Strictly fans spot ‘clue’ pro dancer has landed celeb partner for Xmas special after ‘snub’
STRICTLY Come Dancing fans have spotted a huge clue as to which pro has bagged the first celeb partner for this year’s Christmas special.
In just a few weeks time, six brand new famous faces will have signed up to the show’s festive special to be screened on Christmas Day.
Whilst the celebs in question have been kept a closely guarded secret by the BBC, fans have already begun to speculate which of the pros could find themselves waltzing around the ballroom floor this Christmas.
One pro who could find himself partnering a celeb is Kai Widdrington.
The star, who performed alongside TV legend Angela Rippon last year, saw himself benched for the current run of the show and has only featured in group dances.
It is common for many of the pros who failed to bag a partner in the main run to be given a celebrity for the Xmas outing but fans have spotted an even bigger clue which could put Kai firmly in the frame.
Listings appear to show that the BBC will record this year’s Christmas special on the 3rd of December.
Dancer Kai is booked to appear in a major panto at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool from the 17th December which fans think proves he has enough time to rehearse and film the Christmas special before heading off to his panto practise.
The star will also be contracted to the BBC programme until the date of the finale despite not receiving a celeb pairing during the main run.
One fan suggested that Kai would have enough time to fulfil both projects as they wrote online: “I guess it depends on how much rehearsal time he’ll need for the pantomime, the special is filmed very early in December though so rehearsal time for that might not overlap.”
The 29-year-old appeared to suggest he was unhappy at not being given a celeb partner for the show’s run earlier this year.
He told the Daily Star: “Everyone wants to get a celebrity.
“Unfortunately it wasn’t my time this series. Two boys couldn’t have one this series and sadly I am one of them.
“Some of us don’t get partners and that’s the way it is.
“Let’s see what happens next year. Hopefully I’ll get one then.”
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Gorka Marquez joined Strictly Come Dancing as a professional dancer in 2016 when he was partnered with EastEnders actress Tameka Empson. The following year he was partnered with singer Alexandra Burke. They reached the final and finished as one of the runners-up.
In 2020, he was partnered with actress Maisie Smith. Again, he made it to the final and finished as a runner-up.
He failed to make it third time lucky in 2022, finishing runner-up again with Helen Skelton.
Nadiya Bychkova joined the show in 2017 with EastEnders actor Davood Ghadami. The pair reached Week 11, finishing in 6th place.
Her best performance to date came in 2021 when she finished fifth with Dan Walker.
Neil Jones has been without a celebrity partner more times than he’s had one since joining in 2016.
His best finish was with ex-footballer Alex Scott in 2019, finishing in fifth.
Katya Jones was another 2016 addition and made an instant impression with politician Ed Balls. Their Gangnam Style routine is still a favourite to this day.
In 2017 she lifted the Glitterball with Joe McFadden.
The following year she was at the heart of a show scandal after snogging her dance partner, the comedian Seann Walsh.
Karen Hauer has been an ever-present since 2012.
Despite her lengthy association with the show, she’s never lifted the Glitterball. The closest she came was in 2020 when she finished runner-up with Jamie Laing.