Strictly Christmas special adds final celebrity to line-up

CBeebies presenter George Webster is the sixth and final contestant to be revealed for the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special. The 22-year-old will be paired with professional dancer Amy Dowden when he takes to the dancefloor during the festive version of the BBC One show.

Webster made history when he became the first presenter on CBeebies with Down Syndrome last year and recently won a Bafta Award for his hosting role. Born in Leeds, he is also a stage and screen actor and featured in 2022’s The Railway Children Return.

His upcoming acting credits also include children’s TV show Something Special, medical drama Casualty and war series World on Fire. After the news was revealed on Friday evening on Strictly’s spin-off show It Takes Two, Webster said: “I love Strictly and have watched it every year.

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“I’ve always dreamed of being on the show one year and I’m so excited to be on this year’s Christmas Special! To be partnered with Amy is such an honour, we get on so well, she’s so lovely and an amazing dancer.

“I’m looking forward to being 'Strictlyfied'. Bring on the glitter and everything else. I can’t wait to perform on the Strictly dancefloor.”

Webster completes the festive line-up which also includes Girls Aloud’s Nicola Roberts partnered with professional dancer Giovanni Pernice; actor Larry Lamb with professional dancer Nadiya Bychkova; soap actress Alexandra Mardell with Kai Widdrington; DJ Rickie Haywood-Williams with Luba Mushtuk; and podcaster Rosie Ramsey who will be partnered with Neil Jones.

Roberts, who is best known for being one fifth of the hit girl band Girls Aloud, was revealed earlier on Friday during Zoe Ball’s BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show. Discussing her upcoming appearance on the dance competition, she said: “It’s truly an honour to be part of Strictly, but to be invited on to the prestigious Christmas Day episode is something very special indeed.

“They’ve promised me extra glitter, sparkle and frosting, all wrapped up together with a big bow on top. What more could a girl wish for at Christmas?!”

The show will see the six couples perform festive-inspired routines in a bid to be crowned Christmas champion 2022. Judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Shirley Ballas will return for the special episode.
• The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Christmas Day.
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