Melanie Blatt has admitted she felt “deeply uncomfortable” being out of her depth on this year’s Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special – but still described it as “an amazing experience”.
The former All Saints singer is one of the six celebrities stepping into the ballroom in this year’s Christmas Day episode, which was pre-recorded earlier this month.
Appearing on Tuesday’s episode of Lorraine (23 December), 50-year-old Blatt spoke candidly about her crash course in ballroom dancing, telling host Christine Lampard: “I mean it was like nothing I have ever done before... Out of the comfort zone was the smallest thing you could call it.
“I was deeply uncomfortable throughout it, but it was an amazing experience. You know, I am up for challenges.
“That is my number one thing that I say to myself every morning, ‘You need to challenge yourself’. I really did that.”
Blatt was paired with Kai Widdrington for the festival special and said of her partner: “He was amazing. Everybody on that show, the pro dancers, I was just in awe of all of something.”
“You know they are spectacular but it's not until you try to dance like them [that you see] how inadequate I am, and how extra amazing they are,” she continued. “The bounce, how do you jump like that?”
The Christmas episode will see Blatt and Widdrington trying to impress the judges with an American Smooth to The Pussycat Dolls’ version of “Santa Baby”.
They’ll be up against former Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt, who is performing a cha cha to Cher’s ”DJ Play A Christmas Song” with Vito Coppola, and comedian Babatunde Aléshé, who will be dancing a Charleston to “Santa Claus is Coming to Town” with Nancy Xu.
Also taking part are ex-Westlife singer Brian McFadden and Michelle Tsiakkas, dancing a jive to “Run Run Rudolph” by Kelly Clarkson, Jodie Ounsley – aka Fury from the BBC’s Gladiators reboot – and Neil Jones, who are performing a Street Commercial routine to “Red Christmas” by Kylie Cantrall.
The line-up is completed by former EastEnders star Nicholas Bailey, who is taking on a Viennese Waltz to “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” with Luba Mushtuk.
The Christmas special was filmed before the weekend’s Strictly 2025 final and will mark the last time we’ll see Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman in the show’s famous ballroom.
Winkleman and Daly were given a suitably sparkly and emotional send-off during Saturday (20 December) night’s live episode, which saw a letter from Queen Camilla leave the hosts almost speechless.
This year’s Strictly final saw Karen Carney and Carlos Gu lift the Glitterball trophy. After their win was announced, the former England player said: “I can’t believe it. I just want to say thank you to everybody that has supported our journey, and supported us.
“Thank you to this wonderful gentleman, we are a team and I couldn’t have done it without you.
“It’s been the biggest privilege and honour. I’m literally lost for words, I’m so sorry.”
Strictly Come Dancing’s Christmas special airs on BBC One and iPlayer at 5.30pm on Christmas Day.
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