The BBC has confirmed that Strictly Come Dancing is set to return to Blackpool, its "spiritual home", later this year following two cancellations during the pandemic. The broadcaster has filmed on and off at the Blackpool Tower Ballroom since 2004 and made it an annual fixture from 2013 to 2019.
The seaside town special is a milestone in the series in November that dancers, celebrities and fans look forward to. Blackpool week is usually when the Strictly dancers take their performances to the next level.
Now the venue, which has been an iconic home for British dance for more than 100 years, will also get to show off its £1.1 million lockdown makeover. It has seen many legendary Strictly moments over the years including when former Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls rode a flaming piano whilst performing the Jerry Lee Lewis classic Great Balls of Fire.
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Another memorable Blackpool moment was Ann Widdecombe’s "graceless" Samba alongside professional partner Anton Du Beke in 2010. It resulted in the former Tory MP earning the lowest score of the night, 13 out of 40.
Sarah James, executive producer for Strictly Come Dancing, said: “It’s the icing on the cake to be able to confirm that we are returning to the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom this year. We can’t wait to get back to Blackpool!”
The multi-award-winning dance show will launch on Saturday, 17 September on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. This year 15 celebrity contestants will take to the dancefloor including singer Fleur East, former England footballer Tony Adams and EastEnders actor James Bye.
The 20th series will feature themed weeks including Movie Week, Halloween Week and Musicals Week, as well as a special episode celebrating 100 years of the BBC. According to a BBC spokeswoman, this will see couples either dancing to a theme tune from an iconic BBC programme or them "crashing" some of the corporation's flagship shows.
To find out more, visit the BBC website.
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