Jodie Ounsley becomes third celebrity to join Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2025 line-up
These are the celebrities who will be rockin' around the ballroom this ChristmasStrictly Come Dancing is returning with a brand new Christmas Special – and here is the line-up so far.
The ballroom will once again be lit up with thousands of twinkling fairy lights for the festive special.
There will be six couples taking part in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special, each comprising one famous face and a Strictly pro.
Here’s who is in the line-up so far.
Strictly Christmas Special 2025: Scarlett Moffatt joins line-up
We are motoring towards Christmas now and bosses at Strictly are finally revealing the names for the Christmas Special line-up.
The first celebrity to be announced was Scarlett Moffatt. The Googlebox star’s identity was revealed on Strictly Come Dancing’s companion show, It Takes Two.
Scarlett had been on the guest panel when she suddenly revealed her news. She told Janette Manrara: “I’m so excited, I am officially this year’s first Strictly Christmas special contestant!”
The star, 35, went on: “Honestly, I just keep crying all the time. I can say it out loud now. I’m so excited.”
Scarlett says she is especially looking forward to her son Jude, two, seeing his mummy on the Strictly Christmas Special. It was confirmed she will be partnered with Vito Coppola.
However, not all fans agree with her signing. Scarlett is a former competitive ballroom dancer. She competed during her childhood and teens and previously said it would be “unfair” if she was on Strictly.
We wonder how everyone else in the competition will feel?!
Melanie Blatt: Strictly Christmas Special star
Melanie Blatt is the second celebrity to be confirmed for this year’s Strictly Christmas Special. Her name was announced on Scott Mills’ Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2.
She will be partnered with Kai Widdrington in the festive show.
Mel, 50, is best known for starring in the 90s pop band, All Saints. She was in the band with Shaznay Lewis and Natalie and Nicole Appleton and they dominated the charts for a time.
Only recently, Mel appeared in the BBC Two documentary, Girlbands Forever. She is now friends with her former bandmates but revealed they had an epic fallout when the group split.
Speaking about Strictly, Mel said: “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.”
This isn’t Melanie’s first dalliance in BBC reality TV. She previously made it to the final in Celebrity MasterChef and competed in Celebrity Race Across the World.
Jodie Ounsley aka Fury from Gladiators becomes the third celeb to sign up for Christmas special
Tonight’s edition of Strictly: It Takes Two saw Jodie Ounsley, aka Fury from Gladiators revealed as the third celebrity to be taking part in this year’s Christmas special.
Bringing Gladiator, rugby player, and deaf advocate Jodie out on It Takes Two, Fleur East gushed, “This is cool!”
“Tell me about it!” Jodie exclaimed.
When asked why she’d decided to do the show, Jodie said that after seeing Montell Douglas on the show, she thought she’d give it a go!
It was also revealed she will be dancing with Neil Jones in the festive special.
She then issued her fellow competitors a threat.
“Watch out Scarlett, cos I’m coming after you love!” Jodie warned Scarlett Moffatt as her interview came to an end.
When is the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special
In keeping with tradition, the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Christmas Day. The Beeb is yet to announce the time it is on, but except to see in on screens in the early evening.
The festive show, as usual, is pre-recorded. This means there won’t be a public vote.
Instead, judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse will decide who lifts the Christmas Glitterball Trophy.
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will host the Special. But it will be a sad occasion, as it is the pair’s final Strictly presenting gig before they leave the show for good. Sob!
Read more: Inside the Strictly Blackpool wrap party as Tess and Claudia down tequila and say goodbye
