EastEnders star Nicholas Bailey has officially been announced as a contestant for the highly anticipated Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2025. The 54-year-old actor, famed for playing Dr. Anthony Trueman in the BBC soap, will take to the dancefloor in the festive edition of the popular competition.
A Festive Partnership
Bailey will be paired with professional dancer Luba Mushtuk for the one-off special, which airs on BBC One and iPlayer on Christmas Day. Expressing his enthusiasm, the actor joked, "I'm really excited to be doing this, almost as excited as my wife and daughters are!" He added, "Hopefully, I'll do them, Albert Square and Luba proud. Bring on the dancefloor."
Nicholas Bailey first appeared in Albert Square over two decades ago, with his character Anthony Trueman becoming a regular fixture until 2003. He made a return to EastEnders earlier this year for the wedding of his on-screen father, Patrick Trueman, played by Rudolph Walker, to Yolande, portrayed by Angela Wynter.
Who Else Is Dancing This Christmas?
Bailey is part of a star-studded festive line-up. He joins the ranks of All Saints singer Melanie Blatt, Gogglebox's Scarlett Moffatt, and Gladiator star Jodie Ounsley. The final two celebrities set to compete will be revealed later this week on the sister show, Strictly: It Takes Two, airing at 6:30pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.
In total, six couples will vie for the title of Christmas Champion 2025, with the judging panel consisting of Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke. The show will be hosted, as ever, by the presenting duo of Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.
A Fond Farewell to Beloved Hosts
This year's Christmas Special, however, will be a poignant one for Strictly fans, as it marks the final official outing for hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly. The pair shocked viewers in October by announcing they would be stepping down from their hosting duties once the current season concludes.
Daly, 56, has been at the helm of the main show for an impressive 21 years, while Winkleman, 53, joined her as co-presenter in 2014, after previously hosting It Takes Two for a decade. Their departure has sparked widespread speculation about who will replace them, with names like Holly Willoughby, Paddy McGuinness, and Zoe Ball being rumoured as potential successors.
The special promises a dose of festive glitter and glamour, with last year's champions, drag artist Tayce and professional Kai Widdrington, having set a high standard for entertainment.
