Strictly Come Dancing has aired an emotional tribute to several of its late stars.
The reality show marked its 20th anniversary on Saturday (December 21) with a 90 minute special on BBC One.
Strictly: 20 Fabulous Years saw a number of the cast and crew – both past and present – reflect on the show’s most memorable moments from the last two decades.
Towards the end of the show, hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman introduced a special in-memoriam segment that saw the celebrities and professional dancers pay tribute to their co-stars who have sadly passed away since their time in the ballroom.
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“The memories with Bill Turnbull will stay with me forever,” said dancer Karen Hardy, who was partnered with the BBC presenter during series three.
“We had the most phenomenal journey together, and I was blessed to have the opportunity to dance with him.”
Karen Hauer shared her fond memories of her series 11 dance partner Dave Myers, who passed away in February 2024 following a two-year battle with cancer.
“He loved Strictly, he loved to dance. He loved to make people happy. He was a friend that I had for life, and someone that meant a lot to me,” she said.
“What a gentleman,” added Zoe Ball. “He just made everything more fun. I will never forget him shaking his maracas.”
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Several stars went on to pay tribute to series 12 winner Caroline Flack, with Aljaž Å korjanec remembering her “beautiful” soul.
“She lit up a room when she came into it,” added Judy Murray, while Craig Revel Horwood praised Flack’s “spirit” and “verve” in her iconic Istanbul-inspired Charleston, which she performed with partner Pasha Kovalev.
“Doing Strictly was one of the best things that ever happened to her. I miss her a lot, but I’ve got those dances to go back to and watch all the time,” said Janette Manrara.
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Emmerdale star Lisa Riley tearfully opened up about her partnership with Robin Windsor, with the pair having instantly become close friends after they danced together in series 10.
“Whoever’s idea it was to put me and Robin Windsor together needs the biggest trophy of them all, bigger than the Glitterball,” she said.
“The best part of me and Robin was just at my house, two cups of tea, gossiping like two besties on the couch together, you know? I miss him very much.
“I know full well that he’s up there now, he’s dancing a foxtrot. I said it in the eulogy when I read it at his funeral. I said, ‘One day we’ll dance that foxtrot again together’, and I truly believe that.”
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Former judge Arlene Phillips paid tribute to Sir Bruce Forsyth, who presented the show between 2004 and 2013. She explained how “hard” he worked to make the series a success.
“He knew every single crew member by first name, and always asked after them and their families. You know, everybody loved him. He was the best,” added Tess Daly.
Anton Du Beke recalled his performance of ‘Me and My Shadow’ with Forsyth in 2008, which he described as his “fondest” memory from the show.
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Finally, the cast paid tribute to former head judge Len Goodman, who was part of the original judging panel, before leaving the show in 2016.
“Len was the most special. He was twinkly, he was naughty, but more than anything he was so supportive to everybody,” said Claudia Winkleman, while Bruno Tonioli praised his “close friend” for allowing him to be himself.
Shirley Ballas, who replaced Goodman as head judge in 2017, explained that “there will only ever be one Len Goodman”.
“I find it hard to talk about Len without getting emotional because he was there at the beginning, and I loved him,” Du Beke concluded. “He was incredible. If I could be half as good a judge as Len, I’ll have done alright.”
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.
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Sara is an entertainment journalist who specialises in TV and film. After studying journalism at the University of Roehampton, Sara joined Digital Spy in 2023, writing news (and the occasional feature) on all things entertainment. She has also written for the culture desk at The Evening Standard. A lover of all things TV and film, Sara can wax lyrical about everything from Bridgerton to The Witcher. She can also recite entire episodes of New Girl, Brooklyn Nine-Nine and Parks and Recreation. In her spare time, Sara loves to knit, crochet and cross-stitch. Also a musical theatre aficionado, Sara counts Samantha Barks as one of her heroes and is a loyal fan of Jodie Comer.