When is Strictly: The Christmas Countdown on TV?
Strictly Come Dancing will be back this Christmas for some festive fun!
Series 18 of Strictly might have only just wrapped up, with comedian Bill Bailey taking home the Glitterball, but there's lots more Strictly Come Dancing left to be seen this year!
This Christmas, viewers will be treated to some Strictly festive fun with a one-off special.
Strictly: The Christmas Countdown will take viewers through 16 years of the hit show and will reveal some of the most iconic performances of all time.
So, when is it on? And what can we expect? Here's everything you need to know.
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When is Strictly: The Christmas Countdown on TV?
Strictly: The Christmas Countdown will air on Christmas Day at 4.45pm on BBC One.
Will there be a Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special this year?
In light of the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, there won't be a traditional Strictly Christmas special this year in which previous contestants return to perform a festive-themed number.
However, BBC One will instead be airing Strictly: The Christmas Countdown which, in a similar vein to the Strictly: The Best Of... series broadcast earlier this year, will highlight some of the most memorable dances in the show's history, with commentary from Tess Daly, Claudia Winkleman, the judges, the professionals and Strictly alumni.
What is Strictly: The Christmas Countdown?
Strictly will be approaching its Christmas special a little differently this year in light of COVID, with the show looking back on the 25 host memorable dances of all time as voted by the British public.
"From the perfect 40s, the trophy-winning routines and dances that have made us laugh - this show will have it all," the BBC teases.
For those who'll be craving even more Strictly content following the series 18 final, not to worry – the special will be kicking off with a brand new Christmas-themed number from the Strictly professionals.
Strictly: The Christmas Countdown hosts
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will be returning to host Strictly's Christmas Countdown, while the show's judges, alumni and professional dancers assist them in revealing the most iconic routines in Strictly history.
Who will appear on Strictly: The Christmas Countdown?
As well as Tess and Claudia, singer Alesha Dixon will be returning for the Strictly Xmas special.
Dixon - who now works as a judge on Britain's Got Talent - won the dance show in 2007 and went on to become a judge on the panel from 2009 to 2013.
She will commentate on the 75-minute long show, alongside Ed Balls, Alesha Dixon, Jay McGuiness, Ore Oduba, Mark Ramprakash, Ashley Roberts, Jake Wood and Karim Zeroual.
Strictly: The Christmas Countdown will air on Christmas Day. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide.
