The glittering grand final of Strictly Come Dancing 2025 will take place this Saturday without one of its most talked-about former contestants. Thomas Skinner, the 34-year-old star of The Apprentice, has confirmed he will not be returning for the traditional group dance involving all this year's eliminated celebrities.
Prior Commitment Forces Final No-Show
Despite the show's convention of having every contestant reunite for the finale, Skinner has a prior engagement that clashes with the live recording on Saturday, 20th December. His professional partner, the beloved Amy Dowden, will however be present to perform alongside her fellow dancers and the other returning celebrities.
The businessman was the first to be voted off the BBC flagship show earlier in the series after dancing to Dizzee Rascal's 'Bonkers' with Dowden. His early exit stands in stark contrast to the journey of the finalists, who include West End star Amber Davies with Nikita Kuzmin, YouTuber George Clarke with Alexis Warr, Lioness Karen Carney with Carlos Gu, and the last-minute replacement Amber, who stepped in after Dani Dyer's injury.
A Series Marred by Controversy
Skinner's short stint on Strictly was overshadowed by a succession of headlines focusing on his behaviour away from the ballroom. Before the series even launched, he faced significant backlash for posting a selfie with US Vice President JD Vance.
His time was further blighted by an incident where he stormed out of the Strictly press launch and snatched a journalist's mobile phone. In a deeply personal scandal, he also admitted to cheating on his wife just weeks after their wedding. Additionally, The Mirror reported that one of his companies had not repaid a £50,000 Covid bounce back loan.
The Final Showdown and Emotional Journeys
While Skinner will be absent, the final promises high drama and emotion. Amber Davies recently broke down in tears on spin-off show It Takes Two, overwhelmed by her journey from a last-minute phone call to the final. "I can't believe I'm here," she said. "I'm just over the moon. I don't want it to be over."
She secured her place after a tense dance-off against EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal, who was eliminated after an impressive six dance-offs. Sopal's professional partner, Julian Caillon, praised her as embodying the spirit of the competition, stating she had shown him he was "dreaming too small."
Other stars from the Class of 2025, including Geordie Shore's Vicky Pattison, Emmerdale's Lewis Cope, Doctor Who's Alex Kingston, drag queen La Voix, Ross King, and Gladiator Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, are all expected to return for the grand finale's group performance.
