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Couples on the couch
La Winkle and Dame Daly make chit-chat with another batch of hoofing novices. Nitro from Gladiators jiggles his pecs, distractingly.
I fear we’re about to hear the word “Bosh!” rather a lot. Arguably too much.
ShareFinal five couples about to drop
We can probably have a good guess at them by process of elimination but let’s not spoil the fun.
Chris gives the class of 2025 some sage advice: “You’re burning a lot of calories so eat what you like. Give Craig as good as he gets. Take the dancing seriously but not yourself too seriously and you’ll have a wonderful time.”
Rise, fall, emotion and a reminder of what heartwarmingly worthy winners they were nine months ago.
Tess gives a lovely shout-out to vocalist Tommy Blaze, a fellow Reds fan, and stalwart Strictly bandleader Dave Arch who is back, baton in hand and bulging dossier of cover versions close to hand.
Updated at 14.57 EDT
It was this waltz which cemented the couple as frontrunners. It also won Most Memorable TV Moment at this year’s BAFTA TV Awards. As Dianne said in her acceptance speech: “This dance meant a lot to Chris. It was Liverpool FC’s anthem and I knew he loved ballroom styles, so I knew I had to choreograph something very special.”
ShareChris and Di’s victory dance
We welcome back to the 2024 glitterball winners. Reigning champions Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell make a triumphant return to the ballroom, reprising their waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone by by Gerry and the Pacemakers.
When they first performed it in week five, with a solo section where Chris walked alone towards Dianne, moved the judges to tears and notched 35 points. It was also their Judges’ Pick in the grand final, where they increased their score from to a perfect 40.
Dianne Buswell and Chris McCausland. Photograph: Guy Levy/PAShare
Choreographic accompaniment comes from Luba Mushtuk, Nancy Xu, Ginger Neil and Gorka “The Corker” Márquez. The’ve all been benched this series, meaning they have no celebrity partner. Instead they’ll be ensemble dancers and provide injury cover. A shame, especially in Nancy’s case #justicefornancy.
ShareMusical interlude from Jessie J
Tonight’s musical guest is Essex songstress Jessica Ellen Cornish, aka Jessie J – firmly on the comeback trail after being diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer and undergoing surgery.
She’s belting out her new single Living My Best Life, which she says reflects of her approach to resilience, healing and positivity. It’s the first salvo fro her upcoming sixth studio album, Don’t Tease Me With a Good Time, out in November.
Jessie J during the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 launch show. Photograph: Guy Levy/PAShare
Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon reveal that their first dance will be a samba to Shake Shake Shake (Shalke Your Booty) by KC & The Synshine Band. Bold. He admits that he’s been wearing good luck underpants which now have so many holes that “there’s not much support left”. Enduring image.
Alex Kingston is all-round excellent and speaks German to win over Motsi Mabuse.
Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola are totally adorable already. He promises to make her pizza for training room snacks. As a Celebrity MasterChef winner, that’s not to be sniffed at.
Vicky Pattison has a lovely turn of phrase. She has “posture like a “croissant” and is “thrilled to ribbons” with new partner Kai.
ShareIt’s Karen and Carlos!
Lioness-turned-sport presenter Karen Carney now finds out who she’ll be marking at sparkly set pieces. England’s third-most-capped women’s footballer is coupled with Carlos Gu. There was speculation that the Brummie wing wizard would form half of Strictly’s first all-female partnership since 2022 but clearly not.
Former Chinese champion Carlos was benched last year but has a good Strictly record, having finished runner-up in his debut year with Molly Rainford and reaching the quarter-final with Angela Scanlon. A competitive couple who could go far. Carlos is sporting new hair and in the VT, a “brave” combo of shorts and boots.
ShareIt’s Balvinder and Julian!
Balvinder Sopal, aka Suki Panesar from EastEnders, is the next celebrity into the sparkly sorting hat. Cue dramatic doof-doofs for her big reveal. The Albert Square matriarch is paired with new Australian pro Julian Caillon. Balvinder was rushed to the physio in training this week after “hearing something pop” in her left glute and hip but soon shook off the injury.
EastEnders has produced three glitterball winners in Jill Halfpenny, Kara Tointon and Rose Ayling-Ellis. Soapy Sopal appears unlikely to join them but her new partner will be keen to impress in his debut series, so let’s see how far she can go.
Updated at 14.48 EDT
It’s Ellie and Vito!
The history-making model and Malory Towers actress is paired with Italian pro Vito Coppola. She was the first ever model with Down’s Syndrome to appear on the cover of Vogue and partnered with Mattel to produce the first Barbie doll with Down’s. Now she’s notching another first by becoming the first contestant with Down’s on the main series of Strictly.
This year’s youngest contestant at 23, she couldn’t be in better hands than Vito’s. He’s reached the final in all three of his series and now bids to make it four in a row. They’re equally energetic, enthusiastic and endearingly over-excited. What chance a groundbreaking glitterball win?
ShareIt’s Alex and Jojo!
Who’ll be treading the Strictly boards with Alex Kingston? “Spoilers, sweetie” as River Song would say. The stage and screen actor – best known for Doctor Who and ER – is paired with popular South African pro Johannes Radebe.
A classy pairing. At 62, she’s the field’s oldest female and Johannes is great with a mature female. He worked wonders two years ago with Annabel Croft and is on something of a hot streak in recent series. Alex’s reaction is priceless, mainly comprising screaming. Rather brilliantly, her press statement upon her unveiling was simply “Aaaaagghhh!” I love these two already.
ShareIt’s Vicky and Kai!
Howay the lass, who will be paired with Vicky Pattison? Let’s find out, pet. The reality TV favourite is paired with home-grown pro Kai Widdrington.
The Geordie Shore alumnus was crowned Queen of the Jungle on I’m a Celebrity. A decade later, can she reign over the dancefloor? Nerves might be one of her big hurdles. She’s admitted to being “buzzing but terrified” and said she came “close to having a panic attack” when she went on-set for the first time. Bless her. I’m a fan, so fingers crossed. She’s already joked that this launch show was “was the worst experience of my life”, claiming that it made her “cripplingly aware of how s***e you are” and saying she felt like a “sausage in a skin”.
After being bafflingly left on the subs’ bench last year, Southampton-born Kai will have high hopes of reaching his second final. These two should get on famously. Another couple who could go far.
Vicky Pattison. Photograph: PAShare