Strictly Come Dancing viewers were left emotional during the live final after the show paid a heartfelt tribute to professional dancer Dianne Buswell, who is pregnant. Buswell, who partnered with former Neighbours star Stefan Dennis this series, made history as the first contestant to compete on the show while pregnant.
During the final, the eliminated couples returned for a group dance. When Buswell and Dennis performed their segment, the show first honoured Dennis's time on Neighbours by framing them as if in the soap's title credits. The tribute continued with the on-screen text: 'Starring Stefan, Dianne and Bump!' — a clear nod to Buswell's pregnancy.
The gesture moved many viewers to tears. One fan wrote on X: ''And Bump' is the moment I burst out crying, oh my God I'm such a wreck.' Another said: 'Dianne and bump I'm sobbing!!' Others defended Buswell, with one commenter saying she deserved her own trophy for showing that pregnancy should not stop someone from pursuing their passions.
Throughout the series, Buswell faced criticism and scrutiny over her decision to continue dancing while pregnant. Concerns were raised about the physical demands of the routines, but Buswell had received medical clearance from her doctor. She hit back at trolls on social media, sharing a video of herself doing a cartwheel with the caption: 'For all those people saying they can't watch a pregnant girl dance! I just can't help it when I hear the beat.'
Buswell also addressed comments about her age and the BBC's decision to allow her to compete, writing on Instagram Stories: 'I have honestly had enough of comments like these.' After Dennis exited the show due to injury, some fans suggested the departure was staged to protect Buswell and her baby. She denied this, saying: 'Please respect Stefan who is extremely gutted to not be able to dance and stop presuming this was a set up!'
