Scarlett Moffatt and her professional partner Vito Coppola have been crowned the champions of this year's Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special. The duo triumphed over five other celebrity contestants in the festive edition of the hit BBC show, securing their victory with a flawless performance.
A Festive Battle for the Glitterball
The one-off Christmas special featured a star-studded line-up competing for the title of Strictly Christmas Champion. The contestants included comedian Babatunde Aléshé, 39, singer Brian McFadden, 45, Gladiators star Jodie Ounsley, 24, All Saints legend Melanie Blatt, 50, and EastEnders actor Nicholas Bailey, 54. Each performed a festive routine hoping to impress the judges and viewers at home.
Scarlett, 35, and Vito, 33, danced a vibrant Cha Cha to Cher’s DJ Play A Christmas Song. Their routine was met with a standing ovation and the ultimate accolade: a perfect score of 40 out of 40 from judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Oti Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke.
Perfect Score and Emotional Reactions
Upon being announced as the winners, an elated Scarlett Moffatt, who first found fame on Channel 4's Gogglebox, exclaimed: 'This is amazing! I feel like I should have prepared a speech!' She added, 'This is honestly the greatest gift that could have ever happened at Christmas. We’ve all just had the best time!'
Speaking about their winning dance before the show, Vito Coppola revealed the challenges they faced. 'Our dance is a Cha Cha Cha and is a pure celebration,' he said. 'Honestly, the choreography is quite challenging. I have tried to challenge Scarlett. It's very quick. It's faster than a normal Cha Cha tempo, but we can do it!'
Scarlett described the energetic routine, noting, 'There's a lot of spins, a lot of silver, and it's just very camp! It's like a club scene, I spin around in a big bauble, I get thrown around - it's full on! But still very technical.' Vito emphasised their goal was to create a performance that invited the audience to join in, spreading 'joy, happiness and sparkle'.
Strong Competition and a Fond Farewell
The other couples delivered impressive performances, keeping the competition fierce. Brian McFadden and his partner Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, scored an incredible 39 for their Jive to Run Run Rudolf. Nicholas Bailey and Luba Mushtuk, 36, also received 39 points for their elegant Viennese Waltz to It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year.
The scores for the remaining contestants were:
- Babatunde Aléshé and Nancy Xu: 35 for a Charleston.
- Melanie Blatt and Kai Widdrington: 36 for an American Smooth.
- Jodie Ounsley and Neil Jones: 37 for a Street Commercial routine.
The show was also a poignant farewell for hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who returned to present the special after it was announced in October they were leaving the main series. Dressed in festive white, the duo shared an emotional hug on screen, receiving applause from the cast. In a touching segment, Tess was gifted an Argentine Tango with pro dancer Aljaž Škorjanec, while Claudia received a Love Actually-inspired gift from musical director Dave Arch.
The episode was packed with festive group dances, including routines to Kelly Clarkson's Grown Up Christmas List and We Need A Little Christmas from Mame, ensuring a truly celebratory end to the year for Strictly fans.
