 7.30pm)
• 26-27 January - Leeds First Direct Arena - (Thursday 26th at 7.30pm, Friday 27th at 7.30pm)
• 28-29 January - Manchester AO Arena - (Saturday 28th at 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 29th at 1.30pm & 6.30pm)
• 31 January - Sheffield Utilita Arena - (Tuesday 31st at 2.30pm & 7.30pm)
• 01-02 February - Newcastle Utilita Arena - (Wednesday 1st at 7.30pm, Thursday 2nd at 7.30pm)
• 03-05 February - London The O2 Arena - (Friday 3rd at 7.30pm, Saturday 4th at 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 5th at 1.30pm & 6.30pm)
• 07-08 February - Belfast SSE Arena - (Tuesday 7th at 7.30pm, Wednesday 8th at 2pm & 7.30pm)
• 10-12 February - Glasgow OVO Hydro - (Friday 10th at 7.30pm, Saturday 11th at 2.30pm & 7.30pm, Sunday 12th at 1.30pm & 6.30pm).

How long does the Strictly tour show last?

The Strictly tour show lasts approximately 150 minutes. Arena audiences can not only watch the spectacular stars in action as they perform roof-raising routines, but they are also granted the power to decide who wins the coveted Glitterball Trophy at the end of each show. The tour judges will provide their invaluable wisdom, advice and scores at each performance, but the audience vote via text for their favourite couple, and it is ultimately their votes that will decide who wins!

Related BBC features

• Who are the Strictly It Takes Two presenters?
• Who is Jayde Adams on Strictly Come Dancing and does she have a husband? All you need to know
• Who is Hamza Yassin?
• RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4
• Who is Tony Adam's wife? - and does he have kids?

Video of the week

Fans of Strictly Come Dancing who missed the Sunday night results show are wondering who left Strictly this week.

After a successful Strictly start, the 21st anniversary season is in full swing and those who know who is doing Strictly Come Dancing 2023 will be wrapped up in watching another set of cracking choreography. But for one couple, their dancing journey has been cut short.

Viewers at home voted for who they wanted to stay in the competition after they had watched all the couples dance and face critique by the judges, who ultimately scored the dances with advisory marks before the public had its say.

And if you missed the Sunday night results show, here's what you need to know...

Who left Strictly this week?

Angela Rippon and her professional dance partner Kai Widdrington left Strictly last night. The show opened with the professional dancers turning the Ballroom purple with a memorable routine to a Harry Styles medley before the remaining couples took to the Blackpool Tower Ballroom floor for their performances to impress the judges Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke, and Head Judge, Shirley Ballas, and the audience at home.

Angela became the eighth contestant to be eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing as she faced Bobby Brazier in the dreaded dance-off. Both couples performed their routines again. Bobby and his dance partner Dianne Buswell performed their Jive to Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go by Wham! Angela and her dance partner Kai Widdrington performed their American Smooth to Tea For Two by Ella Fitzgerald in a bid to impress the Judges and remain in the competition.

After both couples had danced in the iconic Tower Ballroom for a second time, the Judges delivered their verdicts:

Craig Revel Horwood chose to save Bobby and Dianne. He said: “Well, there’s a standout performance for me that I can’t ignore and the couple that I would like to save are Bobby and Dianne.”

Motsi Mabuse chose to save Bobby and Dianne. Motsi said: “I felt that both couples danced so beautifully. Really one of the most beautiful dance-offs we have had. I am going to save Bobby and Dianne.”

Anton Du Beke chose to save Bobby and Dianne.

Anton said: “Well again, I thought it was a marvellous dance-off. Both couples danced very, very well. I thought Bobby and Dianne danced excellently again. I thought that Angela and Kai’s dance was beautiful and Angela even thanked one of the other dancers for lifting her and putting her down so gracefully which I thought was absolutely beautiful. For me, the couple I would like to save are Bobby and Dianne.”

With three votes for Bobby and Dianne, it meant they had won the majority vote and would be staying in the competition regardless, however, Head Judge Shirley Ballas also said she would have decided to save Bobby and Dianne.

Shirley said: “I would also have saved Bobby and Dianne.”

When asked by Tess Daly, about their time on the show, Angela said: “I have to tell you that the last nine weeks have probably been the most terrifying, the most fantastic, the most glorious, the most joyful that I have spent for a very long time in my profession. 

“I have had the time of my life, people keep making reference to the fact that I presented Come Dancing, but that was forty years ago, that was a different time! He [Kai] wasn’t even born then! But actually being this side of the competition, this side of the programme has been really an eye-opener for me in so many different ways. Everybody talks about the team and all the pros  - everyone who has danced – there is a real team spirit in this programme, unlike anything I’ve come across anywhere else in any of the many programmes I’ve done. It’s absolutely fabulous. They support us, they encourage us all the time – it’s absolutely wonderful. But the person who really has to get the most credit is this gentleman here [to Kai].”

Angela continued, “He’s [Kai] an old soul on young shoulders. He’s 28 and I’m 79, there’s a 51-year difference in our ages. He has looked after me so brilliantly, he’s a wonderful dancer, and a great choreographer, but he’s a terrific teacher… and he has the patience of a saint! All I can say is that you’ve [to Kai] got me here so don’t you dare cry! He and his partner, Nadiya, are in every sense of the word beautiful people and I am so pleased to have you in my life.”

Kai said: “Since week one when I met this amazing woman – as she said I wasn’t even born when she did Come Dancing, I had to ask my parents about the amazing Morecombe and Wise moment that was so famous, and about Come Dancing. Like Angela just said, there’s a 50-year age gap between us, but we’re like mates!"

“Dancing with you [to Angela] the whole way through this competition has just been such a celebration of yourself and her life and I wish she could see me now. I’m so proud of you [to Angela] and you should be proud of yourself, it’s been my absolute honour and pleasure to dance with you, especially in this beautiful ballroom.”

Who has left Strictly Come Dancing 2023 so far?

• Les Dennis and Nancy Xu (Week 2)
• Nikita Kanda and Gorka Marquez (Week 3)
• Amanda Abbington quit - here's why she left Strictly Come Dancing
• Jody Cundy and Jowita Przystal (Week 4)
• Zara McDermott and Graziano Di Prima (Week 5)
• Adam Thomas and Luba Mushtuk (Week 6)
• Krishnan Guru-Murthy and Lauren Oakley (Week 7)
• Angela Rippon and Kai Widdrington (Week 8)

Sunday's results show also featured a performance from Madness singing their new song C’est La Vie with a beautiful dance from Nadiya Bychkova, Graziano Di Prima, Jowita Przystał, Gorka Márquez, Michelle Tsiakkas, and Neil Jones. 

The remaining six couples will take to the dancefloor next when Strictly Come Dancing returns on Saturday 25th November at 19:30, with the results show on Sunday 26th November at 19:20 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Angela and Kai will be joining Fleur East and Janette Manrara for their first exclusive televised interview live on Strictly: It Takes Two on Monday, 20th November at 6.30 pm on BBC Two.

In other Strictly news you might be wondering who is favourite to win Strictly 2023? or if you love reality shows you might want to know who is on Dancing on Ice 2024? as we have the confirmed line-up so far and who left Bake Off 2023?

Strictly Come Dancing 2022 may now be over, with wildlife cameraman and CBBC's Ranger Hamza Yassin lifting the glitterball in victory last night, but fans are still keen to know more about the show's judges; specifically Motsi Mabuse.

Motsi Mabuse joined Strictly Come Dancing as a judge back in 2019, replacing ballet dancer Darcey Bussell to sit alongside Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke. Mabuse may not have been a household name in the UK when she first debuted on the show, but the dance champion was more than qualified to take her seat on the panel.

After finding great success as a professional dancer, Motsi appeared on Let’s Dance, the German version of BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing, finding fame as one of the show's professional dancers and later appearing on the show as a judge. She also judged a number of other dance shows before joining the Strictly Come Dancing panel.

Alongside her work in television, Motsi runs a dance school near Frankfurt. While the dancer was born in South Africa, she moved to Germany in 2000 to further her career as a ballroom dancer and opened the doors to her dance school in 2017 after 4 years of planning. 

The school offers classes in dances including hip hop, ballet, afro beats and jazz and has received rave reviews. One person wrote on their website, "Great people, incredibly atmospheric events with captivating music and effective lessons that never lack humour. Motsi and Evgenij are an incredible (dance) couple full of energy that moves everyone."

Is Motsi Mabuse married?

Motsi Mabuse is married to Ukrainian dancer, Evgenij Voznyuk. The couple met through dance and were dancing partners before they married in a small legal ceremony. A more elaborate celebration took place in 2017.

Speaking about her family's Christmas plans for this year, Motsi told the Guardian, "We’re all so excited, we might burst into flames. We’re reuniting the whole family in South Africa for the first time in eight years. I fly out after the Strictly final. We’re all on a countdown and ready to party.

"Because it’s a family reunion, we decided to have no stress and go to a restaurant. We’ll dress up and be all fancy for our parents. And nobody has to wash up afterwards. Then on the 27th, we’re having the big, big family party. It’s going to be noisy. I would not suggest anyone comes uninvited or unprepared."

Evgenij is Motsi's second husband. The Strictly judge was first married in 2003 to her then dance partner, Timo Kulczak. The pair met at the British Open Championships in Blackpool and married in 2003. They were together for 11 years before they split in 2014.

Does Motsi Mabuse have children?

Motsi shares a four-year-old daughter with her husband Evgenij, but her name has never publicly been shared. Speaking about her family with Yours.co.uk, Motsi said, “The most important thing in my life is my family. I couldn’t do the Strictly role without my husband and our focus is always to raise our daughter as a healthy, happy, young black girl. Life is about being with the people you love.”

As Motsi lives in Germany with her husband and daughter, when she is filming for Strictly, Motsi flies to the UK every Friday evening and returns after the results show. 

Motsi explained her decision, saying, “It is important to show you are working. It is good for me to tell my daughter to be independent and to be able to stand on her own two feet.”

How old is Motsi Mabuse?

Motsi Mabuse is 41 years old. The dancer was born on 11th April 1981 in South Africa and, before she made a name for herself in the dance world, she was expected to join her family's law firm as a lawyer. But law was not on the cards for Motsi and she became obsessed with dancing while studying at the University of Pretoria, one of Africa's top universities.

Speaking to The Guardian about her parents' reaction to her career switch, Motsi said, "They were heartbroken. There was all types of drama. But it’s my life. My parents were strict and made us disciplined but that worked for me and my sister in dance too. It meant we really went for it"

Motsi has spoken candidly about her childhood growing up in South Africa and recently spoke to the Big Issue about one experience that left her traumatised. The dancer said, “At 16, I was living in Pretoria, and we had just moved from a black area to a very white area.

“South Africa was open, so black people were allowed to move into certain parts and my parents were always against boundaries, so they pushed those limits. They wanted a better life for their kids. That was the aim, but it also meant we moved into a very hostile area.”

"Our parents wanted us to be safe, which meant if we wanted to visit friends they would need to drive us. Because if we got the bus, big white boys would attack us.”

What is Motsi Mabuse's net worth?

It is reported that Motsi Mabuse has a net worth of around £8.5 million, according to Entertainment Daily. The publication points out that it is hard to calculate her net worth as much of her work up until Strictly Come Dancing took place overseas.

According to Entertainment Daily, Motsi joined the Strictly judging panel in 2019 on a starting salary of £200k. They then add the money her German dance school brings in, plus the income from her Weight Watchers team up and the previous income racked up from her various judging appearances, and they claim that Motsi’s annual income sits around £325k. 

Who is Motsi Mabuse's sister?

Rhythm must run in the family as Motsi Mabuse sister's, Oti Mabuse, is also a professional dancer. In fact, she was already performing as a dance professional on Strictly Come Dancing when Motsi joined the show as a judge. 

Oti Mabuse has now moved on from Strictly Come Dancing and debuted as a judge on 2022's Dancing on Ice. She is married to the Romanian-born professional dancer, Marius Lepure, and the pair are both currently involved in teaching at the Oti Mabuse Dance Studio.

Strictly Come Dancing fans will be delighted to hear that the Strictly Christmas Special 2022 will see six new celebrities take to the ballroom floor in a bid to be crowned Christmas Champion 2022.

Following news that the normal Strictly Come Dancing will be aired on Friday this week, fans can be guaranteed for a double dose of dancing this year with the return of the annual special - as part of the BBC's fabulous Christmas TV schedule.

Each of the six couples will perform a Christmas inspired routine with the hope of impressing the judges, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke, Head Judge Shirley Ballas, and the voting audience. 

But who will lift the coveted Strictly Come Dancing Christmas trophy? We look at who is confirmed for this year's line-up...

Strictly Christmas Special 2022 line-up:

George Webster

George Webster is the sixth and final celebrity confirmed for the Christmas special and he will be paired with Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer, Amy Dowden.

Hailing from Leeds, 22 year old George who recently won a BAFTA made history when he became the first presenter on CBeebies with Down Syndrome. He is also an actor on stage and screen, appearing in productions in France and the UK, as well as in a cameo role in The Railway Children Return, a sequel to the classic story. 

George said, “I love Strictly and have watched it every year. I’ve always dreamed of being on the show one year and I’m so excited to be on this year’s Christmas Special!  To be partnered with Amy is such an honour, we get on so well, she’s so lovely and an amazing dancer. I’m looking forward to being “Strictlyfied”. Bring on the glitter and everything else. I can’t wait to perform on the Strictly dance floor.”

George will soon be seen in Something Special, Casualty and World on Fire. George was included in the top 20 in the Radio Times 100 list for creating change in entertainment; and is in the Shaw Trust disability 100 power list.  He is a public speaker, park runner and ambassador for the disability charity Mencap and also Yorkshire Dance.

The news was revealed on Friday 2nd December on Strictly: It Takes Two on BBC Two.

Nicola Roberts

Nicola Roberts is the fifth celebrity confirmed for the Strictly Christmas special and the Girls Aloud star will be paired with Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer, Giovanni Pernice.

Nicola said, “It’s truly an honour to be part of Strictly, but to be invited on to the prestigious Christmas day episode is something very special indeed. They’ve promised me extra glitter, sparkle and frosting all wrapped up together with a big bow on top. What more could a girl wish for at Christmas!”

Best known for being one fifth of Girls Aloud, who were formed 20 years ago this Christmas, the band achieved a record breaking 20 consecutive Top 10 singles and won a Brit Award for their number one single The Promise. 

In 2011 Nicola co-wrote and released her debut solo album Cinderella’s Eyes. She is also an actress and prior to covid striking made her Westend debut in City of Angels. Nicola presented a critically acclaimed BBC Three documentary Nicola Roberts: The Truth About Tanning and successfully advocated for a ban on underage usage of tanning beds. In 2020 she was crowned the winner of the first series of ITV’s The Masked Singer UK.

The news was revealed on Friday 2nd December on BBC Radio 2, Zoe Ball’s Breakfast Show.

Larry Lamb

Stage and screen actor Larry Lamb is the fourth celebrity confirmed for the Strictly Christmas special and he will be paired with Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Nadiya Bychkova.

Larry said, “Christmas has come early! I can’t wait to get on the dance floor and learn a brand new skill ready for all those festive parties. I am excited yet incredibly nervous but I know Nadiya will look after me, and I look forward to adding a bit of extra sparkle to Christmas day.”

Larry has starred in numerous TV series, playing iconic roles such as Mick Shipman in the BBC's multi-award winning comedy series Gavin & Stacey and Archie Mitchell in BBC One’s flagship soap EastEnders. 

A keen traveller, Larry presents Channel 5 docu-series Britain by Bike, which sees him and his son George cycling across Britain, and he also regularly works with BBC One's The One Show, presenting their history and heritage films.

The news was revealed on Thursday 1st December on The One Show.

Alexandra Mardell

Coronation Street star, Alexandra Mardell is the third celebrity confirmed for the Strictly Christmas special. Alexandra will be paired with Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Kai Widdrington.

Speaking about joining the contest, Alexandra confessed, “I’ve grown up with Strictly Come Dancing, and my Mum always said she’d love to see me on the show so this really is the best Christmas present I could give her. I can’t wait to get into the training room and see what festive moves I can bring to the table!”

Best known for playing the role of Emma Brooker in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street, in 2019, she won the British Soap Award for Best Newcomer and was nominated for both Best Newcomer and Serial Drama Performance at the National Television Awards. 

Alexandra will soon be seen as a lead role in new series The Family Pile for ITV. Other credits include the crime drama series, Vera, where she played the role of Kelly Horton.

The news was revealed on Thursday 1st December on BBC Radio 5 Live!

Rickie Haywood-Williams

Radio 1 DJ and presenter Rickie Haywood-Williams is the second celebrity confirmed for the Christmas special and he will be paired with Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Luba Mushtuk.

Speaking ahead of his dancing debut, Rickie said, “I have watched Strictly over the years and always said I’d be too scared  to do it. But here I am ready to go for it, sequins n’ all.”

Rickie previously presented the KISS FM breakfast show for 10 years before moving to the BBC, where he currently presents BBC Radio 1’s iconic Live Lounge show with Melvin Odoom and Charlie Hedges. He also hosts the BBC Sounds hit podcast the Footballers’ Football podcast.

The news was revealed on Wednesday 30th November on the Rickie, Melvin & Charlie show on BBC Radio 1.

Rosie Ramsay

Podcaster, TV host, author and author Rosie Ramsey is the first celebrity confirmed for the Christmas special, produced by BBC Studios and she will be paired up with Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer, Neil Jones.

Speaking about signing up, Rosie Ramsey said, “I am thrilled to be dancing in this year’s Strictly Christmas special! After watching my husband Chris compete a few years ago, I’ve been desperate to get on that dance floor myself! I also absolutely LOVE Christmas, and my partner Neil is lovely, so this is just perfect.  Best. Christmas. Ever!”

Rosie co-hosts the critically acclaimed podcast Sh**ged. Married. Annoyed with husband Chris Ramsey. She is a co-host of The Chris & Rosie Ramsey Show which will return for a second series next year on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. Known for her hilariously real, brutally honest depiction of her everyday life, she has amassed an army of followers on social media.

The news was revealed on Wednesday 30th November on BBC One’s Morning Live.

Remember if you're looking for the perfect Christmas gift for Strictly fans then why not purchase a ticket to the upcoming Strictly Come Dancing live Tour 2023 or alternatively the Strictly Professionals Tour 2023 before they sell out!

When is the Strictly Christmas special 2022?

The Strictly Christmas Special is pre-recorded on 7th December 2022 and will air on Christmas Day on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Speaking about the upcoming Christmas scheduling, Charlotte Moore, BBC chief content officer, said, “Nothing brings people across the UK together like Christmas on the BBC and this year we’ve got a world-class line-up like no other. Get ready to escape and be entertained with an incredible range of new festive shows across every genre. Live or on demand, there’s something for everyone."

Who won Strictly Christmas Special 2021?

Singer Anne-Marie and professional dancer Graziano Di Prima were crowned the winners of last years' Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special 2021. They danced the Cha Cha to Feliz Navidad by Gwen Stefani scoring 40 points. Reacting to their victory, Anne-Marie said: “I can’t believe it…. I’m so happy! I’m just so happy for Graziano!”

You can re-watch their dance below...

Related Strictly features:

• Where is Strictly Come Dancing filmed?
• Who is Will Mellor?
• When is the Strictly final?
• Who is Hamza Yassin on Strictly?
• Who left Strictly Come Dancing this week?

Video of the week

As the six remaining couples prepare to compete in the Quarter Finals to be in with the chance of reaching the final of Strictly Come Dancing 2022, some fans are wondering why is the show on Friday night this week?

Nerves must be getting high, with just a few more shows left until the finale, for one unlucky couple, this week's show will be their last as viewers prepare to vote another celebrity pairing off the show.

But if you're hoping to tune in for your weekly fix of ballroom dancing action then you might want to put the new date in your diaries along with the date of the Strictly Christmas special....

Why is Strictly Come Dancing on Friday this week?

Strictly is on Friday this week because BBC has made changes to its normal scheduling in order to air the next game of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 (Group C winners v Group D runners-up) which is taking place at the same time. Instead of Strictly airing on Saturday and its results show on Sunday, fans will have to tune in on Friday, December 2nd at 8pm on BBC One to watch the live show and the results show will air on Saturday, December 3 at the earlier time of 5.40pm instead of Sunday, December 4th. The football match will air from 6.20pm (7pm kick-off) on Saturday and on Sunday Group B winners play Group A runners-up with coverage airing from 6.20pm (7pm kick-off).

Host Tess Daly told viewers, "We will be back at 8pm next Friday. Yes, you heard right, Friday." The change is being made for the World Cup and will also see the quarter final results moved to Saturday, December 3 at the earlier time of 5:40pm."

And the show has reminded fans on its social media channels, "We're on your screens on Friday and Saturday this week, so set your reminders for Strictly now!"

The Strictly semi-final will take place on Sunday, December 11th but it is not yet known when the results show will air. 

And the final is scheduled for Saturday, December 17th.

A Strictly spokesperson previously confirmed to the Independent, “Strictly Come Dancing will continue to bring glitter, glamour and glorious dancing to homes across the nation throughout the 2022 FIFA World Cup.”

But some fans aren't happy with the move that means Strictly couples have one less day to rehearse their routines. 

One put, "I can't believe our strictly stars, who have been working so hard for the past 3 months, get a day less of rehearsal time just 'cos of the bloomin' football. What's up with BBC2???"

Another fan added, "Don't understand why they couldn't put the football on BBC2 and leave my Saturday night viewing alone. Not all of us like football 🙈'

And a third chipped in, "Not everyone likes football. I for one can’t stand it yet it’s rammed at you even if you try and avoid it. Just stick the sport it on BBC2, or put Strictly on BBC2 Saturday."

Related Strictly features:

• Who is Hamza Yassin on Strictly Come Dancing?
• Strictly the Professionals Tour 2023
• Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2023
• Where is Strictly Come Dancing filmed?
• Who is Will Mellor and who is his wife?

Video of the week

2022 Strictly Come Dancing contestant, Fleur East, appeared on The Graham Norton Show last night, discussing the infamous 'Strictly curse' and how participating in the show has impacted her marriage. The Strictly curse has haunted the popular BBC show Strictly Come Dancing for years and the drama caused by it has often overshadowed the sparkly outfits, brilliant dance routines and all-round fun offered by the show each week. 

The so-called curse follows the notion that the show's glitz and glamour is so intoxicating that the celebrities who take part often end up falling in love with their professional dance coaches and subsequently split with their actual partners. 

While the Strictly curse has not yet struck, to our knowledge at least, the show has been hit with some loses. It was announced earlier this week that Kym Marsh has withdrawn from this weekend's show, 26th November, after testing positive for COVID-19 and Tony Adams was also forced to withdraw from Strictly completely due to an injury.

For singer and rapper East, who got a perfect score of 40 in last Saturday's show in Blackpool, the impact of her dancing on the show has thankfully been a 'blessing' rather than a curse for her romantic relationship.

Talking about the BBC One show’s impact on relationships in the newest episode of The Graham Norton Show, Fleur said, "The show’s been a blessing for my marriage, it’s been great. 

"We’ve been together for 12 years and how often in your marriage do you dress up and look different every week, and get to do all these sexy dances in front of your husband? After the Argentine Tango, it was like we got married again! It was wonderful.”

Ahead of the Argentine Tango performance Fleur revealed that her husband encouraged her to "turn up the heat." Speaking on her Hits Radio breakfast show, she said, “[The Argentine Tango is] very hot and steamy and obviously it’s really hard to get into the mode of that! It’s quite awkward when you’re in rehearsals. It’s like ‘this is weird’. But we both said we need to do one where we fully go for it, and we commit to that passion and that emotion.

“So we went for it – and it was quite intense – and my husband Marcel was there watching and at the end of the dance he went ‘hmmm… More!’. I was like ‘What? Are you sure?!’. He said, ‘you need to commit to this and you need to give it 100%’.”

Who is Fleur East's husband?

Fleur East is married to Marcel Badiane-Robin, a French celebrity fashion designer. The pair first met in a bar back in 2009 where Marcel was working as a waiter, but East was not single at the time. A year later they reconnected and started dating before tying the knot in Morocco in 2019.

Why is Fleur East famous?

Fleur East rose to fame after appearing on The X Factor in 2014. While she didn't win The X Factor, Fleur did get all the way through to the final and finished as the runner-up against Ben Haenow. 

The year after her X Factor appearance, Fleur brought out her debut studio album 'Love, Sax and Flashbacks' in 2015 and went on to bring out a second album, 'Fearless', in 2020.

In 2018, Fleur appeared as a campmate in the popular ITV show I'm A Celebrity (Get Me Out Of Here) alongside Emily Atack, Harry Redknapp and John Barrowman, finishing in fourth place.

Fleur now spends her mornings talking to the nation as a presenter on the Hits Radio Breakfast Show. 

Kym Marsh has withdrawn from this weekend's Strictly Come Dancing after testing positive for COVID-19, a spokesperson for the BBC One reality show has confirmed. 

The Coronation Street actor, who is partnered with pro dancer Graziano Di Prima, will not appear on Strictly Come Dancing 2022 this weekend due to the diagnosis. 

"All being well, they will return the following week," the spokesperson added. 

The disappointing news comes just a few days after Kym and Graziano performed the Pasa Doble to Rihanna's Only Girl and We Found Love during Blackpool Week. Despite receiving an impressive score of 33 from the Strictly Come Dancing 2022 judges, the couple found themselves close to the Bottom Two on the Leadership Board due to the stellar results of their competitors. (Here's who was voted off Strictly Come Dancing last week if you missed it!) 

Kym's highest mark of 37 came in Week 7, after she and Graziano wowed the panelists with their choreography for the Argentine Tango. It's a far cry from the duo's score of 23 in Week 1, which placed them eighth on the Leadership Board and shed serious doubt over the likelihood to join the Strictly Come Dancing 2023 live tour. 

On Monday, Graziano took to Instagram to celebrate their successful entry into Week 10. 

"We are on cloud 9, THANK YOU THANK you so much!! We are living a dream with open eyes!!" the 28-year-old wrote. "Much love to you all!! keep supporting us please and.. KEEEP DANCING." 

This isn't the first time Kym Marsh has tested positive for COVID-19. The former Hear'Say singer pulled out of hosting BBC Morning Live in July 2021, after she and her family contacted the virus.  The 45-year-old revealed that her son, David, was the first member of the Marsh clan to fall ill. 

"The whole household went down like dominoes," she told Strictly dancer Janette Manrara and co-host Gethin Jones via a video call. "It is quite amazing for us because obviously as soon as we found out David had Covid we took all the advice.

"He went and isolated in his room. We didn't have contact with him until obviously I was taking him food and drink because obviously he needs to eat and drink, and wearing masks and hand washing." The TV star went on to add, "It's amazing how transmissable it is." 

Related BBC Features:

Strictly Come Dancing fans considering buying tickets for the Strictly the Professionals Tour 2023 are wondering who is on the tour, where is it and how long does it last?

There is a spectacular line-up of some of the world’s best professional dancers hitting the road next year for the 2023 official Strictly Come Dancing: The Professionals UK Tour.

It comes in addition to the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2023, and fans will see a breathtaking show, featuring a 10-strong ensemble of dancers from the smash hit BBC One TV show Strictly Come Dancing, will open at Hull’s Bonus Arena on 2 May and then waltz its way around the UK before culminating at Liverpool’s M&S Arena on 30th May.

Tickets are on sale now from Strictly The Professionals and via Ticketmaster.

Who is on Strictly the Professionals tour 2023?

Audiences across the country will enjoy an evening of world-class dance, stunning choreography and glamorous costumes, live and up close from 10 talented Strictly Professionals: Australian Open Champion and 2018 finalist Dianne Buswell; new Strictly Pro dancer and 11-time Italian Latin American Champion Vito Coppola; Chinese National Dance Champion Carlos Gu (who is also new to Strictly this year), Professional World Mambo Champion and 2020 Strictly finalist Karen Hauer; undefeated four-time British National Champion Neil Jones; six-time Italian Latin and Ballroom Champion Nikita Kuzmin; 2017 & 2020 Strictly finalist Gorka Marquez; four-time Italian Dance Championship winner Luba Mushtuk; Polish Open Latin Champion Jowita Przystal; and World Latin Dance Championships Under 21 finalist Nancy Xu.

Where is the Strictly the Professionals tour 2023?

Strictly Come Dancing - The Professionals 2023 UK Tour takes place in the following locations on these dates;

• 02 May - Hull: Bonus Arena 7.30pm
• 03 May - Sheffield: Utilita Arena 7.30pm
• 04 May - Newcastle: Utilita Arena 7.30pm
• 05 May - Aberdeen: P&J Live Arena 7.30pm
• 06 May - Glasgow: Armadillo 7.30pm
• 07 May - Edinburgh: Playhouse 2.30pm & 7.30pm
• 09 May - Salford: The Lowry 7.30pm
• 10 May - Salford: The Lowry 2.30pm & 7.30pm
• 11 May - Blackpool: Opera House 7.30pm
• 12 May - York: The Barbican 7.30pm
• 13 May - Birmingham: Hippodrome 2.30pm & 7.30pm
• 14 May - Birmingham: Hippodrome 2.30pm
• 16 May - Oxford: New Theatre 7.30pm
• 17 May - Cardiff: Motorpoint Arena 7.30pm
• 18 May - Nottingham: Royal Centre 7.30pm
• 19 May - London: Palladium 7.30pm
• 20 May - London: Palladium 2.30pm & 7.30pm
• 21 May - London: Palladium 2.30pm
• 23 May - Bournemouth: BIC 7.30pm
• 24 May - Plymouth: Pavillions 7.30pm
• 25 May - Plymouth: Pavillions 2.30pm & 7.30pm
• 26 May - Portsmouth: Guildhall 7.30pm
• 27 May - Brighton: Brighton Centre 2.30pm & 7.30pm
• 28 May - Brighton: Brighton Centre 2.30pm
• 30 May - Liverpool: M&S Bank Arena 7.30pm

How long is the Strictly Professional show?

The Strictly Professional show is two-hours long, giving fans a great evening on entertainment and choreography. The 31-date tour, directed by Strictly’s Creative Director Jason Gilkison, will showcase the exceptional talent of TV’s hugely popular professional dancers, set within the wonderful world of the BBC show, with its stunning costumes and sparkling sets.

Jason said, “It is fantastic to unveil this stellar line-up of much-loved Strictly professional dancers for next year’s tour. We will be dazzling audiences across the country with the dance and choreography at the highest possible standard. To see these dancers coming together to perform on this scale is a joy for me as a director and Strictly fans are in for a real treat!”

Related Strictly Features:

• Who went out of Strictly last night?
• Who is Tony Adams' wife?
• Why did Tony Adams leave Strictly?
• Who is Hamza Yassin on Strictly Come Dancing?
• Who is Molly Rainford on Strictly?

Video of the week:

Why did Tony Adams leave Strictly? is a question many viewers want to know the answer to, after the ex-footballer made the decision to withdraw from the show.

Tony Adams has become the seventh contestant to leave this year's Strictly Come Dancing, after it was revealed he would be withdrawing from the competition on Sunday night's show. Fans wondering who left Strictly were surprised to find out that Tony didn't compete in a dance-off, instead choosing to withdraw before going head-to-head with Kiss FM DJ Tyler West and his partner, Dianne Buswell.

His shock exit means that the other Strictly contestants will go on without him to Blackpool, and viewers will no longer be able to enjoy the funny routines performed him and partner Katya Jones. The decision has left fans wanting to know more, and wondering why did Tony Adams leave Strictly?

Why did Tony Adams leave Strictly?

Tony Adams was forced to withdraw from Strictly due to an injury. When he and partner Katya found themselves in Sunday night's dance-off, host Tess Daly revealed Tony would no longer be participating in the competition.

She said: "Due to an injury sustained on Saturday night, Tony is unable to take part in the dance-off and has decided to withdraw from the competition. This means there will be no dance-off tonight and Tyler and Dianne are through to Blackpool."

At the end of the show, Tony reflected on his time on Strictly. "It’s been emotional guys, I cried for the first month. I came in here with one message: if you’ve got an issue with mental health then please don’t suffer in silence and reach out for help," he said.

"Little did I know that I was going to learn a lot about myself in the process. I thought this ‘journey’ rubbish was nonsense, but my god, the rollercoaster of emotion.

“I’ve got to be honest, it’s tough, physically it’s really tough out there, but dancing is really fantastic for you. Go out there and enjoy it and pick up new skills and explore. I suppose I had better mention this one [his dance partner Katya Jones] hadn’t I – she is an exceptional human being, she really is."

Katya responded by saying to Tony: "I loved us, I loved that we didn’t care what people thought, we did every single dance our way! You have come here with a message, you led by example and put yourself out there, and showed everyone you can do anything. And everyone deserves love and to be loved! I love you."

Head judge Shirley Ballas also paid tribute to the ex-footballer, telling him, "Tony, from the very first moment you stepped foot on the floor with your tango, to the last moment and the last kick, you have given us 100% of your heart."

She added: "On behalf of the judges, we’ve enjoyed watching every second, you are truly what this show is all about, and we can only wish you the very best as you move forward."

Though Tony has been popular with the public and studio audience during his time on Strictly, he often failed to impress the judges, with his recent performance branded a "disaster" by Craig Revel Horwood. 

According to the MailOnline, some viewers had called on the BBC to axe Tony from the show after he stayed in last Sunday while Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds - who scored 12 more points than him for her dance - was sent home. 

A source told the publication: "There has been some concern at the BBC that Tony would go all the way to the final due to the massive support he has from his Arsenal fan base, but now it has got past week seven there is real anger amongst the fans and they are sharing their views with the BBC by writing in.

"To them, they want to watch great dancers and while they accept there will be more jokey acts at the beginning, when it gets to this point of the competition, this is increasingly becoming an issue for the programme and its fans."

What injury did Tony Adams have?

Though it hasn't been confirmed, it is thought that Tony Adams pulled out of Strictly due to a hamstring injury.

Speaking on the Strictly spin off It Takes Two on the Wednesday before his exit, he told host Janette Manrara that he hadn't had much practice for his previous salsa performance because of the injury.

He said: "I actually got the hammystring that attached on the back there [pointing to his leg] and when I do kind of stretch it there I still feel a bit sore there now. It kind of went on Friday so it was like 'let's not do that', so we just did the dress rehearsal."

His partner Katya added that the injury was "worrying".

The salsa had failed to impress the judges and Tony ended up finishing last on the leader board after being awarded just 21 points from the judges.

Tony's most recent performance saw him perform a jive to Land Of 1,000 Dances by Wilson Pickett, in which he brandished a guitar and did a roly-poly with Katya.

Video of the Week

After Molly Rainford seriously impressed judges with her quickstep, fans are wondering who is Molly on Strictly Come Dancing?

The youngster got off to a shaky start when the series started has saved herself from elimination from last weeks' show with her impressive dance moves. Her odds have tightened with the quickstep seeing her jump from 18-1 to 8-1 to win, according to William Hill bookmakers.

She’s currently fifth favourite to win this year’s series - having previously placed in the bottom five. The judges were impressed by her last dance with Strictly pro dancer Carlos Gu, awarding her a score of 34 out of 40.

And with performances like her last, she could be fighting for the top spot that Will Mellor currently holds at 2-1 as we look at all you need to know about Molly...

Who is Molly on Strictly Come Dancing?

Molly Rainford is a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing 2022 and she is best-known for playing the title role in Nova Jones, which sees her perform as a trend-setting galactic popstar on the CBBC channel.

Molly, who was born in the London borough of Havering and was raised in Essex, is no stranger to reality shows, having starred in ITV's Britain's Got Talent in 2012 singing her own version of Jennifer Hudson's One Night Only from Dreamgirls film. 

She went through to the semi-final stages where she sang It Must Have Been Love by Roxette. Molly made it through to the final after finishing second in the public vote. In the final, she sang Beyoncé's version of Ave Maria and finished the competition in sixth place and became the show's youngest ever finalist aged 11.

Following the show, she was signed to Sony Music. Molly went on to star as one of the presenters on Friday Download between 2013 and 2014. 

On signing up to Strictly she said, "I'm so excited to be part of Strictly Come Dancing. I've watched it for years." And since her time on the show, Tony Kenny, head of sponsorship PR at William Hill, branded her as "one to watch". He explained, “Molly Rainford was always going to do well eventually comes to the Strictly, being from a performance background usually helps. It’s early days though, but I think she’s one to watch and will continue to do well and impress the judges - we will have to wait and see next week to be sure!” 

Since competing on Strictly Molly has confirmed she is dating Tyler West.

Who are Molly Rainford's parents?

Molly Rainford's parents are Dave and Sarah Rainford. Her father is a former footballer, having played midfield and between 2012-2013 he was assistant manager for Chelmsford City FC. In his footballing career he also played for Colchester and a variety of other teams including Slough Town, Heybridge Swifts, Bishop's Stortford and AFC Hornchurch.

Meanwhile it's not known what Molly's mum does for a living but she is supportive of her children. When Molly celebrated her 21st birthday, Sarah shared, "Happy 21st birthday to my beautiful girl you are the most adorable sweetest young lady. I couldn't be any prouder of you. Love you so much @mollyrainford."

Molly previously revealed her parents feelings over her dating life, she said, "I'm only 21, so I'm not looking for a relationship on Strictly. That's not in the picture right now. I want to focus on my career.

"My parents don't want me to be distracted or worrying about boys just yet. I'm single and don't plan on changing it." 

Molly has since been romantically linked to professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin, according to The Sun.

Where did Molly Rainford train?

Molly Rainford trained to perform when she was given a drama school scholarship at Sylvia Young Theatre School by Simon Cowell and Sony and she later attended East London Arts & Music.

Related Strictly Come Dancing Features:

• Who are the Strictly It Takes Two presenters?
• Who is Hamza Yassin?
• Who is Tony Adams' wife?
• Strictly Come Dancing Live tour 2023
• Who left Strictly Come Dancing last night?

Video of the week:

It's that time of year again - and no we're not talking about Christmas! Buckle up for the Strictly final that takes place in just a matter of days.

The BBC One reality series has kept fans glued to their screens ever since its 20th season premiered on September 23, after its original release date of September 17 was unexpectedly postponed because of the Queen’s death and funeral. 

Viewers have been tuning in Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays for the past few weeks to watch their favourite celebrities' performances and to enjoy the banter of the glitzy show’s iconic judges, as well as to find out which unlucky Strictly Come Dancing contestant has left the competition. There’s also been plenty of excitement over the new Strictly Dancing 2022 pros, with producers adding four fresh faces to its already stellar lineup of expert dancers.

When is the Strictly final 2022?

The Strictly Come Dancing final starts at 7:05pm on Saturday 17 December, airing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The final will run for 2 and a half hours ending at 9:35pm.

During the final, audiences can expect to see the four remaining couples perform two dances and their anticipated show dance too. Whilst judges will score the routines, it is solely up to public voting as to who will win Strictly Come Dancing 2022. Last year, Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice were crowned the winners of its 19th season.

Who are the favourites to win Strictly Come Dancing 2022?

• Hamza Yassin - 4/9
• Helen Skelton - 9/5
• Molly Rainford - 25/1
• Fleur East - 50/1

Hamza Yassin has been touted as the one to beat by betting company Paddy Power. The wildlife presenter has regularly topped the leaderboard with a number of his ballroom and latin routines.

Who has already left Strictly Come Dancing 2022?

• Will Mellor (Eliminated in Semi-finals/Week 12)
• Kym Marsh (Eliminated in Quarter-finals/Week 11)
• Ellie Taylor (Eliminated in Week 10)
• Tyler West (Eliminated in Week 9)
• Tony Adams (Withdrew in Week 8)
• Ellie Simmonds (Eliminated in Week 7)
• James Bye (Eliminated in Week 6)
• Jayde Adams (Eliminated in Week 5)
• Matt Goss (Eliminated in Week 4)
• Richie Anderson (Eliminated in Week 3)
• Kaye Adams (Eliminated in Week 2)

Actor Will Mellor just missed out on a place in the final after losing in the dance off to singer Fleur East. After performing his Couple's choice for a second time, judges Craig Revel-Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas chose to save Fleur over Will.

Departing the show, Will said: 'I'lll take whatever I have learnt from this show forward in whatever I do because it shows you can achieve more than you think.

"I didn’t think I’d be able to get anywhere near this and I am so proud of what we have achieved but also everybody who has voted for me, who has supported me, the messages I’ve had from my local community and children. Thank you all so much, we really, really appreciated every bit."

Where will the Strictly Come Dancing final be filmed? 

If previous seasons are anything to go by, the Strictly Come Dancing 2022 final will be filmed at it's usual studio location in London. Strictly has been filmed at the Elstree Studios in London since 2012, after previously being recorded at the BBC Television Studios. 

The majority of the series is filmed at Elstree with the exception of Blackpool week - which sees the cast and production head to the iconic Blackpool ballroom tower for a weekend special. 

As is tradition for the series, its beloved judges and celebrities will also be heading to Birmingham in January to kick of its nationwide Strictly Come Dancing 2023 tour of live arena shows.

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• Christmas TV schedule - BBC, ITV, Channel 4
• Where is Animal Park filmed?
• Survivor UK reboot?
• Who is the new University Challenge host Amol Rajan?
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Video of the Week

Strictly Come Dancing professional Karen Hauer is wowing judges with her routines performed alongside her celebrity partner but off the dance floor fans are wondering who is she married to?

The Venezuelan-American latin dancer and choreographer has had a couple of high profile relationships during her time on Strictly Come Dancing - after splitting from husband Matthew Hauer in 2013, she remarried but then split from ex husband Kevin Cliftonin 2018, and she later dated David Webb with whom she talked about having babies, before they split in September 2020.

And now Karen is loving life with her new husband as Strictly viewers wonder who he is...

Who is Karen Hauer married to?

Karen Hauer is married to Jordan Wyn-Jones. The couple wed in a 'fairytale' ceremony in front of co-stars during an intimate ceremony at Chewton Glen, Hampshire. Speaking to Hello about their big day, Karen admitted, "It feels like a fairytale day. It felt so special to bring our families and friends together.I haven’t seen my family for the last two years so it’s really touching to bring them here and be able to share this amazing moment with them.”

How did Karen Hauer meet her husband?

Karen Hauer met her husband Jordan via social media when he was out working in Australia. They went official with their relationship in August 2021 and he admitted he instantly knew Karen was "the one". 

The pair have been pictured on Instagram, even taking part in an energetic workout together.

He told Hello! "I knew I was going to marry Karen the first day I met her, but I thought it’d be a bit weird to turn up at her front door and ask then."

And just four months later he popped the question during a trip to Chewton Glen by presenting her with a ring that once belonged to his late mother.

Karen recalled, "It took me completely by surprise as he proposed as I was in the shower! It was such a special end to 2021.

"Jordan proposed with his late mother's ring, which is what you see in this picture, which was taken the night of our engagement." 

"I know it meant the world to him for me to have it. We've since remodelled it together, so that it has the core of his mother's ring, but also our flair added to it," she added. 

What does Jordan Wyn-Jones do for a living?

Jordan Wyn-Jones is a fitness professional but has recently been showing off his art and poetry skills, featuring his wife Karen as the subject of his latest artwork piece. He took part in his second open mic night ever when he shared his work with guests at Boxpark Croydon, London back in June.

When he was younger he was in the Royal Navy having passed out with HMS Raleigh and shared his throwback snaps to fans on Instagram to mark Remembrance Day last year.

Who is Karen Hauer's partner on Strictly 2022?

Karen Hauer is partnered with Jayde Adams on Strictly Come Dancing 2022. The same-sex couple have brought a different dynamic to the show and Jayde has described their partnership as a "sisterhood". In an interview with various publications she said, "I think my partnership with Karen is more about sisterhood. And if you're in the dance world, which I was as a child, the sort of all-girl and all-male partnerships is quite commonplace. 

"Obviously it's a new thing in these dance shows, the one that's in Australia and the one that's in America, but I think the world is changing and to me it just doesn't seem like anything that is abnormal to me. It seems like a completely natural thing."

Related BBC Features:

• Who are the Strictly It Takes Two presenters?
• Who is Hamza Yassin?
• Who is Tony Adams' wife?
• Strictly Come Dancing Live tour 2023
• Who is Will Mellor and who is he married to?

Video of the week

Tony Adams has apologised to his professional partner Katya Jones after he dropped her in training for his last Strictly Come Dancing routine, but fans are wondering who is Tony Adams' wife and does he have kids?

The English football manager and former professional player is currently at the bottom of the leaderboard following week 2 results - despite scoring 15 from week one and 22 from week two to make a total of 37 he has become the celebrity with the lowest score so far.

But while he remained in the contest, after Kaye Adams was voted out of Strictly, he will be wanting to make sure he earns higher scores this week to avoid a dance off, in the hope of making it to the final and onto the Strictly live tour 2023 as we look at all you need to know about the star and his family...

Who is Tony Adam's wife?

Tony Adams is married to Poppy Teacher - a whisky heiress as Poppy is the great-great-great granddaughter of whisky firm founder William Teacher. The couple married at a private ceremony in Kent back in 2004. At the time, Poppy's mother Petra said, "Poppy's very happy. We're delighted."

It is Tony's second marriage. He was previously married to Jane Shea, between 1992 and 1997 but it ended in divorce.

Tony previously opened up about the 'Strictly Curse' and said his wife wasn't worried about it, and joked, "she's trying to get rid of me, that's why she pushed me into doing it. I've had enough of you! It's been 20 years, please, please off you go!"

He added, "She's not the slightest bit worried. Luckily, when I met Poppy 20 years ago, we had a spiritual connection - we don't live in the physical world or we'd be struggling."

Wife Poppy has been supporting Tony from the side of the dance floor as she expressed her love for him ahead of his performance.

Speaking to Tess Daly, she said, "He was devastated, he had a complete mind blank but he kind of loved it at the same time."

Speaking on his Charleston routine, she gushed, “He’s going to nail it, I have total confidence, I’ve never been so proud or so in love with him.”

And Poppy added, "And I’m going to proper cry" after the audience went "awww".

Does Tony Adams have kids?

Yes, Tony Adams has five children - Oliver and Amber with his first wife Jane and two sons Atticus and Hector plus daughter Iris, with his second wife Poppy. Tony recently shared a selfie with his kids on his Instagram.

His daughter Amber is a partnership agent at Digital Icon Agency, which deals with influencer marketing and talent management. She has recently enjoyed some sun-soaked breaks to Greece and Italy. His daughter's most recent post shows her enjoying a bbq at home, with younger brother Atticus joking ""How many times do you and millie want to come down when i’m not there." [sic]

Amber joked back, "We plan it like that xx." [sic]

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• Who is Hamza Yassin?
• Who is Jayde Adams on Strictly Come Dancing and does she have a husband? All you need to know
• Who are the Strictly It Takes Two presenters?
• RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4
• Frozen Planet II

Video of the week

Comedian and actor Jayde Adams is paired up with professional dancer Karen Hauer who is back from a painful injury, but Strictly Come Dancing 2022 fans are wondering who is Jayde Adams? 

As a self-confessed Strictly fan, Jayde admitted during the Strictly launch show, “I feel like it’s not real, I feel like someone made a Strictly themed birthday party and I’m in the middle of it!” 

And on being partnered with Strictly pro same-sex partner Karen Hauer, Jayde was delighted, “Karen IS Strictly”, as was Karen, who said, “I’m absolutely excited, I have so many ideas, too many ideas, this is going to be a golden moment for me.”

Jayde Adams was voted off Strictly in week four.

As the series continues with the celebrities hoping to reach the final and the Strictly live tour 2023 line-up, we look at all you need to know about Jayde off the dance-floor...

Who is Jayde Adams on Strictly?

Jayde Adams is a comedian and actor who is originally from Bristol and is currently competing in the 20th season of Strictly Come Dancing. Jayde's love of comedy began when she started telling jokes as her sister Jenna lay in hospital with a brain tumour. Jenna wanted Jayde to help cheer everyone up as she found it hard to cope with the pressure of her terminal diagnosis making people sad. The experience no doubt led Jayde into a career as an award-winning comedian.

Jayde, who is an Ambassador of Brain Tumour Support, recalled, "When my sister died, I was determined. I had this new sense of responsibility to live not just my own life, but hers as well."

The comedian’s experience of grief has certainly influenced her life and her achievements have included being named Britain’s top female comic with the Funny Woman Award 2014, award-winning shows at the Edinburgh Fringe, filming a stand-up special for Amazon Prime, hosting the 2019 BAFTA nominated TV show Snackmasters, and most recently hosting Netflix/Channel 4’s Crazy Delicious.

Jenna died aged 28 and to mark the 10th anniversary in 2021, Jayde highlighted the importance of the UK charity Brain Tumour Support in helping individuals and families to cope after they have received an unexpected brain tumour diagnosis.

Jayde and her mum Gail have supported the charity for the last decade through fundraising events including charity balls. 

Approximately 45 people every day in the UK are diagnosed with a brain tumour, and they kill more children and adults under the age of 40 than any other type of cancer. A diagnosis can often have a complex and long-lasting impact on the life of a whole family.

Jayde recalled how, shortly before she died, Jenna said to her: "Can you make sure that no-one forgets me."

Does Jayde Adams have a husband?

Yes, Jayde Adams has a husband, she is married to Clayton Wright. The couple, who recently celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary have shared loved up snaps on their Instagram to mark their marriage milestone.

Clayton shared a series of throwback snaps which he captioned, "15 years ago, I married this beaut, and now she’s transcending into a gorgeous @bbcstrictly star!"

It continued, "This is a @msjaydeadams appreciation post. She will not only smash this Strictly moment, so tune in and you’d better vote! @msjaydeadams embodies love, laughter, and Bristolian grace (yes… she can dance… and she’s a pirate) and she’s about to dazzle you. Are you ready for TV gold?

"Babes… I support you wifey and I’m very proud of you 🥹 Big love to those at our wedding, think Sara Cox and Mystery Jets were there, I’m not sure to be honest. Request a tag please

He concluded, "Also, I’m willing to sell my story to main stream media so get in touch cos I have loads to say… mostly advice on a successful marriage ❤️‍🔥 #bbcstrictly"

And Jayde responded to his sweet post. She gushed, "I’ve loved you for so many years. In my life you are as constant as a stream. You’ve picked me up you’ve carried me you’ve loved me you’ve made me laugh you’ve looked after me you’ve interested me you’ve supported me during the darkest times in my life. I love you husband."

She also uploaded an anniversary post of him feeding her spaghetti bolognaise and captioned it, "My husband. From being vicars, to funerals for sisters, from introducing me to all the best people I’ve met to feeding me this ragu. @clayton_wright_ here’s to the next 14 years my love.”

Jade previously explained why she wanted to compete in a same-sex pairing on Strictly. She explained, "I said it on Twitter four years ago," she said. "I was watching the show and then I was like, 'If I was on Strictly, I'd like to be with a woman because then I could lift her."

She continued, "Because whenever you have partnerships where you have a plus size guy, it's easy for him because he can always lift the girl. But when you have it the other way round, and you have that imbalance, it's like, you know, the guys are great but they're not rugby players."

She went on to explain that she felt she'd be able to "get into all the acrobatics" if she had a female dance partner, adding: "And now I've got the person to do that with."

Is Jayde Adams a trained singer?

Yes, Jayde Adams is a classically trained singer. She has merged her comedy with singing to create Amusical - a live show turned TV series featuring comedians performing their favourite musical theatre numbers, that she hosts alongside Kiri Pritchard-McLean and Dave Cribb.

Jayde is starring in the new Take That movie.

Jayde has displayed her singing talents on Comedy Central UK when she performed The Serious One as pop princess Sofia Gloss. You can watch a video of the performance below...

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• RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4 judges
• Unbreakable: Who is Rob Beckett and does he have a wife?
• BBC Crossfire: Where is it filmed and is it based on a true story? Keeley Hawes’ new drama explained

Video of the week

BBC viewers are wondering who is Rob Beckett and does he have a wife? as he is announced as host of a new couples gameshow called Unbreakable.

Six celebrity couples - including a Loose Women panelist and Strictly Come Dancing 2022 judge -  will put their relationships to the ultimate test when they compete in a series of mental, physical and emotional challenges designed to reveal whose relationship is the strongest.

The couples will compete under the watchful eyes of two experts, who will encourage them to open up about life, love and relationships. Anjula Mutanda, Relationship Psychotherapist, popular TV commentator and President of Relate, believes that ‘maintaining connection, having mutual respect, and having fun together can really strengthen a couple’s relationship’. Britain’s favourite Agony Aunt Maria McErlane believes that ‘most problems can be solved with kindness and communication’.

Rob Beckett teased, "Who doesn’t like to see celebrities and their real life partners put to the test under pressure? It was an amazing experience to film, and I'll never be able to unsee Shirley Ballas get a tattoo, Denise Welch fall into a lake, or Simon Weston blindfold his wife in a maze."

As we look at all you need to know about the Unbreakable host...

Who is Unbreakable host Rob Beckett?

Rob Beckett, host of Unbreakable, is an English comedian, narrator and TV presenter. Born in London, he has four brothers and attended Edgebury Primary School followed by Coopers School in Chislehurst. By the age of 14 he had his first job on Columbia Road flower market and did a series of low paid jobs.

When he was a student he studied Tourism Management at Canterbury Christ Church University in Kent until he graduated in 2007.

In the early days of his comedy career, he started performing stand-up in 2009 and it landed him third place in So You Think You're Funny and won the Amused Moose Laugh-Off which led to him performing at Adelaide Fringe Festival in Australia.

His career went from strength to strength and in 2011 he was nominated for the best newcomer award in Adelaide and in the same year he made a guest appearance as Mike in Fresh Meat on Channel 4.

And soon after, in 2012 he took his solo show Rob Beckett's Summer Holiday to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival where he made his debut.

Other presenting credits include Rock'N'Roll Football Sunday show on Absolute Radio from August 2014 until 2018.

Rob continued to make people laugh on podcasts - starting with Dave's comedy-football podcast The Magic Sponge; an irreverent look at the lives of professional footballers. And more recently, as of April 2020, Beckett has co-hosted a podcast named Lockdown Parenting Hell, with fellow comedian Josh Widdicombe. The pair frequently interview celebrities regarding the trials and tribulations of parenting during the Coronavirus lockdown.

But that's not all, he's narrated E4's Celebs Go Dating in 2016 and been a team captain on 8 Out of 10 Cats since 2016. He won the third series of Taskmaster in October 2016.

He's no stranger to hosting BBC shows as in 2018 he presented Wedding Day Winners, with Lorraine Kelly, and All Together Now, with Geri Halliwell, both Saturday-night entertainment series for BBC One.

His sky series Rob & Romesh vs... saw himself and fellow comic and presenter Romesh Ranganathan travel around the world, delving into the lives and careers of celebrities whilst taking on various challenges.

Earlier this year he started hosting his new 5-7pm Sunday Show on BBC Radio 2 - a time slot he will be sharing throughout the year with Paul O'Grady on the Wireless.

Does Rob Beckett have a wife?

Rob Beckett is married to Louise Watts. He announced that he got married to her in 2015 during an episode of Mock of the Week. But since then he has kept much of his private life private unless he's teasing stories on his comedy tour Wallop!

At the time of the tour, he spoke of being away from his family, he said, "It’s quite nice to have a night away, ringing your missus up in the morning, saying you miss home when you’re actually loving tucking into a big hotel breakfast."

Rob recently shared a highly amusing dog walk with his wife and kids, and you can see a clip below...

Does Rob Beckett have a child?

Rob Beckett has two children - daughters aged six and four. He announced the birth of his first child, on his YouTube channel, in September 2016 and it wasn't until March 2019 that he revealed to Ken Bruce on Radio 2 that he was now a father-of-two.

Since then he's opened up on his parenting dilemmas to entertain his fans, speaking about how he avoids taking his kids to the park, he joked, "Well they're a bit too young, they're four and two, so I have just told them the park is dirty, and they're cleaning it. They have been saying surely they have cleaned it by now, and I'm like no we can't go."

He hosts podcast Parenting Hell with Josh Widdecombe which they have been touring live and have just released a book of the same name - Parenting Hell which is available on Amazon. 

Was Rob Beckett in I'm A Celeb?

Rob Beckett wasn't in I'm A Celebrity as a contestant but he did co-host the ITV2 spin-off show I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! NOW! from 2012 to 2014. He presented that show alongside Laura Whitmore and Joe Swash. But he left the show in October 2015 to concentrate on his tour and was replaced by David Morgan.

Who are the celebrity couples on Unbreakable?

The following celebrities are taking part in Unbreakable; Denise Welch and Lincoln Townley, Charlie Mullins OBE and RaRa, Simon Weston CBE and Lucy Weston, Shanaze Reade and Teddy Edwardes, Stephen Bailey and Rich Taylor plus Shirley Ballas and Danny Taylor.

Ready to rise to the challenge, Loose Women star Denise Welch (64) hopes to paint a picture of perfect love with her acclaimed artist husband Lincoln Townley (49), whose sought-after contemporary works are the subject of sell-out exhibitions around the world.

After a chance meeting on a beach in Marbella eighteen months ago, Pimlico Plumber Charlie Mullins OBE (69) is set to compete alongside his partner, singer-songwriter RaRa (32). Preparing to prove their relationship is water-tight, this couple isn’t afraid to show their competitive side.

Falklands veteran and Author Simon Weston CBE (61) hopes to secure a triumphant win for Wales, with his beloved wife Lucy Weston (54) by his side. After 35 years together, this couple believes they’ve cracked the secret to long-lasting success.

World-record-breaking BMX racer and track cyclist, Olympian Shanaze Reade (33), will compete alongside event organiser and TV personality, Teddy Edwardes (32). Will ‘speedy Readey’ and ‘steady Teddy’ cross the finish line in first place?

Comedian and Presenter Stephen Bailey (35) will share the stage with his Employment Lawyer boyfriend, Rich Taylor (37). In a tale of true modern romance and dating app success, will Rich be there to defend Stephen when he’s under the spotlight, ready to bring down the book on the opposition?

And, in a surprise late addition, champion ballroom dancer and Strictly Come Dancing Head Judge Shirley Ballas (61) will temporarily put her dancing shoes to one side, while she and award-winning star of the West End stage Danny Taylor (48) prove it takes two to tango. But will the all-singing all-dancing duo score a perfect 10?

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• Survivor UK reboot
• Who are the Strictly It Takes Two presenters?
• RuPaul's Drag Race Season 4
• Is Gone Fishing coming back and how many episodes are there?

Video of the week...

Strictly Come Dancing is back for a new series in 2022 and we've shared the all-important September start date.

2022's Strictly contestants aren't the only ones preparing to put their best foot forward on the Strictly dance floor, with the popular BBC One show additionally announcing a new mix of professional dancers for what will be the show's 20th anniversary this year, as well as a confirmed change to the judging panel.

Strictly Come Dancing was postponed following the Queen's death, leaving many unsure of when the new start date is, but we've got all the details on who's in and who's out, plus what date and time Strictly Come Dancing starts in 2022 - and if that's not enough for fans, there's also the Strictly live tour 2023.

When does Strictly Come Dancing 2022 start?

Strictly Come Dancing 2022 will kick off on Friday September 23rd with its launch show, with the first live show hitting screens the following evening on Saturday.

The 2022 series was set to begin on Saturday September 17th, with a launch show ahead of the first live show the week after. However Strictly has postponed its first episode of the year following the death of Queen Elizabeth II, with the Queen's funeral set to take place on Monday September 19th, two days after the original launch date.

The 20th anniversary of the show is not the only big celebration this year - as the BBC also marks its 100th broadcasting anniversary. In a statement, Strictly said: "Strictly Come Dancing is celebrating 100 years of the BBC! The professional dancers will be throwing a party like only they know how, with a group number full of all the usual sparkle and glamour. 

'There may well be a surprise or two as well, with special guests and fun tributes to some of your favourite BBC shows."

Who's on Strictly 2022 this year? Full contestants list

• TV presenter Helen Skelton
• EastEnders actor James Bye
• Wildlife cameraman and presenter Hamza Yassin
• Singer Fleur East
• Former captain and footballer Tony Adams
• BGT star Molly Rainford
• Comedian Ellie Taylor
• Singer Matt Goss
• DJ Tyler West
• Gold medal-winning Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds OBE
• Comedian Jayde Adams
• Loose Women host Kaye Adams
• Radio and TV presenter Richie Anderson
• Actor Will Mellor
• Morning Live host Kym Marsh.

Actor Will Mellor was the first Strictly 2022 contestant to be confirmed on August 4, 2022. With the rest of the 'class of Strictly 2022' being announced in the days following. On August 13, the full line-up had been confirmed.

Countryfile Presenter Helen Skelton was the final contestant to be revealed. In an interview with the Mirror, she revealed her nerves ahead of the launch show.

"I can’t dance and I feel sick when I hear the theme tune. I just wanted to wear nice dresses. I work on farms. I watch cows give birth and stand in wellies," she said. "I can’t decide whether it’s the best or worst thing I have ever agreed to. And I haven’t even started yet."

Who are the Strictly pros this year? Full list

• Dianne Buswell
• Nadiya Bychkova
• Graziano Di Prima
• Amy Dowden
• Karen Hauer
• Katya Jones
• Neil Jones
• Nikita Kuzmin
• Cameron Lombard
• Gorka Marquez
• Luba Mushtuk
• Giovanni Pernice
• Jowita Przystal
• Johannes Radebe
• Kai Widdrington
• Nancy Xu
• NEW FOR 2022: Vito Coppola
• NEW FOR 2022: Carlos Gu
• NEW FOR 2022: Lauren Oakley
• NEW FOR 2022: Michelle Tsiakkas

The Strictly Pros have been announced with four new dancers - European cup winner Vito Coppola, Chinese National Champion Carlos Gu, former Under 21 British National Champion Lauren Oakley and Latin dance champion Michelle Tsiakkas. And they will be joining the dancers already confirmed. 

Former favourite Alijaz Skorjanec and Oti Mabuse, whose sister Motsi is a judge, quit the show earlier this year.

Strictly Come Dancing Judges 2022:

The judges confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing 2022 are Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke. Anton replaced Bruno Tonioli last year and was made a permanent addition to the judging panel for 2022.

Strictly Come Dancing 2022 tickets - how to apply

Sadly tickets for the Strictly Come Dancing launch and live shows are no longer available. The ticket ballot officially closed on Sunday 28 August 2022. 

Demand for Strictly tickets is always high and as in previous years, tickets were allocated after being drawn from a random draw. Those successful were then contacted via email. 

The good news is that the site which organises Strictly tickets stated "December dates coming soon". This means that fans will be able to apply for tickets to see the Strictly Come Dancing 2022 Christmas special being filmed at a later date.

Be sure to check the official Strictly ticket website regularly for news as to when to apply.

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Video of the Week

Strictly Come Dancing 2022’s start date has been postponed following the Queen's death. 

The BBC has confirmed that Strictly Come Dancing 2022’s start date has been pushed back. 

The iconic dancing competition was scheduled to kick off on Saturday 17th September, with its lineup of Strictly celebs having already been announced. 

However, channels including the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 are all experiencing changes to their scheduled programming as they prioritise news coverage of the official mourning period for the Queen, ahead of her funeral on Monday 19th September. 

The BBC has also announced that it will be airing the first Paddington film on Saturday 17th, in honour of Her Majesty, with Paddington 2 airing on Monday evening following the funeral.

Thankfully for Strictly fans, the show isn’t facing huge delays and will return with two episodes the following weekend. The first pre-recorded installment is now scheduled for Friday the 23rd of September, with the first live show of the 20th series airing on the following day (the 24th).

The exciting lineup includes famous names like Ted Lasso’s Ellie Taylor, Countryfile's Helen Skelton, Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds and former England football team captain Tony Adams. Plus four new dancing pros; Vito Coppola, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas

Fans will also see some familiar faces returning to the show, with the likes of Katya Jones, Giovanni Pernice and Nadiya Bychkova. Plus judges Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas and former Strictly pro, Anton Du Beke.

Sadly this year saw both Oti Mabuse and Aljaž Škorjanec announce their exit from the show.

Despite the delay, fans can still expect the show to run for at least 13 weeks (if Strictly 2021 is anything to go by) before one lucky celeb lifts the Glitterball trophy.

Strictly Come Dancing will return at 7pm, Friday 24th September 2022.

The countdown to the start of Strictly Come Dancing is on and as the celebrity contestants are slowly revealed by the BBC, fans are wondering who is on Strictly Come Dancing 2022?

Strictly 2021 saw EastEnders star Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice walk away with the glitterball trophy and a new batch of celebrities are about to get their dancing shoes in the hope of impressing the Judges - Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke, to be top of the leaderboard.

The show, which celebrates its 20th anniversary, has a four new professional dancers making it the biggest casting ever - with 20 dancing pairs, and if that's not enough tickets are on sale for the Strictly live tour 2023 and there's a Strictly Christmas special, as we look at which famous faces have been confirmed so far...

Who is on Strictly Come Dancing 2022?

Helen Skelton

Former Newsround and Blue Peter presenter Helen Skelton is the fifteenth and final celebrity taking part in Strictly Come Dancing.

Whilst presenting on Blue Peter for five years she took on some incredible challenges, including completing the Namibia Ultra Marathon, cycling to the South Pole and kayaking over 2018 miles down the Amazon River, so Strictly will be another exciting exercise to get involved in. 

Earlier this year Helen confirmed her split from husband Richie Myler.

Helen said, “I’m really excited to get stuck into a fun adventure. My family and friends have always loved the show and can’t wait for me to get started.”

Since then, she has presented shows across various channels, including Countryfile, several major sporting events for BBC Sport, ITV’s Lorraine, BT Sport’s FA Women’s Super League football matches, Channel 4’s Rugby league Super league coverage and Inside The Superbrands in addition to the highly successful On The Farm series for Channel 5 and being a regular on ITV Tonight.

Meanwhile, as a radio presenter, Helen has stood in for Dermot O’Leary and OJ Borg on BBC Radio 2, hosted various shows across BBC Radio 5 Live and has just been announced as the host of the new-look BBC Radio 5 Live Sunday morning show.

Outside of broadcasting, Helen has also published a novel, Amy Wild: Amazon Summer. And Wild Girl. A guide to adventures.

James Bye

EastEnders star James Bye is the 14th contestant taking part in Strictly Come Dancing. Best-known for playing Martin Fowler in the BBC One soap since 2014, he won Best Storyline in 2016 at the British Soap Awards.

Speaking about signing up for the show, James said, "I’m not known for my shimmy or my twinkle toes - in fact my kids regularly laugh at my dad dancing but it’s an honour to be asked and I’m going to give it my best shot. There are some huge dance shoes to fill and it’s truly exciting to follow in the footsteps of some amazing EastEnders talent. I’d love to do everyone proud.”

James has previously had roles in the BBC One mini-series The Great Train Robbery and films including Hummingbird, The Hooligan Factory and Cemetery Junction. On stage he has starred in several well-reviewed theatre productions.

Hamza Yassin

Wildlife cameraman and presenter Hamza Yassin is the 13th contestant announced for Strictly Come Dancing. As one of the presenters on BBC's Animal Park and guest presenter on BBC's Countryfile, Hamza will be putting himself under the spotlight.

Speaking about his new venture, he said, "I am absolutely over the moon to be joining Strictly 2022.  Never in a million years did I think I’d be on such a cool show.  I’ve been watching it for years and I can’t believe I’ll actually be there dancing live in front of the British public. My dance skills are currently at the level of ‘1970’s disco vibe’ but I’m ready to work hard and will be shaking it every time I get the chance – shake it ‘til you make it!” 

He is well known to younger viewers under the guise of Ranger Hamza, presenting CBeebies live-action show Let’s Go For A Walk and new series Ranger Hamza’s Eco Quest later this month. Hamza moved to the Scottish Highlands when he was younger to follow his dream of filming Scottish wildlife and becoming a wildlife cameraman.  He has lived there ever since and recently fronted Channel 4 documentary Scotland: My Life in the Wild and Scotland: Escape to the Wilderness, in which he guided celebrity companions on journeys through western and eastern Scotland and the Highlands.  

In his spare time, Hamza competes in the Highland Games and enjoys riding the country roads on his motorbike.

Fleur East

Fleur East is the 12th celebrity confirmed for Strictly 2022 after it was announced on Hits Radio Breakfast Show. The X Factor series 11 runner up is no stranger to the stage but she will hope her moves catch the eye of the judges as she learns to dance ballroom.

Speaking about the upcoming contest, the singer-songwriter, TV and radio presenter, said, “I’m equally nervous and thrilled to be part of this year’s Strictly line up. I’m excited to learn new skills and I want to soak up every moment of this magical experience. 

"It’s such an honour to be on the show after years of watching it with my Father who loved it so much. Unfortunately my Dad is no longer with us but I know he will be watching over the ballroom in spirit. I’m doing this to make him and my family proud and can’t wait to get my dancing shoes on!”

As a singer Fleur, who is married to Marcel Badiane-Robin has released two albums, with European chart hit single “Sax” reaching number three in the UK singles chart. 

After appearing on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here in 2018 she became host of the Hits Radio Breakfast show which she hosts every weekday. She has also appeared as a presenter on the last three series of Ant & Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway and a host of ITV gameshow The Void.

Tony Adams MBE

The 11th contestant competing on Strictly is Tony Adams MBE. The former English footballer and manager will be hoping his old footwork on the football field playing centre-back for both Arsenal and England will put him in good stead on the dancefloor. Having won 66 caps for England, whilst having appeared at four major tournaments and had 10 major trophy wins could be set to add to his trophy cabinet.

Speaking about making his dancing debut, Tony said, "To say I’m excited is an understatement - the lure of the sequins and the call of the salsa has me swapping my battered old football boots for a set of Strictly soft shoes. Am absolutely thrilled to be giving it my all on this year’s 20th anniversary of Strictly Come Dancing. I can’t wait to meet my partner - God help her - and start the dancing.”

Tony, now retired, is still the only player in English football history to captain a team to three top flight titles over three different decades. As captain of England, he famously led the national team to the Euro 96 final. Whilst he was playing he founded Sporting Chance, a charity to help sportspeople with mental health and addiction issues of which he remains Honorary president today.

The father-of-six and husband to wife Poppy went into coaching and management before recently launching his new venture, SIX MHS, which delivers Mental Health and Addictions services to non-sportspeople and non-sport’s organisations. He remains a patron of four other additional charities, NACOA, Forward Trust, Saving Faces, School Home Support and has started the charity, 6 Addiction, for people that can’t afford private mental health services. 

Molly Rainford

Molly Rainford is the tenth celebrity confirmed for Strictly. The Britain's Got Talent star became the show's youngest ever finalist in 2012 but she's swapping scripts for the salsa. Best-known for her role as pop superstar Nova Jones in the hit CBBC show.

Speaking about joining the show, she said, "I'm so excited to be part of Strictly Come Dancing. I've watched it for years and can't wait to meet the pros and the others taking part!

“I can't wait to learn the moves and get dancing!” she added.

Molly was given a drama school scholarship at Sylvia Young Theatre School by Simon Cowell and Sony.

Ellie Taylor

Comedian Ellie Taylor is the ninth celebrity taking part in Strictly after the news was announced on Lorraine on Tuesday, 9th August. The comedian, broadcaster, writer and actor shot to fame after starring on ITV's Show Me The Funny and has gone on to write and perform five stand-up comedy shows - one of which, Cravings, streamed on Netflix as part of Comedians of the World.

Speaking about her new venture, Ellie said, "Well, cover me in fake tan and roll me in sequins! I'm absolutely over the moon to be a part of Strictly 2022! I've watched the show for years so to be able to take to the dance floor is a dream come true, for both me and mum who is a Strictly super fan! 

"At the moment I'm focusing on the excitement and glitter and choosing to ignore the fact that I have the dancing ability of a newly born giraffe. Bring it on!" she added. 

Ellie is known as a regular on the BBC’s Mock The Week, The Mash Report and Live at the Apollo, Late Night Mash on Dave and, most recently, as a co-host on Channel 4’s The Great Pottery Throw Down. 

She also stars in Apple TV’s multi-award winning comedy series Ted Lasso. Ellie’s debut book, My Child and Other Mistakes, became a Sunday Times bestseller in 2021.

Her forthcoming projects include two brand-new formats as she presents You Won’t Believe This (w/t) for Channel 4 and co-hosts Cheat alongside Danny Dyer, which is coming soon to Netflix.

Matt Goss

Matt Goss, star of BROS, is the eighth confirmed contestant for Strictly Come Dancing. The news was revealed on Monday 8th August on ITV’s This Morning. The singer-songwriter, musician and actor who formed half of pop duo Bros, has moved back to the UK to take part in the show.

Matt Goss said, “I’m extremely nervous and excited, but I’m optimistic because I’m very supple from the knees down.”

He has enjoyed mega success as the front man of BROS, with their debut album Push going platinum seven times and it remained on the UK top ten music charts for an astonishing 54 weeks. 

Over the last decade, Matt has had a record breaking residency on the Las Vegas strip but will move back to the UK to compete after living in the States for 25 years.

The When Will I Be Famous hitmaker said, "I thought it's time for me to come home and just do something completely out of my comfort zone. i'm quite shy off stage so I'm going to have to just face all those demons and just learn."

Speaking about returning to the UK after living in the US, he said, "I'm excited to be home and to crack on with it and meet new people.

'When you're playing four shows a week in Vegas...someone is going to have to teach me...I move obviously but you don't really know what you're doing.

"I've got butterflies for the first time in three decades, I am genuinely quite nervous and it's a nice feeling to be that nervous."

Despite being on stage singe the age of 17, he joked that "at the very least people will have a good laugh at my expense!"

In 2013 Matt took part in the Strictly Christmas special, he added, "My bum was very sore because of my glutes, you discover muscles that you never knew you had before."

With continued success as a solo artist, Matt is about to release his solo album, The Beautiful Unknown. 

Matt received the revered “Icon Award” and has even been given his own “Matt Goss Day” on 8th August, which amazingly is his late mother’s birthday. The cult classic documentary: After the Screaming Stops, was nominated for three BAFTA’s which resulted in a win. It also won the BBC “Moment of the Year” and a National Television Award, to name a few.

Matt is a best-selling author with new books in the works. He is also set to play the lead role in upcoming psychological thriller movie, Cobbler Killer Stranger.

Tyler West

Tyler West is the seventh celebrity confirmed for Strictly 2022. The TV presenter, radio host and DJ is best known for hosting weekday afternoons on KISS. 

But his face might also look familiar as he began his broadcasting career in children's television - including CBBC - while also filming for MTV news, HQ Trivia and the 2020 EE BAFTA Awards red carpet live show.

Tyler, who was nominated for a prestigious ARIA for Best New Presenter in 2020, said he "can't wait" to be joining Strictly. “I am SO gassed to be joining the Strictly family!" he said. 

"As I started writing this I already got cramp. It’s going to be one crazy incredible journey which will no doubt be SO far outside my comfort zone. It’s a show that means so much to me and my family and I can’t wait to seriously shake a leg on that shiny dance floor… with a side of sequins.”

Last year Tyler launched his first BBC Three series, co-hosting Flat out Fabulous as well as becoming the host of The MTV Movie Show.

The news was revealed on 8th August on KISS Breakfast with Jordan & Perri.

Ellie Simmonds OBE

Ellie Simmonds OBE is the sixth star taking part in Strictly Come Dancing. The five-time Paralympic champion and broadcaster couldn't wait for the news to be out. 

She said, “Oh my gosh!! I’m literally bursting with excitement!!"

Ellie is best known as a gold medal-winning Paralympic swimmer.

She explained, "It’s been soooo hard keeping this secret as I’ve wanted to tell everyone. I’m going on Strictly Come Dancing!! I’m a tad nervous too, well more than a tad… I’m absolutely petrified! To be asked to be part of the Strictly family is just so exciting and I cannot wait, it’s going to so much fun. I’m counting down the minutes until it starts; learning to dance, meeting my partner and everyone else involved in the show. Plus wearing the sequins and all that, It’s going to be a blast."

In addition to her sporting achievements including becoming the youngest British athlete at the 2008 Summer Paralympics in Beijing, and won gold medals in the 100m and 400m freestyle events, aged 13, Ellie is a huge Strictly fan.

"I’ve been watching Strictly from as far back as I can remember; it’s a traditional lead up to Christmas with my family and it’s a genuine privilege to be part of it,” she added.

In 2012 she achieved gold in the 400m freestyle and the 200m Individual Medley at the Summer Paralympics in London and won a further gold in the 200m Individual Medley at Rio 2016. She has won ten gold World Championship titles. At the age of 13 she won BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year and a year later, at  just 14 years old, she became the youngest person ever receive an MBE. She was elevated to OBE in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to Paralympic sport.

 And she will be hoping to add the Glitterball to her trophy cabinet.

After retiring from competitive swimming in 2020, Ellie has gone on to present for BBC Sport, most recently for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, as well as making documentaries such as Ellie Simmonds: A World Without Dwarfism? for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. She is set to explore disability and adoption in a recently announced ITV film.

The news was revealed on Sunday 7th August on BBC 5 Live Sunday Breakfast.

Jayde Adams

Jayde Adams is an award-winning comedian, actor and presenter and the fifth celebrity taking part in the dance contest. Speaking about it now being her time, Jayde explained, “Since I watched the first series in 2004, I feel like every step I’ve taken in my career over the last 11 years was to be on Strictly. I cannot begin to express the emotions I am feeling, this means so much to me and my family. I’ve always watched it, apart from a brief hiatus in 2011 as I was relentlessly gigging every weekend (to try and get on Strictly). 

Best known as a comedian, Jayde has won several comedy awards and was nominated for the coveted Best Newcomer with her Edinburgh Fringe debut stand-up hour. Her Amazon Prime special, Serious Black Jumper, received global critical acclaim, was released worldwide and was longlisted for an Emmy. 

As an actor, Jayde has starred in BBC Two BAFTA winning comedy Alma’s Not Normal, the upcoming Take That movie Greatest Days, Amazon Prime’s Good Omens, and BBC One’s The Outlaws, while she is co-creator and star of ITV2’s upcoming brand new series Ruby Speaking. 

And that's not all, Jayde hosted Netflix’s Crazy Delicious, co-hosted Channel 4’s BAFTA nominated Snackmasters and has a weekly BBC Radio 4 podcast, Welcome to the Neighbourhood. She is currently performing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with her stand-up show Men, I Can Save You.

Jayde added, "I’ve been a massive fan of the show for years. I feel like I’m watching myself in a dream and I can’t believe I’ve manifested this. Holding this in has been torture for me!” 

The news was revealed on Saturday 6th August on BBC Radio 5 Live – Scott Mills and Chris Stark. Jayde is partnered with Karen Hauer.

Kaye Adams

Kaye Adams is the fourth contestant announced taking part in Strictly 2022. The Loose Women host, 49, and journalist also hosts the morning show on BBC Radio Scotland. 

Kaye Adams said, “I said I wanted to make the last year of my fifties memorable and I can’t think of a better way of doing it than showing the world my two left feet. Pray for me!”

Having started her career as a news journalist Kaye has presented programming for various TV channels including STV, the BBC and Channel 5. She started her popular podcast, How To Be 60 with Kaye Adams, in 2022. 

Richie Anderson

The third celebrity set to cha-cha-cha into the competition is radio and TV presenter Richie Anderson. The RTS award winning presenter is best known for presenting the travel bulletins on BBC Radio 2's Breakfast Show which is hosted by Zoe Ball, and presenting on The One Show. He's covered high profile events for the station including Eurovision Song Contest and the Queen's Platinum Jubilee.

Speaking about signing up for Strictly where he reveals he will be part of the all-male dance partnership, Richie said, “This is a dream come true! I cannot wait to get in those sparkles and sequins and shimmy across the most famous dance floor in the world!  

"Strictly is the ultimate feel good show, as soon as I hear that iconic theme tune it’s just pure escapism. I’m going to have to cancel my legendary Strictly launch night kitchen party that I throw every year, I’m sure my friends and family will understand. 

"It’s also a massive honour to be part of an all-male dance partnership, it’s so important we have that inclusion on such a huge show.”

Richie is taking time out of rehearsals to perform at BBC Radio 2 Live in Leeds.

Kym Marsh

The second contestant to be confirmed is Kym Marsh. The 46 year-old actor, television presenter and singer will be swapping her Morning Live! scripts for some dancing tips as she prepares to take to the dance floor. 

Speaking about why she entered the show, Kym Marsh said, “I’ve considered doing Strictly for years but the timings never worked out. I’m so delighted that this year they have! I’m a huge fan of the show and can’t believe I’m going to go from watching at home in my pyjamas to actually dancing in front of the judges in a glittery dress, it’s unreal!”

Kym, who tied the knot to Scott Ratcliff, has won awards for her acting - after scooping Best Newcomer at both the National Television Awards and British Soap Awards for her role as Michelle Connor in Coronation Street, so she will have her eye on the glitterball. 

And as formerly one-fifth of Popstars Hear'Say, Kym is no stranger to dance routines - recently she's taken to the stage as Alex in Fatal Attraction and is preparing to star in the revival of BBC One drama Waterloo Road.

But she recently opened up about suffering from anxiety and panic attacks. Let's hope her nerves don't get the better of her. 

Will Mellor

The first celebrity contestant announced for Strictly is actor Will Mellor. The news was revealed to viewers on BBC Breakfast on BBC One. For anyone who missed the live announcement, Will took to his Instagram to share the news to his followers.

He said, "I'm going to be on Strictly. I know...proper out of my comfort zone. I'm terrified, frightened and a few other words I could say, but if you know me, I don't take myself that seriously but I am going to give it a right good go. 

"Life is about stepping out of your comfort zone and doing things that scare you and creating memories and you've just got to grab life sometimes so I'm doing it, I'm getting involved. Get behind me cause I'm in for a ride!"

Who are the presenters on Strictly Come Dancing 2022?

The presenters of Strictly Come Dancing are Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly. The female duo will return to screens when filming starts on September 7th. t’s been reported that Prince Charles and Camilla are actually planning to host the beloved BBC programme for a live episode inside the walls of Buckingham Palace. With rumours of a possible royal competing in the show.

The remaining celebrities will be announced in due course, and we will update you as soon as the names are released.

Related video...

Strictly Come Dancing fever is already gathering pace as the BBC confirms the names of its 20 professional dancers for the upcoming series - including FOUR new pros.

The reality dance contest is set to have its biggest professional dancer line-up in history when the multi-award-winning dance show returns this autumn to BBC One and BBC iPlayer, once again bringing glitter, glamour and glorious dancing to homes across the nation - followed by a Strictly live tour in 2023.

But that's not all, Strictly fans will be excited to learn that FOUR new world class dancers are joining the professional troupe alongside some of the Strictly 2021 pros confirmed for the upcoming series: Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Graziano Di Prima, Amy Dowden, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Cameron Lombard, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Giovanni Pernice, Jowita Przystal, Johannes Radebe, Kai Widdrington and Nancy Xu.

Last year's contest wasn't without drama, as the final was in jeopardyand Bruno Tonioli has confirmed he won't be returning as judge, along with Oti Mabuse quitting Strictly as a dancer. We look at the new professionals who will be gracing the dancefloor this year....

Who are the new Strictly pros?

Vito Coppola

As an 11-time Italian Latin American Champion, Vito Coppola is not to be scoffed at. He began dancing at the age of six and by 10 years old he was winning national championships. Among some of his prestigious awards is being a 3-time World Championship finalist and European Cup Winner. 

Despite leaving the competition world behind him in 2021 in order to explore onscreen opportunities, having most recently competed in and winning Ballando con le Stelle, the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing, Vito now has his sights set on the UK glitterball trophy.

Vito Coppola said, “I am really excited to become part of this family. I cannot wait to start this new adventure and to challenge myself. Strictly sto arrivando! (or: Strictly I am coming!)”

His Instagram boasts many snaps, with one caption telling fans, "Always invest in yourself" as he pumps some iron.

Carlos Gu

Carols Gu is a Chinese National Champion dancer who has landed multiple world semi-finalists under his belt, having placed 3rd at the German Open Championship before becoming Amateur Latin Rising Star Runner Up at the 2017 UK Open. 

But his talents don't end there - he has further experience in ballroom, ballet and contemporary dance, and viewers will see him bring a wealth of dance knowledge to the Strictly ballroom.

Carlos Gu said, “I’m thrilled to join Strictly and very excited to get started. It’s a new chapter of my life and a new challenge as well. I’m absolutely ready to take on this journey and to shine.”

Lauren Oakley

Birmingham-born Lauren Oakley might look familiar to some Strictly fans and that's because she has most recently been the leading lady to Giovanni Pernice and Anton Du Beke in their national tours.

Before joining Strictly as one of the new professionals, Lauren has spend her lifetime dancing having taken her first steps to competing professionally from the age of two.

She has had some early successes including becoming Juvenile Champion at the prestigious Blackpool Dance Festival - winning across both Ballroom and Latin disciplines.

Lauren Oakley said: “I’ve grown up watching Strictly, always hoping that one day I could be part of the best show on television, doing what I love the most. Now that it’s happening, it doesn’t quite seem real. I can’t wait to start this new sequined adventure and join this incredible family.”

Lauren has toured all over the world after being crowned Under 21 British National Champion where she explored a career on stage.

Michelle Tsiakkas

Cypriot Michelle Tsiakkas first started dancing at the age of six in her home country of Cyprus and has reached Latin dance champion status winning national titles consecutively from 2001-2011 before moving to London to study.

When she's not working academically, Michelle spent her time competing, representing England at major international championships before joining the world touring dance show Burn The Floor which has starred former Strictly Pro Kevin Clifton and Graziano Di Prima.

Michelle Tsiakkas said: “Being a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing has been my dream ever since I was a little girl. I cannot believe my dream has come true! I’m so grateful to be joining this incredible family and I can’t wait to step on that magical dance floor and give it my all!”

You can see a clip of Michelle in action on the dancefloor below...

Strictly Come Dancing returns for its 20th series this autumn on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

Related video...

Strictly's Karen Hauer has married Jordan Wyn-Jones as the professional dancer opens up about her 'fairytale' ceremony.

Karen, 40, a Venezuelan-American professional Latin dance specialist and World Mambo Champion, is best known for being on BBC's Strictly Come Dancing but she sustained an injury that forced her out of last years' contest.

And she swapped the dance floor for the aisle when she tied the knot with her businessman boyfriend in an intimate ceremony at Chewton Glen in Hampshire.

The pair married on Tuesday, June 7th, in front of their close family and friends plus Strictly co-stars Luba Mushtuk and Janette Manrara.

Speaking to Hello, Karen confessed, "It feels like a fairytale day. It felt so special to bring our families and friends together.I haven’t seen my family for the last two years so it’s really touching to bring them here and be able to share this amazing moment with them.”

Ahead of the nuptials, Karen shared her wedding preparation with fans on Instagram in which she shares snaps of herself enjoying a relaxing pedicure.

Karen and Jordan first became official when they stepped out together to watch a performance of the Him & Me show in July last year.  

After two failed marriages - to dancer Matthew Hauer (ended 2013) and Kevin Clifton, (ended 2018) and a split from opera singer David Webb in September 2020, Karen admitted she wanted to date differently.

She told The Sun in May 2021, "I’m not dating any more dancers, absolutely not, no way. I married two of them already. I think I’m done in that area now, I’m moving on.

“My ideal man would have blond hair, blue eyes, tattoos and a good body, pretty much the opposite to my exes. You always want to go the complete opposite."

And it looks like Jordan ticks all the boxes!

Congratulations!

Bruno Tonioli has reportedly quit Strictly Come Dancing after 18 years as a judge on the show. 

The Italian dancer and choreographer is believed to be stepping away from BBC dance contest after nearly two decades, much to the disappointment of fans.

This is yet another shake-up for the iconic competition as he is now the third fan-favourite star to leave with Strictly Pro Oti Mabuse announcing her departure from the show, swiftly followed by Aljaž Škorjanec who also quit earlier this year.

Though it is not all bad news, as the Daily Mail reports that fans can still catch him as a judge on Dancing With The Stars - the US equivalent of  Strictly. And new Strictly Come Dancing pros have been announced.

An insider told the publication, “Bruno has quit the show for good. He's going to be a judge only on Dancing With The Stars from now on.”

This may not come as a big surprise for fans of the show as the 66-year-old was absent from Strictly 2021 and replaced by former Strictly pro, Anton Du Beke. His absence was due to travel and Covid restrictions. He also appeared fleetingly during the 2020 series over a video call.

Fans have taken to Twitter to react to the news with many now calling for Du Beke to permanently replace him, with one Strictly lover writing, “Awww sorry to hear @BrunoTonioli has left @bbcstrictly he was fab! Now time to announce @TheAntonDuBeke as the new 4th judge.”

Despite the sad news, fans do have the 2022 series of Strictly to look forward to in autumn, with a host of new celebrities taking on the Tango and the Foxtrot.

The lineup is likely to be announced in August, with Digital Spy reporting rumours that the likes of Andrew Garfield and even Louis Theroux could be involved in the all-star line up for the upcoming season. 

The Queen and Kate Middleton reportedly share a love of a national favourite TV show, as Duchess Camilla opened up about royal TV preferences on a recent visit.

• During a visit to the EastEnders set the Duchess of Cornwall supposedly discussed the Queen’s TV preferences with Rose Ayling-Ellis.
• It’s claimed that Duchess Camilla believes the monarch is “sure” to have watched the Strictly champion on the show.
• This royal news comes as we revealed the huge change Prince George and Princess Charlotte are set to face in the autumn.

It might be hard to imagine which shows members of The Firm can’t get enough of, but now Duchess Camilla has revealed that the Queen and Kate Middleton reportedly have one preference in common. The Queen’s favourite TV show is one she can apparently quote hilarious one-liners from. But that doesn’t stop her enjoying other genres and it’s been claimed over the years that Her Majesty enjoys everything from Line of Duty to Pointless. 

And there's even reportedly a reality TV show the Queen is “sure” to have watched, according to her daughter-in-law… 

According to OK! magazine, Duchess Camilla opened up about her mother-in-law’s TV watching habits during an appearance at the EastEnders set on March 31st. She and Prince Charles visited as they marked the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee year and even got to watch a special street party being filmed involving Albert Square’s fictional residents for Her Majesty’s big occasion. 

The Duchess also met EastEnders legends Danny Dyer and Rose Ayling-Ellis who was crowned Strictly Come Dancing 2021 winner in December last year. Her bond with her professional dance partner was so strong during her months on Strictly that many people were left wondering if Rose and Giovanni are a couple. 

Sadly for those hoping romance might blossom, they’re not together. But their unforgettable performances on the 2021 series will go down in Strictly history. And it seems they even got the Queen's attention as Camilla is "sure" the monarch watched Rose on the show.

As reported by OK!, after being introduced to Rose during her visit, Camilla immediately recognised her, responding, “Ah Rose, the Strictly star.”  

It’s claimed that it was Rose herself who then asked the Duchess, “Does the Queen watch Strictly Come Dancing?”

“I think she does,” Camilla replied, before reportedly going on to add, “I’m sure she watched you.”

If the Queen does really settle down to watch each year’s Strictly contestants put their dancing skills to the ultimate test, then she’s supposedly not the only royal who does.

Back in 2019, reports suggested that Prince William, who is second in line to the throne, admitted that the Duchess of Cambridge is a Strictly fan too. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8ZkeY6TPB0

According to Express.co.uk, William got candid during a charity gala speaking to Strictly judge Shirley Ballas and host Claudia Winkleman. And whilst he might not be an avid watcher, it seems Kate can't get enough of the hit BBC show.

"I have watched the show a couple of times. Catherine is a huge fan and my mother-in-law loves it,” he allegedly shared.

So it seems the Queen, Kate and Carole Middleton could all share a love of hit BBC TV show Strictly Come Dancing. If they do, they'll no doubt be just as excited as fellow Strictly fans to hear the 2022 line-up later on this year...

Strictly Star Anton Du Beke has teamed up with a prominent member of the Royal Family for a very special project alongside other familiar faces.

• Strictly professional-turned-judge Anton Du Beke has joined forces with one of the Queen’s grandchildren for a new venture.
• Zara Tindall, daughter of Princess Anne, is part of Slingsby Golf Academy Class of 2022 for an important cause.
• This royal news comes as it was revealed that the Queen snubbed Prince Charles and Prince William at Prince Philip’s memorial for this personal reason.

Strictly Come Dancing and members of The Firm might not initially appear to have a lot in common, but fans are now getting the crossover they could never have known they needed. Just days after dancer Aljaž Škorjanec quit the show, Strictly 2021 judge and former pro Anton Du Beke has appeared in a brand new video posted by Slingsby Gin. In it, it emerged that the star is teaming up with a whole host of familiar faces for something very special indeed.

This year Slingsby Gin’s celebrity Golf Academy is being hosted by the Strictly judge and as Anton introduced this year’s recruits, the royal connection emerged.

In the video proudly shared on the Slingsby Gin Instagram account, Anton kicked off the series with a smile as he declared, “Welcome to the Slingsby Gold Academy 2022”.  The short clip then unveiled this year’s “cadets” including the royal that Anton Du Beke has teamed up with. 

The Queen’s granddaughter Zara Tindall is one of the cadets and is an Olympian and won a silver medal at the London 2012 Games in the Eventing. 

However, whilst her horse riding skills have often been showcased, it’s her golf skills that will soon be put to the ultimate test. Competing alongside tennis coach Judy Murray, presenter Anna Woolhouse and ITV daytime star Dr Zoe Williams, Zara will be attempting to master golf.

They will be assisted by professional golfer Inci Mehmet as they battle it out for a spot at the BMW PGA Pro-Amateur championship in September. Throughout their journey Anton will be giving updates and accompanying the cadets.

The inspiring series is set to encourage more women to take up golf and will help to break down barriers for excited viewers considering getting involved in the game.  

Though it’s not known what Zara’s golf skills are like, her husband Mike will likely be excited to see her take part. The retired rugby player has previously spoken about his enthusiasm for golf and according to Gloucestershire Live, watched it with his son after Zara’s shocking labour with Lucas last year.  

Opening up on his The Good, The Bad and The Rugby podcast, Mike told listeners, "The best thing about being at home, the best thing, was as soon as he was wrapped up, it was skin on skin, straight downstairs, TV room, gold on. I was like this is what me and you are doing.

"There was actually a ridiculously old rugby game on, it was Bath v Wigan, so I was like we're going to stick that on first, then we went to the final day of the golf.”

Zara Tindall’s participation in the Golf Academy will likely have been met with huge excitement at home as she hones her skills.

Strictly Come Dancing pro Aljaž Škorjanec has confirmed he is leaving the show after nearly 10 years.

Aljaž, who is married to fellow Strictly star Janette Manrara, is a firm favourite cast member among fans. He has been paired with the likes of Alison Hammond, and most recently Sara Davis, in Strictly 2021. 

He danced to victory with Abbie Clancy in 2013, but before he could claim a second win, Aljaž has announced that he’s leaving the show for good.

This comes just months after fellow pro, Oti Mabuse announced that she too was leaving the dancing competition. 

Aljaž took to Instagram to break the news, posting a collage of all his best moments on Strictly.

In the caption, he reflected on how his journey began. He said, "On a beautiful sunny day in May 2013 one phone call changed my life forever! It went like this... We would like to offer you a position on @bbcstrictly as a professional dancer. A dream became a reality and it was the biggest opportunity for a 23-year-old boy from Slovenia.

"It didn’t matter how many beautiful ballrooms I performed in during my competitive career, stepping onto the sacred Strictly floor was the most nervous I had ever been."

He then revealed that Strictly 2021 was his last time competing on the show. He wrote, "The show has given me an opportunity and freedom to create and express myself in front of millions of people every weekend for the last 9 years. The love and support I got from the team of producers was second to none…

"Being a part of a group of professionals that inspire and push you to be better every step of the way is humbling and I will carry that inspiration with me forever. Every year the lineup of dancers would change but one thing stayed the same, WE WERE THE BEST! And this is one thing that I know will never change on Strictly!"

He continued, thanking all of the backstage team and ended his heartfelt message with, "And finally, thank YOU, the people that watch Strictly who have been so kind to me all these years. Every comment, vote, kind message never went unnoticed. You are the reason we all do it, thank you!"

Assuring fans that he has some exciting plans in the works, he signed off his message with the iconic Strictly catchphrase, "Keep Dancing".

Over the last eight weeks, Dancing on Ice 2022 has been unpredictable at times, with two skaters leaving last week's show in a shock double elimination. Now just three of the 12 celebrities remain in the competition with a chance of being crowned winner but fans are wondering why Dancing on Ice wasn't on last night?

Millions of viewers were expected to automatically tune in to see the final last night (March 20th), hosted by Phillip Schofield and the return of Holly Willoughby who missed last week's show and This Morning all week after testing positive for Covid, but many will be confused as to why the show wasn't being aired in its usual live slot.

The disruption to viewing comes as Loose Women was cancelled last week to make way for the Cheltenham Festival horse racing and the soaps like Coronation Street and Emmerdale were moved around to broadcast the football.

We look at why Dancing on Ice was shelved last night...

Why wasn't Dancing on Ice on last night?

Dancing on Ice wasn't on last night (Sunday 20th March) because it has been postponed and removed from the schedule so that ITV can broadcast the FA Cup Quarter Final match between Liverpool and Nottingham Forrest, with the game kicking off at 6pm. As a result, the Dancing on Ice final has been pushed back by a week.

Which celebrities are in the Dancing on Ice final?

The following celebrities are competing in the Dancing on Ice final - Regan Gascoigne, Brendan Cole and Kimberley Wyatt. They will be skating on the ice for the last time with their professional partners Karina Manta, Vanessa Bauer and Mark Hanretty respectively.

When is the Dancing on Ice 2022 final?

The Dancing on Ice 2022 final will be aired on Sunday, 27th March on ITV. The final was expected to be aired on Sunday 20th March - the week after the semi-final but the TV schedule shows that the football will be broadcast instead. As a result, fans will have an extra week to wait before they can see who is crowned winner.

It also gives the contestants an extra week to polish their routines ahead of the final, in the hope of impressing the judges but ultimately the viewers at home as it will be them who decides who will win the series.

How to vote for Dancing on Ice winner?

Voting on Dancing on Ice is different to previous years, viewers in the UK can vote for the contestant they wish to remain in the competition using mobile short dial codes (MSDCs, also known as Voice Short Codes) for voting via mobile phones. UK mobile users can dial a 7-digit number, which is the MSDC for the chosen contestant on the show. A recorded message will confirm the vote.

Viewers have up to a maximum of five votes per registered mobile number, with each vote costing 35p. MSDC voting is only available from a mobile phone, and not from a landline or any other device. Alternatively viewers can vote online free of charge by visiting the ITV website and following the instructions there.

Dancing on Ice final is on March 27th on ITV, ITV+1 and is available to watch on the ITV Hub.

Dancing on Ice is almost over for 2022 and there is a final look at the celebrities from the lineup ranked as the favourites to win the series as we look at who will win Dancing On Ice 2022?

Twelve celebrities have competed in the TV studio ice rink for the 14th series of the hit ITV show with regular hosts Holly Willoughby and Philip Schofield making a return to our screens.

The stars have long since been confirmed, with celebrities having fine-tuned their skating skills behind closed doors, attempting to master spins, jumps, and those nailbiting headbangers in the hope that they're not voted off...

Who will win Dancing on Ice 2022?

Regan Gascoigne is still BetVictor's favourite to win Dancing on Ice and has been since the show started. Regan is the clear frontrunner with odds of 1/2 to win the competition. Regan is closely followed by fellow professional dancers, Brendan Cole 11/4 and Kimberly Wyatt 9/2.

Regan is a 25-year-old dancer and the youngest of Dad Paul’s three children.

Six celebrity skaters and their professional partners took to the ice to impress judges in week one, with the remaining six contestants having skated in week two.

Ben Foden and Robin Johnstone faced Ria Hebden & Łukasz Różycki in the skate off and it was Ben Foden was the first elimination. Second, to leave the contest was Ria Hebden. The third celebrity to leave was Rachel Stevens and the fourth celeb to be voted out was Liberty Poole. Fifth skater to leave was Bez and Sally Dynevor became the sixth contestant to leave the show. Stefanie Reid became the seventh person to be voted off Dancing on Ice. The eighth and ninth celebrity to leave was Kye Whyte and Connor Ball.

Sam Boswell, a spokesperson at BetVictor, said, "As many would have guessed, the celebrities who reached the finals in Dancing On Ice are those with a professional dance background.

"In last week's semi-final singer and Pussycat Doll, Kimberly Wyatt, received the highest marks from the judges. Wyatt has received the top score throughout most of the competition. Despite this, Wyatt didn't receive support from the British public and still ended up in the bottom three. Unfortunately, Wyatt has the lowest odds of winning the competition.

"Regan Gascoigne has been BeVictor's Favourite to win for most of the competition. Now that the Olympians and Reality TV Stars have left the competition, Regan's odds of winning have further increased and currently stands at a 1/2 chance of winning.

"Regan's biggest competition is former Strictly Come Dancing Professional Brendan Cole. Cole sparked controversy due to sharing anti-vax sentiments on social media and encouraged people to attend a freedom march, last year. Cole's partner would go on to contract Covid, which caused Cole to briefly being repartnered in the competition.

He added, "With all three celebrities capable of achieving top scores from the judges, it will therefore be up to the public to decide who wins this year's competition."

The choreography element of the show is taken seriously by a panel comprised of Christopher Dean, Jayne Torvill, Oti Mabuse and Ashley Banjo.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NuLgC_h6ago

Dancing on Ice winner 2022 odds

The Dancing on Ice odds for the outright winner is changing daily so it is always best to check with the individual bookmakers but the current odds held by BetVictor are as follows* (*odds correct at time of publishing):

• Regan Gascoigne - 1/2
• Brendan Cole - 11/4
• Kimberly Wyatt - 9/2

Who has replaced John Barrowman as judge?

Oti Mabuse has replaced John Barrowman as a judge on Dancing on Ice 2022. The Strictly professional dancer was confirmed as his replacement following the Strictly final.

Announcing the news that Strictly’s Oti Mabuse is going to be a judge Dancing on Ice, the show tweeted, ‘Welcome to the Dancing On Ice family, Oti Mabuse! Meet the judges for the brand-new series, returning this January on ITV and ITV Hub.’

Oti is set to join existing judges Ashley Banjo, and legendary skaters Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean on the panel.

Who was the Dancing on Ice 2021 winner?

Sonny Jay was crowned the winner of Dancing on Ice 2021. The Capital FM presenter and his ice skating partner Angela Egan took home the trophy after impressing the judges and viewers at home when they skated the Bolero – an interpretation of judges' Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean's famous routine – with the final decision left to the public vote.

Dancing on Ice is final is on Sunday, March 27 on ITV.

Oti Mabuse has confirmed she is quitting Strictly Come Dancing after seven years on the show with a touching statement shared on Instagram. 

The pro dancer previously hinted that she was set to leave the show after the 2021 series and has now said her farewells in a touching Instagram post, confirming that she will not be returning to the BBC smash hit in 2022. 

Strictly has since announced new pros for the upcoming series.

Oti, who danced to victory with comedian Bill Bailey in the 2020 series of Strictly, posted a carousel of snaps with her previous dance partners, revealing her true feelings about her decision to leave the dancing competition.

She captioned the post with, “Never easy to say goodbye ♥️ I have been part of the most amazing TV show, Strictly Come Dancing for the past seven years and it has been an incredible time. Lifting the glitter ball twice and having the best journey with all my celebrities, but also meeting and working with the best team, crew, producers, celebs, and incredible professional dancers!"

She then went on to add, “I’m honestly so grateful to The BBC and will always remember that Strictly and BBC brought me to the UK - which I now call home and I have learnt and grown so much. - Thank You from the bottom of my heart. I can’t put into words how difficult this decision has been, but I have decided not to return for the next series. 💛”

Oti then ended her statement, writing, “I will always Keeeep Dancing! and I will never forget my amazing Strictly experience!”

Fans were devastated by the news, flooding her comments with well-wishes.

One wrote, “oh no!!! Absolutely devastated, won’t be the same without her 💔😢”

Another added, “Favourite dancer ever!!!! Good luck with your new chapter ❤️❤️❤️❤️”

Fellow Strictly pro and winner of the 2021 competition, Giovanni Pernice also commented, “My friend!! I’m gonna miss you so so much!! you are a star my darling!! I had the pleasure to share the stage with you!! ❤️”

Oti has lifted the Glitterball trophy twice, but in the 2021 competition, she and rugby player Ugo Monye were sadly voted out in one of the dreaded dance-offs. They were also forced to pull out of the Strictly live performance due to Ugo suffering from ongoing back issues. 

Now Oti has revealed she is moving on to join the judging panel on Dancing on Ice 2022.

Strictly Come Dancing professional Giovanni Pernice has paid sweet tribute to his dance partner Rose Ayling-Ellis in his home as the Strictly 2021 tour ends.

EastEnders actor Rose Ayling-Ellis and long-time professional Giovanni Pernice became firm fan-favourites on Strictly Come Dancing 2021. The pair were quickly tipped to win after receiving the season’s first perfect score and ultimately went on to be crowned Strictly 2021 champions. The couple not only wowed viewers with their moves, but with their sizzling chemistry, leading many fans to speculate as to whether Rose and Giovanni were a couple.

With fans asking is Giovanni Pernice in a relationship?

Now eagle-eyed fans have spotted Giovanni's special tribute to Rose in his very own home. Taking to Instagram Stories, Giovanni posted a snap of a shelf in his house on which were displayed everything from a signed picture of Freddie Mercury, the Glitterball trophy. 

But it was the framed picture of the pair's BBC ‘a moment of silence’ poster that really caught fans' attention. Underneath, Giovanni wrote simply, ‘and I’m feeling good.’ This particular dance included a silent moment which represented how it felt for Rose to dance without hearing and honoured the deaf community. 

This is just one of the many tributes the two have posted to each other. Giovanni recently stole fans’ hearts after he marked the ‘end of their Strictly journey’ after winning the live tour, with a snap from their final dance.

He captioned the post: "SCD champion ✅ SCD live tour champion ✅ The end of our @bbcstrictly journey but the beginning of an eternal friendship!! I love you @rose.a.e ♥️ THANK YOU for the best 6 months of my life!"

Rose then commented, "Thank YOU for the best 6 months of my life!!! ❤❤❤❤❤."

Fans also raced to the comment section, with one writing, "Omg you two, you've been a joy to watch #dreamteam 😍💃🕺✨".

Whilst another added, "The best pairing in the history of the show. @rose.a.e is adorable & brought out the absolute best in @giovannipernice. Will miss seeing you dance 😍."

A third spoke for many fans when they said, "Please find a way to dance together from time to time. Gonna miss you both 😢😢😢."

The pair have clearly made a bond for life, with Giovanni previously admitting their relationship was more than just dancing. Now fans will no doubt be looking out eagerly for future posts from the two friends enjoying each other's company now the Strictly 2021 Tour is over.

Nicola Adams and her partner Ella Baig are “excited” to be expecting their first baby together as they promise to share the “magical journey” with fans. 

Retired boxer Nicola Adams has made history more than once throughout her career. Not only was she the first woman to win an Olympic boxing gold medal, but she was also part of Strictly Come Dancing’s first same-sex partnership in 2020. Dancing with Katya Jones, the sporting star captured fans’ hearts. Sadly, Nicola was axed from Strictly after Katya tested positive for Covid-19, though they made a triumphant return in the final alongside their fellow contestants.

Now the boxing legend and her model partner Ella Baig have got candid as they took to Instagram to share their excitement at some truly “magical” baby news. 

Posting a sweet black-and-white photo of them kissing against a tropical beach backdrop, Nicola and Ella followed the sweet snap with an even more personal one - an ultrasound image. Revealing that they’re about to become mums, the couple explained how “excited” they are to be sharing this news after what “feels like a lifetime”.

“We’re so excited to announce that our family is expanding 🤍🕊”, she and Ella began in their heartfelt caption. “After what feels like a lifetime, we can finally say we’re going to be parents! We’re so excited to share this magical journey with you all, the ups, the downs everything in between 💫Welcome to the world little one 🪐”. 

And it wasn’t long before the comments were flooded with sweet messages of congratulations.

“I am beyond excited and happy for you!!!!!!! What a beautiful news!!!!!!!!! You gonna be such amazing parents!!! 😍,” gushed Katya Jones.

Whilst former Strictly contestant and fellow mum-to-be Alexandra Burke, who announced her pregnancy on Valentine’s Day eagerly replied, “Awwww how exciting!!!!!! So happy for you both ! ❤️❤️❤️”. 

“Ahhh congratulations to you both that is SO EXCiTING! 🔥❤️😻”, a third person exclaimed.

And their excitement was shared by another fan who reflected on how “lucky” Nicola and Ella’s unborn baby is as they wrote, “Oh my god ♥️♥️♥️♥️ what a lucky baby! So happy for you both, you’re going to be the most amazing parents xxxxxxx”.

The news that Nicola Adams and Ella Baig are expecting a baby comes as the boxer spoke with  Vogue about their pregnancy journey. Opening up, Nicola explained that the couple had experienced miscarriages, with "two failed attempts" at IVF before Ella fell pregnant again. 

"She’s now in her second trimester. I’m so happy, but it’s also been emotional," Nicola continued. "We were worried about getting too excited because we’d miscarried before, but I think it’s really important that we try to enjoy it rather than dwelling on what could go wrong. I was so excited to share the news with friends and family."

"At the moment, we still have quite a bit of time, but we know that it’ll fly by, so we’re focused on getting our home ready and learning as much as we can about parenthood. We want to be the best parents we can be," she powerfully declared.

Oti Mabuse has gone from Strictly Come Dancing professional to debuting as a new Dancing on Ice judge in 2022 but who is she married to and do they have children?

Earlier this year Oti Mabuse replaced John Barrowman as a judge on ITV’s Dancing on Ice and the popular professional dancer has already made her mark as a wonderful addition to the panel since Dancing on Ice started. And she’s no stranger to competition success herself, having become the first pro to win Strictly twice in a row. Sadly, it’s thought that the 2021 series of the hit BBC show will be the last for her before Oti leaves the series. Though as fans continue to be enthralled by her on ITV, there are more than a few questions which might spring to mind.

After all, who is Oti Mabuse married to, does she have children and what is her debut book about? We reveal all you need to know about the Strictly star and Dancing on Ice judge...

Who is Oti Mabuse married to?

Strictly Come Dancing star Oti Mabuse is married to Romanian-born professional dancer Marius Iepure. The two are both currently involved in teaching at the Oti Mabuse Dance Studio together, with the website proclaiming their desire to inspire dances of all ages to “pursue their passion for dancing” under the professional guidance of experts.

Whilst eagle-eyed Strictly fans might even have caught a sneaky glimpse of Marius as he reportedly performed as a backing dancer on the hit show back in 2017. 

According to The Sun, Oti and Marius first met at a dance trial in Germany where Oti’s older sister Motsi Mabuse currently lives with her husband and daughter. Oti and Marius won the German National Show Dance Championships together and also came in second place in the World Latin Championships.

After romance blossomed between the dancing couple, Marius is said to have proposed to Oti on his birthday in 2014. Seemingly not able to contain their excitement and wanting to start their married life together as soon as possible, their wedding was held the same year. 

Taking to Instagram in December 2020, Oti described Marius as her “absolute rock” in a heartfelt post. Here the dancer thanked him for all his support throughout her time on Strictly during the Covid-19 pandemic, when he ran the dance studio and looked after their dog Leo. 

She declared, “Last one and definitely not least! To my husband 💚 MY ABSOLUTE ROCK! You’ve been there for me through all of it and more running the school through lockdown, being a friend, husband, and taking care of Leo has meant everything!”

Oti went on to reflect on how much her husband had inspired her to “keep going” and just how much they bring to each other’s lives.

“You made my world a better place on every occasion, you reminded me to keep going, of who I am and what we mean to each other 💛💛💛,” she continued. “[T]hese cuddles or moments I’ll cherish forever 🌟 love you to the moon and back @mariusiepure.”

Does Oti Mabuse have children?

Oti Mabuse and her husband Marius Iepure currently don’t have children, though it’s believed that having a baby together is part of the loved-up couple’s future plans. As reported by Hello!, Oti opened up to Fabulous magazine back in 2020 about the prospect of her and Marius feeling the time is right to grow their family. 

"One day we’ll probably wake up and be like, 'It's time!'" she reportedly explained. "At some point I'll want to give my nieces a few cousins, but it's just not necessary at the moment."

Instead, Oti shared, she was very much focused on her career - and she’s certainly gone from success to success having now made her Dancing on Ice judging debut. 

"I was a baby for the past five years in this country and now I'm learning how to walk on my own," she went on to say. "For now, I'm seeing how far I can take my career." 

So whilst Oti and Marius might not have any children just yet, the pro dancer has plenty of time to enjoy being a devoted auntie until such a time when or if she and Marius make their own special announcement.  

What is Oti Mabuse’s book about?

With so many fans looking up to her, it’s perhaps no surprise that Oti Mabuse has branched out in her career in recent years. As well as flexing her dancing muscles, she also showcased her creative writing skills with her debut children’s book, The Bird Jive, in May last year. The beautifully illustrated book aims to teach young readers a simple 10-step dance routine and celebrates expression, dance and movement. 

“She’s finally here!” Oti announced excitedly on her Instagram. “My first ever children’s dance book with @walkerbooksuk I’ve always had a passion for children, we grew up around them because my mom was a nursery school teacher ❤️ and has inspired me to mix my love for dance and education together!”

And family wasn’t far from Oti’s mind when it came to The Bird Jive as she added, “Thank you @walkerbooksuk for this opportunity 💛 I cannot wait for you all to read it. I love it so much and so proud of it - hope your little do too. I also just realised that my nieces and nephews now can be proud to read aunties books that she wrote”. 

Whether it's dancing, judging or writing, it seems Oti Mabuse can turn her hand to anything!

Strictly Come Daning pro Nadiya Bychokva has split from her fiancé, Slovenian footballer Matija Škarabot.

Nadiya, who came fifth in Strictly Come Dancing 2021 with TV star partner Dan Walker, is said to have called time on her and Matija's relationship.

The couple, who share a five-year-old daughter called Mila, have decided to end their engagement, reportedly because their long-distance relationship was no longer working. However, the pair will continue to co-parent Mila, as she is the pair's "priority" amid the break up.

A source told the Daily Mail, "Nadiya and Matija haven't been together for some time now. Performing on Strictly and the Strictly Live Tour takes up half her year, in the end, the commitment to their jobs made it too difficult for the relationship to work."

They added, "There's still a lot of love and respect between them and Mila is and always will be their priority."

Rumours sparked over a potential split after Nadiya was spotted no longer wearing her engagement ring and the pair have not been interacting over social media in recent months. 

Nadiya used to frequently post about Majita on her Instagram profile, but has lately been silent on the subject, only posting family snaps of Mila. 

Nadiya and Strictly partner Dan fell victim to the usual ‘Strictly Curse’ speculation when they were teamed up on the 2021 series of the BBC dance contest. However it's believed that Nadiya's partnership with the BBC Breakfast star has nothing to do with her split from Matija, as Dan shut down talks that their was a budding romance between them at the time. 

Dan, who is happily married to wife Sarah Walker, broke his silence on the Nadiya rumours and revealed that she had been consoling him after he broke down in tears watching a rerun of an interview he gave about his friend Gary Speed’s death ten years ago.

Fans were also disappointed to hear that they would not be seeing the Strictly couple reunite for the tour, as Dan revealed he had too many work commitments.

Adam Peaty and Katya Jones also sparked relationship rumorus after a ‘near kiss’ moment during a dance, but Adam also shared a statement to confirm that nothing was going on between them. Giovanni Pernice and Rose Ayling-Ellis’s relationship was also hot gossip, with fans desperate for them to get together, despite Rose having a boyfriend.

Strictly Come Dancing star Gorka Marquez has shared candid photos with fans as he revealed he’s now home after spending an “interesting” 24 hours in hospital. 

Strictly Come Dancing 2021 has finally ended, with Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice being crowned worthy winners. All the Strictly 2021 finalists gave it their all and though it was devastating that AJ Odudu pulled out of the show the day before due to injury, it was also wonderful to see many of this year’s line-up return in the final for a special group performance. This included actor Katie McGlynn and Gorka Marquez, who sadly left in just Week 3. 

Gorka has been a professional on the show for six series now and even found love in the Strictly ballroom. The dancer became engaged to actor Gemma Atkinson this year, after she competed opposite Gorka with Aljaž Škorjanec on Strictly in 2017. Gemma and Gorka welcomed their first child together two years later, named Mia. 

Now ahead of a wonderful family Christmas together, Gorka has taken to Instagram to share the shocking news that he’s recently spent 24 hours in hospital. 

Gorka posted a series of photos and a video of his recent experience, writing, ‘I was looking forward for Christmas at Home but that was interesting 24h in Hospital 🤦🏻 ♂️'. 

'@glouiseatkinson thinks it was a excuse to avoid all the wrapping of the christmas presents…😂🤔’, the professional dancer declared, showcasing his brilliant sense of humour at even the most challenging of times. 

Gorka then went on to reassure fans that despite this unexpected stay in hospital so close to the big day, all is well. So much so, that he’s now “back home” and receiving loving care and attention from a very special “little nurse”. 

He continued, ‘Anyway… everything is okey and I am back home having cookies and cuddles of my little nurse. 🥰 Thanks to the Dorctors and Nurses at Fairfield Hospital for being so lovely to me 🙏🏻❤️’.

‘FELIZ NAVIDAD!!!’, he signed off, signalling that regardless of these difficult events Gorka is well and truly back looking forward to a family Christmas with Gemma and Mia. 

Gorka’s revelation was met with shock and plenty of well-wishes from many Strictly stars, both professional and celebrities. 

‘I hope you are ok Gorksybabes ❤️❤️’, commented Strictly 2021 runner up John Whaite, sharing his super cute and rather unusual nickname for the dancer. 

Fellow professional Katya Jones responded simply, ‘Oh no! Get better soon Gorks. ❤️’. 

‘Noo! Hope you’re okay 😢❤️’, wrote Katie McGlynn, Gorka’s dance partner from this year’s Strictly. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0xSAHgghYY

Whilst Janette Manrara, who became the new It Takes Two 2021 presenter this year replied, ‘Oh no! Hope you’re okay 🙏🏼Te mando muchos deseos para que estés mejor pronto ❤️’, wishing him a speedy recovery. 

With Gorka now safely back at home with Gemma and Mia, it’s hoped that he will indeed feel much better soon. His time in hospital comes just days after the Strictly 2021 final when he donned his iconic 101 dalmatians costume one more time in the group dance. 

Fans will no doubt be looking forward to seeing Gorka Marquez back in the Strictly ballroom again next year! 

Strictly's Oti Mabuse has been confirmed as judge to replace John Barrowman on the Dancing on Ice judging panel.

The professional dancer, who was paired up with Ugo Monyo for Strictly Come Dancing 2021, was voted off in week five of the show, is set to join ITV for the reality skating show - sitting on the judging panel alongside Jayne Torvill, Christopher Dean, and Ashley Banjo.

It comes after John Barrowman was axed from the show earlier this year after he admitted to “tomfoolery” on the set of Doctor Who, following allegations that he would regularly expose his penis to other cast members.

And ITV was under pressure to axe the judge when reports surfaced back in May.

And now his replacement is confirmed ahead of the new series starting in 2022.

Announcing the news that Strictly's Oti Mabuse is going to be a judge Dancing on Ice, the show tweeted, 'Welcome to the Dancing On Ice family, Oti Mabuse! Meet the judges for the brand-new series, returning this January on ITV and ITV Hub.'

And fans are delighted with the news that Strictly's Oti Mabuse is going to be a judge on Dancing on Ice, as the judges are partly responsible for who stays and who is voted off.

One tweeted, 'Best judging panel in years. Looking forward to the show starting in Jan and I’m sure Oti will be an amazing judge'

Another fan put, 'Finally someone with some dance knowledge! Good riddance John Barrowman!'

And a third added, '100% here for this!! Think she’ll be magic'.

Oti has also just announced her new Podcast, she tweeted, 'To all dance fans and dance enthusiasts who love all things dance. I have a BRAND NEW

@BBCSounds podcast all about dance coming on the 12th of January 2022!'

She previously revealed her heartbreak over the Coronavirus pandemic and travel restrictions when she tweeted, 'Genuinely genuinely all I wanted for Christmas is a hug from my parents... that’s all! Thank you covid for teaching the value of family.'

ITV has released a trailer for the upcoming series of Dancing On Ice, and you can watch it below...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcrKBXMnSjE

Dancing on Ice has a fresh new lineup featuring stars including Rachel Stevens, Brendan Cole, Ben Foden and Coronation Street star Sally Dynevor.

With one week to go, many are wondering who are the Strictly finalists 2021 and when it will be on our screens.

It's been a thrilling year for Strictly fans, with the Strictly Come Dancing 2021 contestants treating us to some show-stopping routines, incredible dance talent and of course, plenty of backstage drama too. But sadly, the competition is almost over for another year as this Saturday will unveil this year's Glitterball champion.

This year's final of Strictly filmed near London will differ from previous years, with just two contestants competiting for the title. Tragicly though AJ Odudo was a 2021 finalist she and partner Kai Widdrington were forced to pulled out of the Strictly final last minute after sustaining a devastating injury in the last week of training.

Who are the Strictly finalists 2021?

This year's Strictly Come Dancing finalists are Eastenders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis and celebrity chef John Whaite.

The two celebrities and their professional dance partners will be expected to perform three dances in the grand final. This includes both the couple's and judge's favourite dances of the series. Plus, they'll have a pull-out-all-the-stops show dance.

Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=67rSuKfAS8U

Rose Ayling-Ellis is best known for her role as Frankie Lewis in BBC soap Eastenders. The actress made history this year as the first deaf contestant on Strictly. She is partnered with professional Giovanni Pernice who has been a finalist three times previously, though he has never won.

The two have danced into the hearts of both the judges and audiences, with Rose consistently racking up high scores for her performances. In the semi-final she wowed with an Argentine Tango, that was awarded 40 out of 40 by judges. And she's enjoyed previous success with her Waltz, Tango and American Smooth too. Rose even praised Giovanni for his "leap of faith" during a daring lift in the latter.

The two partners share a strong connection and chemistry which has led many to wonder if Rose and Giovanni are a couple in real life. Especially with Giovanni sharing with fans that there is "more than just dancing" to their relationship. Though, it seems that Rose has a boyfriend she is keeping away form the spotlight.

"You learn so much about yourself doing the show," said Rose in an interview with HELLO! "I've never done a sport, so I've surprised myself at how, every day, I can push myself a bit more and a bit more.

"And my confidence has grown," she added. "I feel I can just be myself now. Going into a show that's such a huge platform and being yourself is scary because you're so exposed. But the response has been so positive, I feel like, 'Oh, ok, that's good, I'll just carry on being me then!'"

John Whaite and Johannes Radebe

TV chef John Waite and his dance partner Johannes Radebe are the third Strictly Come Dancing finalists for 2021.

The 32-year-old shot to fame after winning the third series of The Great British Bake Off in 2012. He's since released four cookbooks and is a regular on Steph's Packed Lunch on Channel 4. Whilst previous appearances include Sunday Brunch, This Morning and The Alan Titchmarsh Show.

John and Johannes also made Strictly history as the first same-sex male couple to compete on the show. And it's safe to say the partnership has worked well, turning out mesmerising latin and ballroom routines.

Highlights include a pirate-themed Paso Doble and cheeky Charleston which both received 39 points. And in the semi-final, the duo finally treated audiences to a contemporary Couple's Choice dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community.

As for a Strictly win, John has vowed to continue dancing "whatever happens on the dance floor."

"We've said it's not about the competition, it's not about what the judges think, it's not about what the public think, it's about how we feel we've done as a partnership because that's what dance is about," he told Sky News.

"I think if you become hung up on the glitterball - as wonderful as it would look on my shelving unit, I'm not going to lie - you take your eye off the ball."

Who went out of Strictly last week?

CBeebies presenter Rhys Stephenson went out of Strictly last week (Sunday 12 December).

Rhys, who was partnered with professional partner Nancy Xiu, made it to the semi-finals. He suitably impressed the judges with two dances - a Tango and Samba - earning a combined score of 74 out of 80.

But sadly, the 28-year-old found himself in the dance-off competing against John Whaite and Johannes Radebe in the results show. And despite his best efforts re-performing the Samba, all four Strictly judges voted to save John instead.

"I might not have gotten to the final, but I learnt so much from just being on this show, from everyone here who’s just supported us in this new family," said a gracious Rhys, following news of his elimination.

The children's TV presenter also thanked his dance pro Nancy for her support and "just letting my energy shine" throughout the series.

Fighting back tears, he added: "It’s good to cry, it’s good to feel. Strictly makes you feel things. You feel so much and sometimes it’s overwhelming."

Who is the favourite to win Strictly Come Dancing 2021?

Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice are the bookies' favourite to win Strictly Come Dancing 2021.

Betting favourites like PaddyPower, Betfair and Ladbrokes have all predicted that the Eastenders star will bag the Glitterball trophy.

PaddyPower have given Rose and Gio odds of 1/8 to win. Whilst John and Johannes are the favourite to finish runner up with odds of 10/1.

"Rose and Giovanni look home and hosed as the 2021 Strictly champions as far as the odds are concerned," said Ladbrokes representative Jessica O'Reilly.

What time is the Strictly 2021 final on BBC?

The Strictly Come Dancing final airs on BBC One at 7pm, Saturday 18 December 2021.

Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will be back to host the grand final. It will run for just over two hours, finishing at 9:05pm.

Viewers will be able to vote for their favourites during the show. Be it by telephone, text or through the Strictly Come Dancing website.