Team GB Olympic medallists will swap Rio for the Rumba in a Strictly Come Dancing special for the BBC’s Children in Need this year.

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The Olympians will be joined on the dancefloor by four Strictly pros: Rower Helen Glover will dance with Pasha Kovalev, hockey player Hollie Webb with Neil Jones, canoeist Joe Clarke with Janette Manrara and taekwondo athlete Lutalo Muhammad with Karen Clifton.

Helen Glover MBE, number one female rower in the world and two-time Olympic champion, admitted: “I'm definitely out of my comfort zone!” while taekwondo star Lutalo Muhammad, who came heart-breakingly close to gold in Rio, said: “I can't wait to strut my stuff and hopefully show off some fighting moves.”

Three of the Strictly dancers taking part are those whose partners have already been voted out of the main show – or, in the case of Clifton, who worked with singer Will Young, elected to leave. Jones, meanwhile, is this year's "spare pro".

The special will be presented by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman with the notable absence of Bruce Forsyth, who is reported to be staying out of the limelight while recovering from an operation he underwent last year.

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The BBC Children in Need Appeal Night is live on BBC1 on Friday 18th November

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