Strictly Come Dancing Introduces Exciting New Twist For This Year’s Series

Strictly Come Dancing has announced an exciting new themed week for this year’s series as part of the show’s 20th anniversary celebrations.

Next month, each of the celebrity contestants and their professional partners will be performing a routine inspired by their personal musical heroes in the show’s first ever Icons Week.

A BBC press release explained: “In this brand-new special week, which will be part of this series and beyond, the remaining couples will take to the ballroom floor to honour music icons.

“Our Strictly Come Dancing stars will pay tribute to some of the most recognisable and influential people in the music industry. This new week will be dedicated to music legends from across the decades.”

The special live show will air on Saturday 2 November, a week after Strictly’s annual Halloween special.

Strictly’s regular themed weeks – Blackpool Week and Musicals Week – will also still go ahead as usual later in the series.

For now, the BBC is keeping each of the celebs’ Icons picks under wraps, but it’s been revealed that the episode will also feature a special routine paying homage to Beyoncé, in which professional dancer Johannes Radebe will take centre stage.

Retired themes from past seasons of Strictly include Around The World week and BBC 100 Week, in which the contestants performed to theme tunes from iconic BBC shows to commemorate the broadcaster’s centennial.

Last week, the first themed week of the series got underway, with the remaining 14 contestants (minus Nick Knowles, who was absent from the live show due to an injury) paying homage to everything from Barbie and Harry Potter to Mrs Doubtfire and Disney’s The Little Mermaid.

Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones wound up becoming the second pair to be sent home, after landing in the dance-off once again, this time alongside football legend Paul Merson and Karen Hauer.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday 12 October on BBC One at 6.20pm.