Actor and singer Cynthia Erivo will be returning to Strictly Come Dancing this month for the show’s movie-themed week.
The 38-year-old, who received an Oscar nomination for her role in the musical fantasy Wicked, will be Strictly’s first ever guest mentor for movie week.
Erivo previously appeared as a stand-in judge on the show in 2021, and will return on 11 October in the new role.
In a statement, a BBC spokesperson said: “For this year’s movie week, Strictly will welcome back the wickedly talented Cynthia Erivo, star of one of last year’s biggest movies! Cynthia has been nominated for three Oscars – most recently this year, for playing Elphaba in Wicked – and has already won Emmy, Grammy, and Tony awards.
“Cynthia was a guest judge on Strictly for two weeks in 2021, covering for Craig Revel Horwood and then Motsi Mabuse. She received praise from viewers for her insightful, supportive feedback and memorably gave her comments to Rose Ayling-Ellis in British Sign Language.
“This time, Cynthia returns for one week only as Strictly’s first ever guest mentor – helping the 14 remaining Strictly couples unleash their inner movie stars by coaching them in rehearsals and in the studio on the night, where she will sit alongside the judges.”
The BBC also confirmed that the show will feature a performance by the professional dancers, set to the song “As Long As You’re Mine”, which will be performed in the next Wicked film by Erivo and Jonathan Bailey.
It comes ahead of the release of the sequel, Wicked: For Good, which will conclude the story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West, played by Erivo, with Ariana Grande playing Glinda, the Good Witch of the North.
Also reprising their roles are Bailey as Fiyero, Jeff Goldblum as the Wizard, Michelle Yeoh as Madame Morrible, and Marissa Bode as Nessarose.
Director Jon M Chu confirmed that both Grande and Erivo will have new, original songs in the sequel, along with fan favourites “For Good” and “No Good Deed”.
The first Wicked film, a prequel to The Wizard of Oz, was a huge box-office success, earning more than $750m (£556m) worldwide and winning two Oscars, for Best Production Design and Best Costume Design.
Meanwhile, the first week of Strictly produced a surprise as Karen Carney became the first ever footballer to top the leaderboard after the judges awarded her and partner Carlos Gu’s high-energy jive, set to Blondie’s “One Way Or Another”, 31 points.
Propping up the leaderboard was gossip reporter Ross King, whose dance with Jowita Przystał garnered just 10 points. Revel Horwood succinctly commented: “Don’t come back with the same dance, darling – that’s all I can say.”
However, there were no eliminations during the first week, with judges’ votes carried over to next week’s show.
Strictly returns on Saturday 4 October, airing at 6.20pm on BBC One.
