Strictly Christmas special cast: full list of stars confirmed for Christmas episode - updating
Strictly has started to announce the cast for its 2025 Christmas special 🎄🎅💃🕺
- Strictly Come Dancing will be back at Christmas.
- The cast has started to be announced by the BBC.
- But which celebs will be taking part in the festive special?
The third celebrity taking part in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special has now been announced. Once again, the iconic show will return for a festive episode in December.
In the coming days and weeks, the cast for the yearly favourite will be announced, but the party has already started. A familiar face has been confirmed as the very first star who has signed-up for Strictly this Christmas.
We will be updating this article as more of the names are confirmed. It could also give a hint for next year’s edition of Strictly as Nitro appeared in the 2024 special before signing up for series 23.
But who is set to appear in the festive episode? Here’s all you need to know:
Full cast of Strictly’s 2025 Christmas special - updating
The cast for the upcoming festive episode - due to arrive in December - is starting to be confirmed. The six couples will be revealed in due course and excitement is building!
We will continue to update this article as more names are announced!
Scarlett Moffatt
Scarlett Moffatt is the first celebrity announced to take part in this year’s festive episode. She revealed the news in a surprise, out-of-the-blue announcement live on Strictly: It Takes Two on Friday (21 November), where she was appearing as a guest on the show’s Friday Panel.
Scarlett will be paired with Strictly Come Dancing Professional Dancer Vito Coppola when she enters the Strictly Christmas ballroom this December. Scarlett is a presenter and TV personality, who first rose to fame alongside her family on Gogglebox before going on to win I’m A Celebrity Get Me Out Of Here! in 2016.
As a presenter, her work includes six series of the BBC Sounds podcast Scarlett Moffatt Wants To Believe, alongside Streetmate, the Channel 4 documentary Britain’s Tourette’s Mystery: Scarlett Moffatt Investigates, and 30 episodes of the cookery show Love Bites.
Scarlett said: “Strictly has always held a special place in my heart, so being part of the Christmas Special feels truly magical. It’s the show that brings everyone together around the TV, and being part of that is a genuine personal and career highlight. I’m sure it’ll also introduce me to a few muscles I didn’t know I had. I can’t wait to live my best life on that dancefloor.”
Melanie Blatt
The second star confirmed for the Strictly Christmas special is Melanie Blatt! She will be paired with professional dancer Kai Widdrington when she enters the Strictly Christmas ballroom this December.
Melanie is a singer and cook, who rose to international fame in the 1990s as a member of the multi-platinum-selling, award-winning All Saints. As part of the band, Melanie had five UK number one hit singles and won two BRIT awards, selling over 10 million albums worldwide.
In recent years Melanie has founded her own gourmet burger business and has appeared on television as a finalist in Celebrity Masterchef, in the second series of Celebrity Race Across The World, on Taskmaster’s New Year Treat, and as a contributor in the documentary series Girlbands Forever.
On joining Strictly Come Dancing this Christmas, Melanie Blatt says: "If you can't have a dance at Christmas, when can you?! I'm so excited to meet Kai and start training to make this a dance to remember."
Jodie Ounsley aka Fury
Rugby star and Gladiators favourite Jodie Ounsley has signed up for the Strictly Christmas special. Following in the footsteps of Nitro, who did the 2024 festive episode.
Jodie is a rugby player, athlete, broadcaster, and advocate for the deaf community. She will be lighting up the Strictly Christmas ballroom alongside her Professional dance partner Neil Jones.
Speaking about the Christmas special, said: “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!”
Six couples in total are set to take place in the Strictly Christmas special in 2025. The stars battle it out under the glitterball to be crowned the Strictly Christmas Champion.
The remaining three celebrities taking part in the 2025 Strictly Christmas special will be announced across this week on Strictly: It Takes Two at 6.30pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
The line-up so far includes:
- Scarlett Moffatt and Vito Coppola
- Melanie Blatt and Kai Widdrington
- Jodie Ounsley aka Fury and Neil Jones
Will Claudia and Tess host the Christmas special?
Announced earlier this year, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman revealed that they will be leaving the show following the end of series 23. However, fans will be happy to hear that they will also host the Christmas special one last time this year.
They will be joined by Head Judge Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke. The judges will all be on hand to dish out sleigh-loads of advice, Christmas cheer and the odd lump of coal - before the voting studio audience will decide who wins.
Expect a winter wonderland full of festive magic, dazzling group dances, live music and more in what will be the perfect antidote to the post-Christmas Dinner slump.
Strictly Come Dancing has scrapped its dance-off this week - but one star has left. Remind yourself what time the show is on this evening (November 23).