Former shadow chancellor Ed Balls, radio presenter Zoe Ball and Strictly Come Dancing winner Bill Bailey are among the celebrities reuniting for a 20th anniversary special of the BBC One show, a trailer has teased.
The teaser released for Strictly Come Dancing: 20 Fabulous Years on Saturday showed couples sharing the couch once more to talk about their time on the long-running programme.
Clips are also shown of 20 years of Strictly, which began in 2004, including first deaf Strictly winner Rose Ayling-Ellis’ routine with Italian dancer Giovanni Pernice.
The memorable moment saw her place her hands over his head before the song Symphony by Clean Bandit featuring Zara Larsson was paused and they danced in silence as a tribute to the deaf community.
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Pernice did not appear in the Strictly 2024 cast after his former celebrity partner Amanda Abbington made allegations about his behaviour.
Former Labour MP Balls, who has since being on the dancing series become a Good Morning Britain presenter, was partnered with Katya Jones during the 2016 edition of the show, a year on from him losing his parliamentary seat.
He earned fans on the series for his show-stopping salsa routine to Psy song Gangnam Style, but failed to make the final, and went home in the 10th week.
The BBC clip shows him recreating the moves, while seated on the couch with Jones.
Also being shown in the trailer on Saturday was former Strictly dancer Kevin Clifton, who won with TV presenter Stacey Dooley in 2018 before they went on to have a child together.
Dooley jokes “is this my partner” before saying she “wanted” Italian dancer Vito Coppola, who triumphed in 2023 with former Coronation Street actress Ellie Leach.
Following them appearing, Ball says her and former Strictly star Ian Waite are “lucky to be friends”, before judge Anton Du Beke embraces his former partner, the tennis coach Judy Murray, and dancer Kai Widdrington smiles with his 2023 partner, the journalist Angela Rippon.
The clip also shows Dancing On Ice judge and I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! star Oti Mabuse embracing Bailey who she raised the glitterball trophy with in 2020.
Coppola is also shown on the coach with singer and TV presenter Fleur East, who went on to host spin-off series Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two after competing with him, while series one winner Natasha Kaplinsky is seen without her partner Brendan Cole.
New Zealand ballroom star Cole, who has served as a judge on his country’s version of Dancing With The Stars, appeared in the first 15 series of the BBC One programme but his contract was not renewed for 2018.
Over the last year, the BBC flagship show has been hit by controversy following accusations by past contestants.
A BBC investigation into Abbington’s allegations upheld “some, but not all” of the complaints made against the professional dancer, who previously rejected “any claim of threatening or abusive behaviour”.
The show has since introduced a number of measures including chaperones in rehearsal rooms.
Strictly Come Dancing: 20 Fabulous Years will air on BBC One and iPlayer at 7pm on December 21.
