No sooner had we stopped sobbing after Rose Ayling-Ellis won Strictly, than the Christmas special arrived on BBC1 – the sparkly icing on the glitterball cake.
I’d argue that Strictly is well up there with a dose of Pfizer for helping to beat Covid, a gift-wrapped symbol of everything that is still good in the world.
Where else would you see Fred Sirieix dancing the quickstep to Shakin’ Stevens dressed as a turkey? Or Moira Stuart dancing to a Justin Bieber hit?
“So much better than a satsuma,” said Claudia Winkleman of the Christmas star trophy. She looked a bit like a frosty Christmas tree, while Tess Daly gave off classy Mrs Claus vibes.
Jamie Cullum was singing Sleigh Ride, and there were hundreds of twinkly lights everywhere.
This show is always a sequinned, fake-tanned distraction from real life, but at a time of cancelled Christmasses, this was a gift.
Fred, TV’s only showbiz maitre d’, didn’t disappoint, trussed up like a turkey as he came flapping down from the studio ceiling.
He was keen to point out that he’s only ever danced shirtless on the table at Christmas – let’s assume this is a French thing.
More joy as news broadcaster Moira, who I’d wrongly assumed was utterly serious, revealed that her hips do not lie, adding (correctly) “the man’s a hunk” as she was paired with Aljaz.
“Hip action, darling!” squealed Craig Revel Horwood, who is always much kinder at Christmas.
He may have blasted Adrian Chiles’ American Smooth as having less personality than the prop snowman, but we’ll forgive him this one indiscretion. Jay Blades danced a Peckham jive to the Only Fools theme tune and even fell over sideways – this is peak Strictly.
Judges Craig, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton du Beke were positively giddy. Had they all had a merry sherry?
The stand-out, 40-scoring performers were Mel Giedroyc, resplendent in a neon ski jumpsuit, and Anne-Marie, who was delighted that her bum felt more toned.
Mel’s street dance comedy routine to Ice Ice Baby, complete with ice cream mic drop, reminded me of Bill Bailey’s Rapper’s Delight – two minutes of joy.
Anne-Marie’s cha-cha-cha was a Christmas cracker and she didn’t even throw up after the spin, as warned.
By the time they’d wheeled out Gary Barlow for a rendition of Wonderful Christmas Time, and wrapped Adrian in fairy lights, I’d forgotten about reality.
During our winter of discontent, this is a bright shining star in the telly schedules. Just fab-u-lous.
