Strictly Come Dancing judge Anton Du Beke has hailed this year’s 20th anniversary series as “magical” and amongst the “best ever”. As the BBC show gears up for its grand finale on Saturday, stars including JLS’s JB Gill, comedian Chris McCausland, Miranda’s Sarah Hadland and Love Island’s Tasha Ghouri are preparing to perform three routines each in hopes of clinching the coveted glitterball trophy.
Craig Revel Horwood, sharing the judging panel with Du Beke, voiced that all the finalists were “worthy winners” and anticipated the final performances to be “so rewarding”.
In anticipation of the highly-awaited final, Du Beke shared his sentiments: “It’s been such a magical series this year, up there with the best ever.”
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He also mentioned feeling “very privileged” in having been a part of Strictly from the outset, alongside Revel Horwood and host Tess Daly.
Revel Horwood lauded the talents of the last remaining four contestants, highlighting how pleased he was to see McCausland in the finale, citing the comedian’s “fantastic rhythm and being a joy to watch”. Chris McCausland, making history as the show’s first blind contestant, stands as the bookmakers’ favorite for the 2024 series, alongside his dance partner Dianne Buswell.
Further praising the finalists, Revel Horwood described Ghouri as an “exceptional dancer”, dubbed Hadland as “amazing”, and noted that Gill has truly “come out of his shell”, now “delighting absolutely everyone” with his dance performances.
Head judge Shirley Ballas praised the 2024 series of Strictly Come Dancing as “utterly remarkable”, stating it has been an “honour” to witness the performances from a front row seat. “The cast have been truly wonderful and the dancing has been off the chart”, she expressed.
-Credit:PA Media
-Credit:PA Media
“I’ve loved being with my fellow judges and getting involved in the fun. It’s been a blast.”
Motsi Mabuse, another judge on the panel, described the series as “one of the most exciting ever”, feeling that each finalist brought “something so unique to the competition”. She continued: “It’s been a joy to watch them grow. They really raised the bar this year.”
“Heading to the final, it’s going to be a tough decision because each finalist brings magic to the dance floor.”
“It’ll be a celebration of their talent and hard work and I can’t wait to see what they all deliver on Saturday night.”
Reflecting on the series, host Tess Daly said the bonds formed on the show have been “so unique”.
She added: “The secret behind them I believe is laughter – our couples have had so much fun this year – not only on the floor, but with the Judges too and up in Claud’s area. ” “The judges have been amazing once again this year – highlights include the brilliant costumes on theme weeks, who can forget Anton as Rod Stewart on our debut icons week and Shirley flying in as Mary Poppins for movie week. I love them all for their uniquely different viewpoints.”
Co-host Claudia Winkleman has expressed her excitement about this year’s Strictly Come Dancing, commenting: “This feels like it’s been an amazing year for Strictly. The cast are simply spectacular.”
She praised the efforts of the participants by adding, “They’ve worked so hard and they do it with real wit and enthusiasm. Our professionals are extraordinary and all four couples are outstanding.”
With anticipation building for the upcoming show, she noted, “All our dancers are back together this Saturday and I can’t wait to see them.”
Adding to the finale’s spectacle, the professional dancers will accompany singer-songwriter Raye for a special performance while the cast of 2024 takes the stage for their final routine. Marking its momentous 20th anniversary, the BBC dance competition faced early controversies regarding the alleged teaching methods of some former dancers.
Strictly Come Dancing: The Final is set to be broadcast live this coming Saturday from 6pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.