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Our Strictly finalists™
The three pairings come out for welcome waves. Not much fancy dress but their outfits do offer clues to their first dances. Peaky Blinders for Kaz. Nikita currently has a top on but that might well change *oils up*.
ShareGrand entrance by the judges
The esteemed paddle-raising panel arrive in best bib-and-tucker for the last time this series. Motsi Mabuse in fabulous gold with a huge bow (twinkle winkle indeed). Shirley Ballas in a black gown accessorised with home-made Bacofoil Christmas decoration. Anton Du Beke and Craig Revel Horwood have been using their Moss Bros loyalty cards and are in matching cream tuxedos.
ShareFrockwatch
Here come our hostly duo, so time for the last ever live couture comparison. Sniffle. Tess Daly is rose-gold sequins with one shoulder. Asymmetric at both ends, obv. Claudia Winkleman in a classic black tuxedo suit. No winners or losers, just love.
This is rather rousing, despite the soundtrack being a bit like a Jive Bunny Eurodisco medley.
The three finalists make their entrance on a UFO-type contraption, sparks-flying, and join in the fun. Because what they really needed this week was a fourth dance to learn.
SharePros open the show in style
The choreographic action kicks off with a dazzling group routine from our professional dancers. It’s a riot of pink with Johannes Radebe leading the way.
Roll the traditional VT to crank up the drama. Moody shots! Bombastic voiceovers! Glitterball dreams!
ShareAaaaand we’re off!
Our last chance to enjoy this year’s title sequence. What’s your favourite bit? For me, it’s a dance-off between Ellie Goldstein’s har-toss, Ross King’s Carry On face and La Voix pushing Aljaž Škorjanec out of shot. We’ll be seeing all but one of these couples again shortly, of course.
Refresh drinks, stock up on snacks and strap in. We’re about to go over live to the Elstree Studios ballroom for the last time this series…
ShareWarm up with a Strictly stat attack
Just time for a few swift pre-final factoids. Amber Davies is the highest scorer in the competition overall with 461 points so far – 35 points ahead of anyone else. There’s only 12 points between Karen Carney in second place and George Clarke in third.
Amber has received 17 perfect 10s this series. Karen’s got 16 and George just five. Craig Revel Horwood has only given out six maximums, while his fellow judges are all up in the high teens. However, it’s still Craig’s most generous-scoring series ever.
Buckle up, it’s ballroom blast-off in a mere five minutes…
Supermatch game, supermatch game! The Blankety Blank Christmas Special is just wrapping up on BBC1. Our own Motsi Mabuse is among the celebrity blank-fillers. She currently seems to be trying to make the phrase “twinkle winkle” happen.
Shame that host Bradley Walsh didn’t inherit Terry Wogan’s trademark wand mic. Not long to wait now…
ShareGlittery goodbyes and tear-streaked fake tan
Tonight marks a bittersweet milestone as longtime co-hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman bid farewell to the show they’ve hosted for 21 and 15 years respectively. Keep tissues close to hand. It could be a lip-wobbler.
This is only their live swansong, though. They’ll be back on our screens to present the pre-recorded festive special on Christmas Day.
Start plumping your sparkliest sofa cushions, it’s 10 minutes until the clock strikes sequins…
ShareOn your dance cards tonight
We’ll see a textbook Strictly pick ’n’ mix of styles in tonight’s final. There’s just one traditional ballroom routine (George’s Viennese waltz), one Argentine tango (from Karen), a pair of jives (from Karen and Amber) and a pair of paso dobles (from George and Amber) – plus of course, those three eagerly awaited showdances.
Start some light stretching and crisp consumption. It’s 15 minutes until grand final o’clock…
Updated at 13.54 EST
Let’s play Strictly final bingo
Tick them off when you spot them on screen! Take a drink for each! Wake up under the Christmas tree in a blind panic that you’ve slept until Boxing Day! Here’s your last 10-point spotter’s guide of the series…
Craig deems a dance “one word: a-may-zing” or “one word: fab-u-lous”
Carlos Gu cries, which sets off Jojo Radebe, then everybody else
Tess tells a celebrity “the crowd are on their feet” or “look at your little face”
A Lioness or YouTuber cheers on their friend from the front row of the studio audience
Celeb describes their “journey” as a “rollercoaster” or “the best experience of my life”
Heartstring-tugging messages from loved ones precision-tooled to make the finalists cry on-camera
Julian Caillon or Nikita Kuzmin gets their bare chest out
A finalist unconvincingly insists they don’t care about the result because “I’m already a winner”
Celeb describes their pro partner as “part of the family” or “a friend for life”
Ginger Neil or Katya Jones manoeuvre their way to the front of Clauditorium to hog the camera
ShareOne celeb missing from group number
The final traditionally sees the complete cast return to the ballroom one last time for a riotous group dance. However, there’ll be one absentee tonight: Thomas “Tommy Bosh” Skinner, who’s alleging that the elimination result was rigged. He’s reportedly suing the BBC for suppressing his votes. I suspect the BBC’s lawyers are too busy suppressing their laughter.
Anyway, the ex-Apprentice candidate has effectively fired himself, pulling out of tonight’s show. No great loss hoofing-wise – he was first out, if you recall – but a shame for his pro partner Amy Dowden. She really does have no luck.
Twenty minutes until we go from boardroom to ballroom…
Updated at 13.41 EST
Kaz Carney is red hot bookies’ favourite
The former Lioness is the odds-on with bookmakers to lift the twinkly trophy tonight. George Clarke is their second favourite, with Amber Davies as the rank outsider. But will voting viewers agree? We’ll get our first choreographic clues in 25 minutes…
ShareThree couples, three chances to impress
Our finalists will perform three routines apiece tonight: their own favourite from the series, a dance chosen by the judges and, of course, the only one us viewers haven’t seen before: their anything-goes showdance.
It’s a chance to show off what they’ve learned over the past 13 weeks and for their pro partners to flex their choreography muscles. There are no rules and no limits on how many styles they can combine. Tricks, lifts and gimmicks are positively encouraged, so expect our pairings to throw everything at their last chance to wow.
Can. Not. Wait. But we must. It’s half-an-hour until the sparkly curtain comes up…
ShareWho’ll get the glitterball trophy for a Christmas gift?
We started with 15 pro-celebrity pairs and now we’re down to just three. Over 13 weeks, 125 couple’s dances have lit up the BBC ballroom. Now the 23rd series draws to a close with three last dances apiece and only one glitterball winner. That’s a lot of numbers – and we’re about to see even more.
Good evening and welcome to the big one. Yes, it’s the grand finale of Strictly Come Dancing 2025. I’m Michael, your cyber dance partner for tonight’s showpiece occasion. I’d love you to watch along with me as our finalists pull out all the sparkly stops in their quest to lift that coveted, if slightly gaudy, trophy.
Last week’s semi-final saw record-breaking comeback queen Balvinder Sopal finally bite the dust, leaving us with our final three. Karen Carney is bookies’ favourite, followed by the popular George Clarke, with three-time dance-off survivor Amber Davies the outside bet. Yet the judging panel’s scores are purely for guidance and the result is solely down to the public vote, so anything could happen on the night. Who will succeed Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell as your champions?
Tonight’s epic live spectacular also sees boyband 5ive performing in the ballroom and the Strictly class of 2025 reuniting for one last razzle-dazzle number. It promises to be a rousing crescendo to another cracking series.
It’s showtime at 7pm on BBC One. I’ll be liveblogging from 6.30pm, providing build-up, rolling coverage, analysis, reaction, nerdy stats and ballroom backchat. So for the last Saturday night of the year, pour yourself a pre-festive libation, raid the Christmas snack cupboard and I’ll see you on the sofa.
As always, I’d love to hear from you too. You can tweet me @michaelhogan, contact me on Bluesky or Threads @michaelhogan100, email me michael.hogan.freelance@guardian.co.uk and the comments section below is open for grand final conflab. I’ll study it like Craig Revel Horwood looking for Charleston swivel and quote a selection of your comments up top.
It’s the ballroom’s big night and things could be tight. Nearly time to staaaaart glitterball-winning!