The winner of the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special has been revealed after achieving a ‘perfect’ score.
TV star Scarlett Moffatt and her professional dance partner Vito Coppola are this year’s victors in the BBC special.
The pair, who danced a Cha Cha to Cher’s DJ Play A Christmas Song closed the 75-minute special and received a full festive 40 from the judges.
Combined with the studio audience vote, it saw them lift Strictly’s Christmas Star Trophy.
Asked by Tess how it feels to be the Christmas champion, Scarlett could barely contain her excitement.
Get personalised updates on Strictly
Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro’s TV Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we’ll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you.
Laughing, she said: ‘This is amazing! I feel like I should have prepared a speech! This is honestly the greatest gift that could have ever happened at Christmas. We’ve all just had the best time!’
The Gogglebox star’s win comes after she had to defend ‘fixing’ claims when she defended her past dancing experience.
First appearing as a couch critic on the Channel 4 show in 2014, Scarlett, 35, has since gone on to win I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! and present on Saturday Night Takeaway.
When her casting on Strictly was revealed, Scarlett explained that the series had ‘always held a special place in my heart’.
‘Being part of the Christmas special feels truly magical. It’s the show that brings everyone together around the TV and being part of that is a genuine personal and career highlight,’ she said.
‘I’m sure it’ll also introduce me to a few muscles I didn’t know I had. I can’t wait to live my best life on that dancefloor.’
However, some critics quickly questioned Scarlett’s previous dance experience – as she’d competed in contests as a child and had also met Strictly judge Anton Du Beke.
But after she maintained that she didn’t have an unfair advantage, she told The Sun: ‘I feel they’ve really hyped me up.
‘I enjoy dancing, but that was when I was a little girl, I’m 35 now. I did dance, but it was so long ago.’
Elsewhere on this year’s special, there were high scores all around.
The line-up also included comedian Babatunde Aléshé dancing with Nancy Xu, singer Brian McFadden with Michelle Tsiakkas, Jodie Ounsley (aka Gladiators’ Fury) with Neil Jones, All Saints star turned cook Melanie Blatt with Kai Widdrington, and EastEnders star Nicholas Bailey with Luba Mushtuk.
The Christmas special opened with a festive group routine to Kelly Clarkson’s Grown Up Christmas List and We Need A Little Christmas from the musical Mame, as well as a closing number to Happy Holiday.
Both dances featured the celebrities and their professional partners.
The Strictly judges joined in for the closing number, which ended with Tess and Claudia’s final ever ‘Keeeeep dancing!’ from the Strictly dance floor.
Despite Scarlett’s win on the Christmas special, fans were left incensed by a spoiler from within the show ahead of it airing live on TV.
The results of the much-loved Christmas special were yet again leaked.
Fans took to X to share their fury, with @margare55125842 saying: ‘Won’t be watching Strictly again even at Christmas.’
@xViCkIx_ also wrote: ‘Are we even surprised?’ while @WilliamMil8h86
exclaimed: ‘Not going to waste my time watching 👀, for protest for Lewis and Katya.’
While the results show for Strictly is pre-recorded, a websiterun by Dave Thorp dedicated to leaking the results each week before the BBC has a chance to air them is called StrictlySpoiler.
The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special is available to watch on BBC iPlayer.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.