Strictly Come Dancing reveals sitcom star as first celeb in 2024 Christmas special line-up

With just weeks to go until the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special, the BBC have started rolling out this year's celebrity contestants.

Comedian and sitcom star Josh Widdicombe is the first famous face confirmed for the festive episode, which will see the Strictly ballroom transformed into a winter wonderland as six celebrities compete for the Silver Star trophy.

Josh, 41, is a stand-up comedian and actor who is perhaps best known as a team captain on Channel 4's panel show, The Last Leg, and for his starring role in the BBC sitcom, Josh. 

Viewers will also recognise Josh for his appearances on various comedy and quiz panel shows, including QI, A League Of Their Own, Have I Got News For You and Taskmaster. He is also one-half of the hugely popular podcast, Parenting Hell, which he co-hosts with fellow comedian Rob Beckett.

This won't be Josh's first time performing for a live audience, with the actor previously taken to the stages of the Royal Albert Hall for The Royal Variety Performance and Live At The Apollo.

On joining the festive line-up, the comedian said: "I am utterly terrified this will end in humiliation and worried I'm going to be so bad I will ruin Christmas for the nation. Why have I done this?"

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The remaining five contestants have yet to be revealed.

So, what can fans expect from the Christmas special?

As usual, six celebrities will take to the Strictly dance floor with their professional partners with a festive fuelled routine in the hopes of winning over judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Head Judge Shirley Ballas, and the voting studio audience.

Last year, EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick, who is currently competing in the current series, lifted the Christmas trophy with his partner Nancy Xu. The pair received a perfect 40 score for their incredible Quickstep to 'Merry Christmas Everyone'.

They went up against Sally Nugent and Graziano Di Prima, Dan Snow and Nadiya Bychkova, Danny Cipriani and Jowita Przystał, Tillie Amartey and Neil Jones and Keisha Buchanan and Gorka Márquez.

Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Christmas Day.