Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2023 – Everything you need to know

Published: 14 December 2023

Strictly Come Dancing, produced by BBC Studios returns to the Ballroom which will be transformed into a magical winter wonderland for an all-star Christmas special that promises to dazzle audiences with a magical blend of dance, glitter, and festive cheer as six brand new celebrity contestants take to the floor in a bid to be crowned Christmas Champion 2023.

Each of the six couples will perform a festive fuelled routine with the hope of impressing the judges, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke, Head Judge Shirley Ballas, and the voting studio audience. But who will emerge the Christmas star of the evening, and lift the sought after Christmas trophy?

When is the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special on?

Join Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman for the Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 25 December from 4.40pm. Our six stars take to the floor in a bid to be crowned Christmas Champion 2023. Will the judges be naughty or nice this year?

Sam Ryder performs in the ballroom and there are also two spectacular group routines guaranteed to bring Christmas cheer.

Who are the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas 2023 celebrities? Strictly Come Dancing Christmas 2023 contestants. Top left to right – Dan Snow, Sally Nugent and Jamie Borthwick. Bottom left to right – Tillie Amartey, Danny Cipriani and Keisha Buchanan

And here they are… your Strictly Christmas stars! History broadcaster, best-selling author and entrepreneur Dan Snow was first to be announced, followed by BBC Breakfast’s Sally Nugent, who has covered some of the biggest news and sport stories of the last 20 years.

Actor Jamie Borthwick, best known for playing Jay Brown in the BBC’s flagship continuing drama EastEnders, was the third celebrity revealed and actress Tillie Amartey, who will be hitting our screens as Stace Neville in BBC One’s Waterloo Road, was fourth.

Former England International and current professional Rugby Union player Danny Cipriani was the fifth Strictly Christmas celeb announced and finally, singer songwriter Keisha Buchanan, a founding member of platinum selling, critically acclaimed, girl group Sugababes, (round) rounded out the line-up as celebrity number six.

Who are the Strictly Christmas Special pro dancers? Top left to right: Nadiya Bychkova, Graziano Di Prima, Nancy, Xu. Bottom left to right: Neil Jones, Jowita Przystal, Gorka Marquez

Nadiya Bychkova, Graziano Di Prima, Nancy Xu, Neil Jones, Jowita Przystal and Gorka Marquez are your Strictly Christmas professional dancers for 2023.

Dan Snow will dance with Nadiya, Sally Nugent is paired with Graziano and Jamie Borthwick will hit the ballroom floor with Nancy. Tillie Amartey’s paired with Neil, Danny Cipriani’s dancing with Jowita and Keisha Bunchanan’s professional partner is Gorka Marquez.