One of Strictly Come Dancing's most popular stars is returning to the ballroom this weekend for a moment she describes as "emotional". The professional dancer, who won not once but twice, is joined by someone very special as she takes on the role of choreographer for the latest group dance.
It is, of course, Oti Mabuse, who left the show as a member of the pro line-up in 2021, and is now putting together the pro performance for Sunday's results show alongside her husband, Marius Iepure.
Speaking on spin-off It Takes Two tonight, she said: "I'm back and it feels amazing. [It's] really special to choreograph with my husband this year."
The dance, a Rumba, will be led by Michelle Tsiakkas and Aljaž Škorjanec, with the latter saying: "Michelle and I are portraying a couple that is going through the good times and the bad times and everything in between."
Oti went on: "This number, I really wanted it to feel emotional and Aljaž and Michelle are fantastic. Even though we do want to show traditional Rumba we do want to add a little bit of atmosphere with it. By adding lifts to it, it brings that contemporary lyrical feel."
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Marcus said of the two pros: "The chemistry between them, because they are not usually dancing together, they really look like a couple that have something special to give."
Oti won the Glitterball Trophy two years on the trot, with Kelvin Fletcher in 2019 and again with Bill Bailey in 2020.
Michelle, meanwhile, may not have a celebrity partner on the main show this time around, but she will be competing on the upcoming Christmas Special with former Westlife star Brian McFadden.
They will be facing off against Babatunde Aléshé with Nancy Xu, Nicholas Bailey with Luba Mushtuk, Melanie Blatt with Kai Widdrington, Jodie Ounsley and Neil Jones, and Scarlett Moffatt with Vito Coppola.
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"It’s the show that brings everyone together around the TV, and being part of that is a genuine personal and career highlight," Scarlett 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.”
Even though it will be filmed before the end of the current full-length season, the upcoming special will be the last time fans see hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly on the dance-floor before they leave and make way for new hosts.
The main show, meanwhile, will this weekend see the six remaining couples facing off with a regular routine and unlearned "instant dance".
Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer. Tickets for the Live Tour 2026 are on sale now.
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Shaun is an Evening News Editor at Digital Spy, with over a decade of experience reporting on all things pop culture. He has written for outlets including Metro, Attitude, Huffington Post, The Mirror, Yahoo!, Pink News and Express Online, specialising in TV, movies, soaps, music and LGBTQ+ issues. He is also a BAFTA Rocliffe-winning scriptwriter, having written episodes of the soap Hollyoaks, the official Steps musical Here & Now and multiple Offie Award-nominated plays. He studied English Literature and Drama at the University of East Anglia, and will happily talk at length about Desperate Housewives to anyone who'll listen.
