Cliff Notes – Strictly Come Dancing legend makes surprise return for 2025 BBC series
- Dianne Buswell and Chris McCausland, last year’s winners, will perform their Bafta-winning waltz, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” during the launch show of the new series.
- Chris, the first blind contestant on the show, praised Strictly for its progressive representation and commitment to inclusivity in mainstream media.
- Dianne is set to make history as the first contestant to perform while pregnant, having announced her pregnancy with boyfriend Joe Sugg.
Strictly Come Dancing legend makes surprise return for 2025 BBC series
Diane Buswell and Chris McCausland are heating up the dance floor in a surprise Strictly return (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy)
Strictly Come Dancing fans rejoice! Winners Dianne Buswell and Chris McCausland will be taking to the ballroom floor once again.
The 2024 victors became firm fan-favourites after an awe-inspiring journey last year on the BBC series, which ended in the pair triumphantly lifting the glitterball trophy.
Their waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone not only managed to bring the nation to tears but also secured them the Bafta TV Memorable Moment Award as fans everywhere praised Chris for thriving on the dance floor alongside pro Dianne two decades after losing his sight.
For those who can’t get enough of the dynamic dancing duo, you’re in luck, as they’ll be reprising this very waltz for the launch show on Saturday evening.
The comedian, 48, was the first blind contestant on the show, and spoke about how ‘ahead of the curve’ the series is when it comes to representation earlier this week.
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‘We are now at the point where representation across mainstream programme, which is always what I said I wanted, is so marching in the right direction,
The duo will be performing their Bafta-winning waltz, You’ll Never Walk Alone (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy)
Chris recently praised Strictly’s trailblazing representation while Dianne shared an exciting life update (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy)
‘And Strictly has always been ahead of the curve in that regard, wanting to push boundaries and wanting to represent,’ he said at the Royal Television Society Convention.
Meanwhile, Dianne is making history of her own this year as the first star to perform while pregnant. The Aussie dancer announced she was expecting a son in 2026 with her ex-Strictly partner turned boyfriend Joe Sugg.
Accepting the Bafta earlier this year, Dianne said on stage: ‘In one minute and 30 seconds of a dance, I feel like this told such a story. A story of hope, determination, resilience, and vulnerability, all in that one minute 30.’
The pair happily toted the glitterball trophy last year (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)
As well as Dianne and Chris’s trip down memory lane, the first show will also reveal who our 15 new celebrities will be paired with after plenty of anticipation as they all hit the dance floor for the first time.
Jessie J will also have an exclusive performance, as co-hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman guide viewers through one of the most exciting nights of the year for the BBC.
The star-studded line-up for this year’s competition includes Neighbours icon Stefan Dennis, JLS star JB Gill, former England rugby captain Chris Robshaw, TV personality Dani Dyer and Doctor Who actor Alex Kingston – to name a few.
The launch show will also reveal who our celebrities are paired up with (Picture: BBC)
One celeb, Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, did tell Metro he felt he was at a ‘bit of an advantage’ thanks to the fact that he competed in the festive special last year.
Expanding on what he gained, and didn’t gain, from the experience, he added: ‘In one sense, I know what to expect given the audience, but I didn’t actually get to learn a dance.
‘I was coming off the back of my knee injury, so I wasn’t allowed to do too much.’
Strictly Come Dancing returns this Saturday at 6:40pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.*
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