The last contestant for the 2025 Christmas edition was disclosed on It Takes Two.
The BBC has unveiled the full roster for the upcoming Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special. The lineup includes a Gogglebox personality, an iconic star from Eastenders, and a member of a well-known Irish boy band, all vying for the coveted festive glitterball trophy.
Scheduled to broadcast on December 25, as families unwind after their holiday feast, the Christmas special’s final contestant was disclosed by Janette Manrara on the Strictly spin-off show It Takes Two.
The competition will feature six celebrities performing to holiday-themed music in front of judges Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas, and Craig Revel Horwood. The professional dance partners for each celebrity have been confirmed as well.
While the festive edition of the show brings excitement, it also marks an end of an era as it will be the last episode of Strictly Come Dancing hosted by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
Last month, Tess and Claudia announced on social media their decision to step down as hosts at the conclusion of the series. Their joint statement expressed their enjoyment working together and hosting the show, stating it was a dream come true. They emphasized that the timing felt right to leave, thanking the BBC and everyone involved in the show for their incredible support.
“We will shed tears during our final ‘keep dancing’, but we will continue to say it to each other, probably in our loungewear at home over some pizza. Love, Tess & Claud.”
Below is the detailed lineup for the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special.
Strictly Christmas Special Line-up
Scarlett Moffatt
Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt expressed her excitement about joining the cast of the 2025 Strictly Christmas special. Identifying herself as a “Strictly superfan,” she will be dancing alongside professional dancer Vito Coppola.
The former I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! winner from 2016 mentioned that watching the Christmas special has been a family tradition, and now her “little boy Jude gets to watch his mum.”
When asked about her training, Scarlett said, “Honestly, it’s going even better than I could have imagined. We’ve been laughing non-stop. But I’ve also discovered muscles I never knew I had, and things wobble that I didn’t expect would wobble. Every day is a learning experience, isn’t it?”
Melanie Blatt
Teamed up with Kai Widdrington, All Saints singer Melanie Blatt shared her enthusiasm for joining the show. Melanie gained fame in the 1990s with All Saints, achieving five number one hit singles and two Brit awards.
In recent years, she founded her own gourmet burger business, was a finalist on Celebrity Masterchef, and appeared in various reality TV shows.
Melanie exclaimed, “If you can’t have a dance at Christmas, when can you?! I’m so excited to meet Kai and start training to make this a dance to remember.”
Nicholas Bailey
Famous for portraying Anthony Trueman in Eastenders, Nicholas Bailey is thrilled to trade the cobbled streets for sleek dancing shoes this holiday season.
Paired with professional dancer Luba Mushtuk, Nicholas said, “I’m really excited to be doing this, almost as excited as my wife and daughters are! Hopefully, I’ll do them, Albert Square, and Luba proud. Bring on the dance floor!”
Jodie Ounsley
Known for challenging contestants through the Gladiator trials as Fury, Jodie will be dancing with Neil Jones in the festive edition of the BBC show.
Upon the announcement, the 24-year-old stated, “I’m absolutely buzzing to be doing the Strictly Christmas special. Being the first female rugby player means a lot to me too. I honestly can’t wait to get stuck in. I’m used to smashing into people, so this is definitely going to be a challenge!”
Babatunde Aleshe
Comedian Babatunde Aleshe shared his hopes that his “old moves come back” as he participates in the Christmas special. He said, “I used to do a bit of street locking and break dancing when I was in college, but then I found comedy and pursued that instead.
“At 39, I’ve accepted that a good two-step is all I need to get by at any function, but I know that won’t be enough for Strictly. Let’s hope the old moves come back to me in time for Christmas.”
Babatunde will be partnered up with Nancy Xu when he makes his debut on the Strictly ballroom floor this December.
Brian McFadden
The last celebrity to join the 2025 Strictly Christmas special is former Westlife singer Brian McFadden. Announced on It Takes Two this evening (November 26), Brian will be partnered up with Michelle Tsiakkas.
Speaking to host Janette Manrara, Brian said, “I was really excited because my little daughter Ruby is absolutely obsessed with Strictly this year. So as soon as she comes home from school, it’s back on.
“We watch Saturday’s and Sunday’s every single day, so we’ve really got into it. And then when I got the phone call to do the Christmas Special, I was like ‘you’ve got to be kidding, what about timing for that’? So our household is so excited right now, they’re even watching at home.”
Hi, I’m Benjamin, a member of the Sherburne County Citizen team. With a passion for writing and a deep interest in current affairs, I thoroughly enjoy bringing you the latest news and trends that affect our daily lives.
