Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special 2023 line-up: Confirmed celebrities

History broadcaster Dan Snow, journalist Sally Nugent and EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick will also be getting their dancing shoes on as they enter the Strictly ballroom this December.

Just like the main show, they'll get a professional partner for their festive routine, and will face criticism and scoring by head judge Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke.

There'll be no voting for viewers at home; rather, the in-studio audience will decide the winner on the night.

Read on for all you need to know about the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas 2023 line-up.

Strictly Come Dancing Christmas 2023 line-up

The line-up is now complete for Strictly Come Dancing's Christmas special in 2023.

The six celebrities taking part are:

• Danny Cipriani
• Keisha Buchanan
• Tillie Amartey
• Dan Snow
• Jamie Borthwick
• Sally Nugent

You can find out more about them, including who they'll be dancing with and what they said about taking part, below.

Tillie Amartey

Age: 18

Job: Actress

Instagram: @tillie_thalia

Professional dance partner: Neil Jones

Tillie may be young, but she's already got a pretty hefty acting CV under her belt, having starred in the likes of Almost Never (CBBC), The Teacher (Channel 5) and Jimmy McGovern's Moving On. In the new year, she'll join the cast of Waterloo Road as Stace Neville.

Speaking about joining Strictly Come Dancing for the festive special, Tillie said: "My family have been avid fans of Strictly since forever - so no pressure! The nerves are real, but I am super excited to bring some much-needed joy to the telly while I shimmy and sparkle my two left feet through the Christmas special!"

Danny Cipriani

Age: 36

Job: Rugby star

Instagram: @dannycipriani87

Professional dance partner: Jowita Przystał

Danny Cipriani is best known for his turn in the England international rugby team, and is currently a professional rugby union player. He most recently played for Premiership rugby side Bath, and has also played for Gloucester, Sale Sharks and Wasps.

Cipriani admits he "enjoyed the concept of Strictly", but it wasn't something he thought he'd ever do. "After addressing my own ideas and beliefs, I am very much looking forward to expressing myself through dance with no limitations. Strictly brings joy to everyone’s living rooms, being a part of that for Christmas Day will be special," Cipriani said.

Keisha Buchanan

Age: 39

Job: Pop star

Instagram: @keishabuchanan

Professional dance partner: Gorka Márquez

Keisha is one of the founding members of Sugababes and is behind hits such as Push the Button, Round Round and Too Lost in You. The girl group just sold out the O2 in London and their new single When the Rain Comes has just been released, too.

The star said of her place in the line-up: "I am so excited to be taking part, and over Christmas, too - my favourite time of the year! I am looking forward to learning some new moves and embracing the dance floor!”

Dan Snow

Age: 44

Job: Historian and broadcaster

Instagram: @thehistoryguy

Professional dance partner: Nadiya Bychkova

Dan Snow is a historian, broadcaster and author, best known for founding History Hit in 2016, a digital history broadcaster and publisher. History Hit TV, his subscription on demand channel, won the UK's best Specialist Channel in 2023, while the multi award-winning Dan Snow’s History Hit podcast and the wider podcast network is listened to millions of times a month.

Dan was part of the expedition to find Shackleton’s Endurance shipwreck in Antarctica in 2022, and is always on the hunt for new historical discoveries.

Speaking about his Strictly stint, he said: "I am absolutely terrified about hitting the dance floor. But I love getting out of my comfort zone and I’ve always wanted to learn how to dance properly. So I thought it was now or never!"

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Sally Nugent

Age: 52

Job: Journalist, newsreader and television presenter

Instagram: @sallynugenttv

Professional dance partner: Graziano Di Prima

Sally Nugent is a journalist, newsreader and television presenter.

Since October 2021, she has presented BBC Breakfast along with Naga Munchetty, Charlie Stayt, Jon Kay and Dan Walker, before his departure.
Recently, she's been working with former sports stars who have been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

"I am thrilled and slightly terrified to be taking part in this year’s Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special. I'm hoping the judges will be kind - and filled with Christmas spirit. And I hope everyone watching at home will enjoy a little bit of Strictly magic on Christmas night," she said.

Jamie Borthwick

Age: 29

Job: Actor

Instagram: @jamie_b10

Professional dance partner: Nancy Xu

Jamie Borthwick is an actor, best known for playing Jay Brown in the BBC’s flagship continuing drama EastEnders.

He has won a British Soap Award for Best Dramatic Performance from a Young Actor or Actress, an Inside Soap Award for Best Actor and has been nominated for various other TV accolades.

Jamie has played Jay for over 17 years in the iconic soap.

"I am so excited to be joining the cast of this year's Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special. From Walford to a waltz, I can’t wait to learn a new skill and put my dancing to the test. I’m hoping to spread Christmas cheer and have a good laugh with my professional dancer… Get me on that dance floor!” he said.

The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Christmas Day.

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