This year the ladies tripping the light fantastic are: Singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Actress Lisa Riley and S Club 7’s Rachel Stevens. The gentlemen set to do battle of the ballroom alongside them are: Olympic Gymnast Louis Smith, TV presenter Chris Hollins and Astrologer Russell Grant.

This year’s Christmas show will have a special pantomime theme, with all of our Christmas stars taking on iconic roles from some of the UK’s favourite pantos. Professional dancers Aljaž Skorjanec, Robin Windsor and Tristan MacManus will partner the female celebrities, and Aliona Vilani, Iveta Lukosiute and Joanne Clifton will partner the male celebrities.

The pairings are as follows:

•Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Aljaž Skorjanec
•Lisa Riley and Robin Windsor
•Rachel Stevens and Tristan MacManus
•Louis Smith and Aliona Vilani
•Chris Hollins and Iveta Lukosiute
•Russell Grant and Joanne Clifton


All six couples will perform a yuletide routine in a bid to be crowned 2014 Christmas champions and lift the famous silver star trophy. Let us know who you are looking forward to returning to the Strictly dancefloor!

Bit of an unfair advantage on Lisa and Robin

I so wish Rachel was dancing with Vincent .

Anyone know when it's recorded and anyone got tickets? Not impressed with the line up with the exception of Sophie and Aliajz.

Monday 1st December.

Thanks for reply. Will look out for spoilers on the 1 Dec

Im a bit disappointed and underwhelmed with that line-up

the bonus I suppose is Ian doing pro dance with Natalie

Really looking forward to seeing Louis and Aliona paired together as Louis is my favourite ever celeb

Yes I am looking forward to this and as most of my favorite pros are in the special I,m not too bothered who the celebs are

So happy to see Sophie back she was my fave from last year and one of my fave singers

A good selection of professionals.

Poor selection of celebs.

Joanne gets another duffer. I'm starting to feel sorry for her.

Poor Joanne, she's having no luck with celebs! Hope she's not the female Tristan/Anton!

Thank god they are bringing back celebs rather than finding new ones. The xmas specials used to be really good before they started doing that.

The People's Champion returns

Look forward to seeing Rachel and Sophie, but certainly not Lisa and Russell.

Looking forward to this, I am looking forward to see Tristan and Rachael, Sophie and Aljax and Chris and Iveta

Well the People's Champion will be enough to make me bring up my turkey so I'll give it a miss this year I think. Hope Rachel wins though. I still think she was robbed.

Not sure about the panto theme but always look forward to the Xmas spesh. ☃❅

The all-star Christmas specials used to make for must-see viewing in our household, and I was really quite disappointed when they started using new celebrities, so I am made up about this change. Granted, it's not the best line-up they've ever had, but seeing Louis, Rachel and Sophie will still be worth it, I reckon.

Looking forward to Sophie / Aliajz and Louis /Aliona, the others could well get the FF treatment.....lol

Well they made it easy for Rachel...given she's a judge on The Voice in Ireland...training with Tristan is grand so.


A bit meh on the line up. ..

Chris is not a good dancer and Iveta is too tall for him, would have liked Harry Judd back.