Strictly's Nikita Kuzmin urges audiences to "be kind" to Amber Davies amid trolling
Nikita became emotional after their performance.
Nikita Kuzmin has issued a plea to viewers watching Strictly Come Dancing amidst a flurry of trolling towards his celebrity partner Amber Davies. Over the past week Davies has hit back at the backlash she has received while appearing on the show, particularly when she and Nikita won the last dance-off, which in turn saw Lewis Cope eliminated from the competition. During an appearance on It Takes Two, Amber said: "I would like to think I have thick skin, but obviously the start of the week has been tougher than usual. "I would just like to remind everybody that I was never supposed to be here. I was a quick replacement. I’m just doing my best." Upon receiving a perfect score of 40 points for their Tango, host Claudia Winkleman asked Nikita why Amber deserves to be in the final. Nikita told Amber: "You have had so much hate every single day from the moment you joined, you've had so much hate this week and yet, you came every single day into the training room with a big smile ignoring everybody. "And just giving me love, giving me a ginger shot as well. But you gave so much love, you always were kind, so caring, you care more about me when I'm supposed to care about you. You care about me every single day, you are such a lovely kind person. "And I think sometimes, and I speak to the audience at home, just please be kind because it costs nothing and you [Amber] don't deserve none of it. You only deserve love because without you I wouldn't be here, and the show wouldn't be as good as it is." Read more: Strictly pro Carlos Gu breaks down during emotional dance with Karen Carney Alan Carr returns with chilling warning in The Traitors season 4 teaser trailer During the semi-final, the couple also performed a Couple's Choice earlier in the show, scoring an impressive 37 points. Now with a 40, the pair sit high up in the leaderboard with 77 points, but will that save them from this weekend's dance-off? The competition is well and truly on, with 24 hours to go to find out who will be in the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 final. Strictly Come Dancing is available to watch on catch-up on BBC iPlayer. Add Strictly Come Dancing to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Strictly Come Dancing leaderboard 2025: Full judges' scores LIVE
This week will see a major twist for the stars!
It's the semi-final in Strictly Come Dancing this weekend, which means everyone has their eyes on a place in the final three. The remaining couples all danced twice this weekend, with some really high scores being given by the judges. With the competition hotter than ever and every point counting, the pressure is firmly on in the ballroom at the moment. Now that the live show is wrapping up, we've got all the scores and the all-important leaderboard below for you. Strictly Come Dancing 2025 leaderboard Week 12 The semi-final brought loads of high scores, with each couple dancing twice and no one scoring less than a 35. Here's the full leaderboard: Karen Carney and Carlos Gu: (9+10+10+10 = 39) + (9+10+10+10 = 39) = 78 Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin: (9+10+9+9 = 37) + (10 + 10 + 10 + 10 = 40) = 77 George Clarke and Alexis Warr: (8+9+9+9 = 35) + (8+9+10+10 = 37) = 72 Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon: (8+9+9+9 = 35) + (8+9+9+9 = 35) = 70 Strictly Come Dancing 2025 leaderboard Week 11 In Week 11, the remaining couples performed routines inspired by the magic of musical theatre as they fought for a coveted place in the semi-final. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - (10+10+10+10) = 40 George Clarke and Alexis Warr - (8+9+9+9) = 35 Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - (8+9+9+9) = 35 Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - (8+9+9+9) = 35 Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - (8+8+9+9) = 34 Strictly Come Dancing 2025 leaderboard Week 10 In Week 10, the stars competed in the Instant Dance challenge, which saw them improvise a 40-second dance to a surprise style and song. The judges awarded them points which were then added to their score from their Week 10 dance. Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - (10+10+10+10) = 40 + 4 = 44 Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - (9+9+9+9) = 36 +6 = 42 Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - (10+10+10+10) = 40 +1 = 41 George Clarke and Alexis Warr - (8+8+9+9) = 34 +2 + 36 Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - (7+7+7+7) = 28 +5 = 33 Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - (4+6+6+7) = 23 +3 = 26 Strictly Come Dancing 2025 leaderboard Week 9 Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - (10+10+10 +10) = 40 Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - (9+10+10+10) = 39 George Clarke and Alexis Warr - (9+10+10+10) = 39 Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - (9+9+9+9) = 36 Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - (8+9+9+9) = 35 Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - (8+8+8+9) = 33 Strictly Come Dancing 2025 leaderboard Week 8 Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - (9+10+9+10) = 38 Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - (9+10+9+9) = 37 Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - (8+9+9+9) = 35 La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - (7+8+9+9) = 33 Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - (7+8+8+8) = 31 George Clarke and Alexis Warr - (6+7+8+8) = 29 Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - (6+7+7+7) = 27 Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - (6+7+7+7) = 27 Strictly Come Dancing 2025 leaderboard Week 7 Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - (9+10+10+10) = 39 Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - (9+10+9+10) = 38 Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - (8+9+9+9) = 35 Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - (8+10+8+9) = 35 George Clarke and Alexis Warr - (8+8+9+9) = 34 Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - (7+8+7+8) = 30 Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer - (7+8+7+8) = 30 La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - (6+8+7+8) = 29 Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - (7+7+7+7) = 28 Strictly Come Dancing 2025 leaderboard Week 6 Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - (10+10+10+10) = 40 Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - (9+10+9+10) = 38 Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - (9+9+8+9) = 35 La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - (8+9+9+9) = 35 Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - (8+9+9+9) = 35 Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - (7+8+8+8) = 31 George Clarke and Alexis Warr - (6+7+8+8) = 29 Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - (7+7+7+7) = 28 Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola - (6+7+7+7) = 27 Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer - (6+7+6+7) = 26 Read more: Strictly Come Dancing's Ellie Goldstein stunned by surprise message from British pop music icon Strictly Come Dancing 2025 leaderboard Week 5 Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - (9+9+8+8) = 34 Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - (8+8+8+9) = 33 Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - (8+8+8+9) = 33 Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - (7+8+8+9) = 32 Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer - (6+9+7+8) = 30 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley - (7+8+7+8) = 30 Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - (7+7+7+7) = 28 Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola - (6+8+7+7) = 28 Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - (7+7+7+7) = 28 La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - (6+7+7+8) = 28 George Clarke and Alexis Warr - (6+7+6+8) = 27 Strictly Come Dancing 2025 leaderboard Week 4 Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - (8+9+10+9) = 36 Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - (8+9+9+8) = 34 Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - (8+9+8+8) = 33 Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola - (7+8+8+8) = 31 George Clarke and Alexis Warr - (7+8+7+8) = 30 Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - (7+7+7+8) = 29 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley - (6+8+7+8) = 29 Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - (7+7+7+7) = 28 Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - (6+7+7+7) = 27 Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer - (6+7+6+7) = 26 Stefan Dennis and Dianne Buswell - (5+7+7+7) = 26 Chris Robshaw and Nadiya Bychkova - (4+6+7+7) = 24 La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - (3+4+2+5) = 14 Strictly Come Dancing 2025 leaderboard - Weeks 1,2 + 3 combined Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - 92 Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - 91 George Clarke and Alexis Warr - 85 Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - 82 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley - 80 Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer - 77 Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - 76 Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - 73 Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - 72 La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - 71 Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola - 67 Chris Robshaw and Nadiya Bychkova - 52 Ross King and Jowita Przystał - 44 Stefan Dennis and Dianne Buswell - 39 (Stefan missed Week 3 due to illness) Thomas Skinner and Amy Dowden - 29 (Thomas was the first person to be eliminated) Strictly Come Dancing 2025 leaderboard - Week 3 Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - (9+10+9+9) = 37 Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - (8+9+9+9) = 35 Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer - (8+8+8+8) = 32 George Clarke and Alexis Warr - (6+8+9+8) = 31 Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - (7+8+7+8) = 30 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley - (7+7+6+8) = 28 La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - (7+7+7+7) = 28 Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola - (6+7+7+7) = 27 Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - (7+7+6+6) = 26 Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - (4+7+7+ 7) = 25 Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - (5+7+6+7) = 25 Chris Robshaw and Nadiya Bychkova - (4+6+6+6) = 22 Ross King and Jowita Przystał - (4+5+5+5) = 19 Strictly Come Dancing 2025 leaderboard - Week 2 Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - (7+8+8+8) = 31 Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - (7+8+8+7) = 30 George Clarke and Alexis Warr - (7+7+8+8) = 30 Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - (8+7+7+7) = 29 Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - (7+7+6+7) = 27 Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer - (6+7+6+7) = 26 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley - (6+6+6+7) = 25 Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - (6+6+6+6) = 24 Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola - (5+6+6+6) = 23 Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - (4+5+5+6) = 20 La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - (4+5+5+5) = 19 Stefan Dennis and Dianne Buswell - (4+4+4+5) = 17 Chris Robshaw and Nadiya Bychkova - (3+4+4+5) = 16 Ross King and Jowita Przystał - (2+4+4+5) = 15 Thomas Skinner and Amy Dowden - (2+3+4+4) = 13 Strictly Come Dancing 2025 leaderboard - Week 1 Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - (7+8+8+8) = 31 Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - (7+7+7+7) = 28 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley - (6+7+7+7) = 27 Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - (7+7+7+6) = 27 La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - (6+6+6+6) = 24 George Clarke and Alexis Warr - (6+6+6+6) = 24 Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - (5+6+6+6) = 23 Stefan Dennis and Dianne Buswell - (4+6+6+6) = 22 Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - (4+6+5+6) = 21 Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer - (4+5+5+5) = 19 Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola - (4+4+4+5) = 17 Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - (4+4+4+5) = 17 Thomas Skinner and Amy Dowden - (2+4+5+5) = 16 Chris Robshaw and Nadiya Bychkova - (3+4+3+4) = 14 Ross King and Jowita Przystał - (2+3+2+3) = 10 Strictly Come Dancing is available to watch on catch-up on BBC iPlayer. Add Strictly Come Dancing to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Who is George Clarke? Meet Strictly Come Dancing 2025 contestant and YouTuber
George is certainly one to watch in the competition.
George Clarke let loose during tonight's Strictly Come Dancing, performing an upbeat Samba and Charleston, with the latter receiving high praise from head judge Shirley Ballas. In his second dance of the night, the YouTuber paid homage to The Inbetweeners with some hilarious nods to the 2008 sitcom. Interestingly, Ballas noted that the Charleston was George's best performance across the series, despite him admitting he felt rather silly in his costume. After a night of dancing, George finds himself third on the leaderboard with 72 points, just two above Balvinder and Julian and five below Amber and Nikita. For those not too clued up on who George Clarke is, scroll on to find out more about the social media sensation as he joins the cast of Strictly Come Dancing 2025. Who is George Clarke? Age: 25 Job: YouTuber Instagram: @georgeclarkeey Partner: Alexis Warr George Clarke, also known as George Clarkey on social media, is a YouTuber, podcaster and social media star with millions of followers online. George first began experimenting with video content as a teenager before he quickly discovered how to connect with people around the world through humour and honesty. Since then, he has built a thriving career through social media, with a devoted audience across YouTube, TikTok and Instagram. He also co-hosts The Useless Hotline Podcast, which is also hugely popular. George Clarke's Strictly journey so far Scoreboard Week 1: American Smooth (6+6+6+6) = 24 Week 2: Paso Doble (7+7+8+8) = 30 Week 3: Couple's Choice (6+8+9+8) = 31 Week 4: Tango (7+8+7+8) = 30 Week 5: Jive (6+7+6+8) = 27 Week 6: Cha Cha (6+7+8+8) = 29 Week 7: Vienesse Waltz (8+8+9+9) = 34 Week 8: Rumba (6+7+8+8) = 29 Week 9: Salsa (9+10+10+10) = 39 Week 1o: Quickstep (8+8+9+9) = 34 +2 + 36 Week 11: Argentine Tango (8+9+9+9) = 35 What is George Clarke dancing to in Week 12 on Strictly? George and dance partner Alexis will be dancing a Charleston to We No Speak Americano by Yolanda Be Cool and the Samba to Volare by Gipsy Kings What has George Clarke said about Strictly Come Dancing? George Clarke's casting was announcing during BBC Radio 1's Going Home Drivetime Show, with the star answering questions from fans after he was revealed. Speaking of joining the cast, George said: "Never thought I'd say this… but I’m doing Strictly! Honestly, I've got no idea what I'm doing but I'm excited to get stuck in … and potentially fall over a fair bit." Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 13th December at 6:35pm. Add Strictly Come Dancing to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Strictly pro Carlos Gu breaks down during emotional dance with Karen Carney
Strictly Come Dancing professional Carlos Gu began to cry during his semi-final Waltz alongside Karen Carney, prompting both Karen and the judges to tear up. The couple were third to perform on the Strictly ballroom, to a beautiful rendition of One Moment in Time by Whitney Houston, and no dry eye was left in the studio! During the performance, the pro began to tear up as Karen comforted him, before they both began to cry even more once their dance came to an end. The couple was met with high praise from the judges, with Anton Du Beke leading proceedings: "I never thought for a second you could dance like that... For you to be able to come out, this is your journey, being able to produce this quality of dancing. My heart skips a beat when I see this, this is beautiful and I love you for this." Head judge Shirley Ballas had nothing but positive comments for the pair, adding: "Your rise and fall at the beginning was exceptional, your pivots were beautiful, your sensitivity with Carlos is just where it needed to be for a semi-final. You stayed in hold, you perfected it beautifully." The judges comments only spurred on the emotions, as Karen told host Claudia Winkleman: "Because for the first time, I let loose and let go and I leaned into him... Today I was like, 'Just go out there and just enjoy it and lean into him'. It's me and him on the floor and when I connect with him, there's no better feeling." Speaking of the comment they began to cry. Karen explained: "I saw him kind of wobbling and I was going and I was like this feels so nice. I want to thank the costume team because they've made me feel so beautiful." "I wanted us to do this dance for each other and for the journey we have had," Carlos added as he began to cry further. The emotional tears soon turned into happy ones as they scored 39 points from the judges, which Carlos said was "unbelievable". The pair currently sit at the top of the leaderboard, but all could change as they follow up with a Salsa later on in the episode. Strictly Come Dancing is available to watch on catch-up on BBC iPlayer. Add Strictly Come Dancing to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Alan Carr returns in The Traitors season 4 teaser trailer with chilling warning
The countdown is officially on for The Traitors season 4, and reigning champ Alan Carr has a word of warning for those who will don the cloaks next. Alan Carr won over the nation during his appearance on The Celebrity Traitors, which he went onto win thanks to weeks of deception and backstabbing (and somehow giggling his way through any suspicion). But now, it's time for the comedian to pass the cloak, and in an eerie new teaser he promises that Claudia Winkleman has big plans... In the clip, he reads: "Dear new Traitors, look after the place won't you? Because you'll never guess what Claudia's got planned this time. It's big. "Good luck, you're definitely going to need it!" You can watch the clip below. View oEmbed on the source website Season 4 of The Traitors is coming to BBC One and iPlayer on New Year's Day at 8pm, welcoming in 2026 with a bang. Once more, 22 people from across the UK will descend on a Scottish castle to try and win up to £120,000. As teased by the BBC, fans can expect even more twists, turns, secrets, epic missions, deception, banishments and, of course, plenty of brutal murders. And there will be plenty more Traitors content to follow, with The Traitors: Uncloaked returning and will start on BBC Two immediately after the main series. The show will then move over to BBC One for the remainder of the series from Friday 2nd January at 9pm onwards and will also be available on BBC Sounds and BBC iPlayer. Host Ed Gamble will be joined by celebrities and players from previous series to analyse and react to developments in the castle, as viewers at home do the same. The Traitors returns on New Years Day at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Seasons 1-3 are available to watch on BBC iPlayer now. Add The Traitors to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Strictly Come Dancing 2025 line-up: Full confirmed cast of contestants
We're heading into the final weeks of the competition.
It's time to grab your sparkles as the Strictly Come Dancing semi-finals are upon us. Tonight (13th December), the remaining four celebrities and their dance partners will be giving it their all to secure their spot in next week's final. As ever, the couples perform two routines, including a Couple's Choice, a Charleston and a couple of Salsas - so we're in for a thrilling ride! As we wait to find out how that will go down, read on to discover more about the line-up for Strictly Come Dancing 2025 and those who have left. Strictly Come Dancing 2025 line-up: Full cast of confirmed contestants Amber Davies Balvinder Sopal George Clarke Karen Carney Lewis Cope - Eliminated Alex Kingston - Eliminated La Voix - Withdrew Vicky Pattison - Eliminated Harry Aikines-Aryeetey - Eliminated Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink - Eliminated Chris Robshaw - Eliminated Ellie Goldstein - Eliminated Stefan Dennis - Withdrew Ross King - Eliminated Thomas Skinner - Eliminated Dani Dyer - Withdrew Read on to learn more about those taking part in the upcoming season. Amber Davies Age: 28 Job: Actress Instagram: @amb_d Amber Davies became the latest celebrity to join the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 cast after it was announced she'd be replacing Dani Dyer in the line-up. Amber rose to fame on Love Island in 2017, and since then has pursued a professional acting career, with lead roles in Pretty Woman, 9 to 5: The Musical and The Great Gatsby. Just this week, she was announced as Elle Woods in the Legally Blonde UK tour. She also hosts the successful podcast Call To Stage, in which she interviews theatre performers across the West End and Broadway. Karen Carney Age: 38 Job: Journalist Instagram: @kazcarney Sports journalist and former footballer Karen Carney was the 14th celebrity to be announced for Strictly. Karen has played for the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Birmingham City and England, and is now the lead female pundit for both men's and women's football, across TNT and ITV. With 144 caps under her belt, Karen is England's third most-capped player and has competed at four World Cups, four European Championships and the London Olympics before her retirement in 2019. George Clarke Age: 25 Job: YouTube Instagram: @georgeclarkeey YouTuber and podcast host George Clarke may not be that well known among usual Strictly viewers, having rose to fame across TikTok and Instagram. George is a social media star known to millions and currently co-hosts The Useless Hotline Podcast, which has had a string of live shows across the UK. On joining Strictly Come Dancing, George said: "Never thought I’d say this… but I’m doing Strictly! Honestly, I’ve got no idea what I’m doing but I’m excited to get stuck in … and potentially fall over a fair bit." Balvinder Sopal Age: 46 Job: Actress Instagram: @leesopal Balvinder is the second soap star part of the Strictly Come Dancing cast, and continues the annual streak of an EastEnders actor taking part on the show. Best known for her role as Suki Panesar-Unwin in EastEnders, Sopal has also had a string of roles in various other soaps including Emmerdale, Coronation Street and Hollyoaks. On joining Strictly Come Dancing, Balvinder Sopal said: "Being on Strictly is a dream that I held on to, with no proof that it would ever happen. Working on EastEnders and being a part of Strictly Come Dancing is the stuff that dreams are made of. I’m far too excited to put into words how I feel but I’m incredibly excited at the prospect of dancing across the ballroom!" Former Strictly Come Dancing 2025 contestants Lewis Cope Age: 30 Job: Actor Instagram: @lewiscope Soap fans will recognise Cope from his role as Nicky Milligan in ITV's Emmerdale - a role for which he was nominated for the Rising Star Award at the National Television Awards back in 2023. He has also appeared in TV series such as Vera, Mrs Sidhu Investigates and Hetty Feather. Alex Kingston Age: 62 Job: Actress Instagram: @alexkingstonofficial Alex Kingston is a star of both the stage and screen, gaining international fame for her role as Dr Elizabeth Corday in smash hit ER. But it doesn't stop there, with her known to millions as River Song in Doctor Who. Her other work includes A Discovery of Witches, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit and Arrow. Her extensive theatre roles include playing the likes of Lady Macbeth and Nurse Ratchet. On joining Strictly Come Dancing, she said: "Aaaaagghhh!" La Voix Age: 45 Job: Performer Instagram: @lavoixtheshow La Voix is a performer, presenter and singer who is best known for competing in RuPaul's Drag Race UK in 2024. She is the second drag queen to take part in Strictly, with Tayce previously taking part in the 2024 Christmas special. La Voix has appeared on the likes of Queens for the Night and Queen of the Universe, and has even graced the silver screen for Absolutely Fabulous: The Movie. Speaking of joining Strictly, La Voix said: "I've performed for royalty, RuPaul and Simon Cowell, but nothing fills me with more excitement (and quite a bit of terror) than the thought of dancing in front of millions on live Saturday night TV. "Strictly is a national institution and I can't wait to get started. All that's left to say is: good luck to my partner! Here's hoping they can help me go from La Voix into La Danse." Vicky Pattison Age: 37 Job: TV personality Instagram: @vickypattison Vicky Pattison is a TV personality who rose to fame after appearing on Geordie Shore in the 2010s, and later on Ex on the Beach. Since then, she has presented the likes of Judge Geordie and The Honesty Box. On joining the line-up, Vicky said: "I’m absolutely buzzing to be part of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing line-up... but I'd be lying if I said I wasn’t terrified. I am a not a natural dancer! "However, it’s such an amazing opportunity for me to step out of my comfort zone and to challenge myself in a completely new way and I just really hope I don't make too much of a fool of myself!" Harry Aikines-Aryeetey Age: 36 Job: TV personality and Olympian Instagram: @aikines Harry Aikines-Aryeetey is an Olympian, multi gold medal-winning Team GB sprinter and, now, star of Gladiators. At just 17 years old, he was named BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2005, after becoming the first athlete to win gold medals at both 100 metres and 200 metres at the World Youth Championships. He joined the Gladiators line-up in 2023, and was unveiled as Nitro, who is a firm fan favourite among viewers. He said of joining Strictly Come Dancing: "After the Christmas special, it was so nice I just had to do it twice! I’m so excited to be part of the Strictly family this series and I’m ready to give it all I’ve got. I’ll be bringing tons of energy to light up the dance floor. Let’s hope I’m as quick picking up the routines as I am on the track." Ellie Goldstein Age: 23 Job: Model Instagram: @elliejg16_zebedeemodel Ellie Goldstein is a model, actor and influencer who made history as the first model with Down syndrome to appear on the cover of British Vogue. Since then, she has appeared on the covers of Glamour, Elle, Mission Mag and Euphoria magazines and has featured in campaigns for the likes of Adidas and Gucci Beauty. On joining Strictly Come Dancing, Ellie said: "I’m absolutely over the moon to be joining the cast and pros of Strictly Come Dancing this year. It’s a show I’ve loved watching for so long, and the chance to now be part of it feels like a dream. "I know it’s going to be challenging, but I’m ready to do it with the glitter and glamour and make some magic on that dance floor. Let the Strictly journey begin!" Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Age: 53 Job: Former professional footballer Instagram: @official_jhasselbaink Former professional footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink was the fourth celebrity to be announced for Strictly, and many will know him for his prolific goal-scoring career in the Premier League and across Europe. Jimmy has played for clubs including Chelsea, Leeds United and Middlesbrough and has served as an assistant coach for the England national team. On joining Strictly Come Dancing, Hasselbaink said: "Swapping the pitch for the ballroom is certainly not something I’ve done before but I’m looking forward to tackling a fun challenge! Bring on a new type of footwork, with hopefully no own goals." Stefan Dennis Age: 66 Job: Actor Instagram: @stefandennis7 Stefan Dennis is an actor best known for his portrayal of Paul Robinson on Neighbours. He has been part of the soap since its inception in 1985, up until is end later this year. He has also starred on the Scottish soap River City and has dabbled in the music world, with his 1989 single Don't It Make You Feel Good reaching number 16 in the Irish and UK Singles Chart. Chris Robshaw Age: 39 Job: Former rugby union player Instagram: @chrisrobshawrugby Chris Robshaw is a former England rugby union player and captain, with 66 caps for England. He captained the national team 43 times, leading them to a Six Nations Grand Slam victory in 2016. At club level, he played 300 games for Harlequins RFC, guiding them through their most successful era. "This is about as far out of my comfort zone as it gets," Chris said of joining the line-up. "I’m hoping to take my dad dancing to a whole new level, and my mum can’t wait to drag me along to her Zumba class. Let’s see if a rugby sidestep works in the cha-cha-cha." Chris Robshaw became the third celebrity to be eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing. Ross King Age: 63 Job: Presenter Instagram: @therossking Ross King is the 13th celebrity announced to be joining Strictly Come Dancing 2025. Ross is seen daily on ITV's Good Morning Britain and Lorraine as their Los Angeles correspondent and is a four-time news Emmy winner who has hosted more than 30 television series since his first radio broadcast at 15 years old. Across the pond, Ross was a World Judge on CBS' The World's Best, hosted The Hollywood Christmas Parade, The Critics Choice Movie Awards Red Carpet and for six years was the Entertainment Anchor on Los Angeles' KTLA. Ross King, alongside dance partner Jowita Przystal, became the second contestant to be eliminated from the 2025 series after he failed to impress the judges during Movie Week performing a Paso Doble to the Thunderbirds theme. Thomas Skinner Age: 34 Job: Businessman Instagram: @iamtomskinner Former The Apprentice star Thomas Skinner is the latest name confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing, with the businessman saying he is "beyond excited" to join the line-up. Thomas Skinner rose to fame in 2019 after appearing on The Apprentice, and while he didn't win the show, he is one of the more popular contestants. Since then, he has appeared on Celebrity MasterChef and 8 Out of 10 Cats. Thomas and dance partner Amy Dowden were the first couple to be eliminated from Strictly this year after a dance off with opponent Chris Robshaw who was ultimately saved by the judges. Dani Dyer Age: 28 Job: TV personality Instagram: @danidyerxx After rising to fame on Love Island in 2018, Dani Dyer has gone from strength to strength in her career and currently co-hosts the podcast Sorted with the Dyers with her father, Danny Dyer, along with a travelogue series Absolutely Dyer: Danny and Dani Do Italy. She has made guest appearances in EastEnders and Celebrity Gogglebox and since her Love Island rise to fame, she has amassed over three million followers on social media. On joining Strictly Come Dancing, Dani said: "Getting the opportunity to be on Strictly is the second most amazing thing I’ve done this year! I feel very, very blessed and cannot wait to get my dancing shoes on." Dani unfortunately had to withdraw from the competition after fracturing her ankle ahead of the first live show. Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 13th December at 6:50pm. Add Strictly Come Dancing to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Who is Karen Carney? Meet Strictly Come Dancing 2025 contestant and sports star
Karen achieved a perfect score last weekend!
Karen Carney is heading back out onto the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom this weekend, ready to blow audiences away once more. Carney found herself bottom of the leaderboard last weekend with 34 points, six down from her perfect score the weekend before. In Week 10, the stars competed in the Instant Dance challenge, which saw them improvise a 40-second dance to a surprise style and song. The judges awarded them points, which were then added to their score from their Week 10 dance and the duo achieved an additional point bringing their total to a whopping 41! Coming up is the long awaited semi-finals, where Karen and Carlos will perform two routines. But what else is there to know about the Lioness? Read on to learn more about Strictly Come Dancing 2025 contestant Karen Carney. Who is Karen Carney? Age: 38 Job: Journalist Instagram: @kazcarney Partner: Carlos Gu Karen Carney is a former footballer and sports journalist, who has played for the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal, Birmingham City and England. She is now the lead female pundit for both men's and women's football, across TNT and ITV. Just last year, Carney led a documentary on ITV looking at the state of football in England. With 144 caps under her belt, Karen is England's third most-capped player and has competed at four World Cups, four European Championships and the London Olympics before her retirement in 2019. Karen made history at the men's World Cup 2022 as part of the first all-female line-up to analyse a men's football game. Karen Carney's Strictly journey so far Scoreboard Week 1: Jive (7+8+8+8) = 31 Week 2: Tango (4+5+5+6) = 20 Week 3: Cha Cha (4+7+7+ 7) = 25 Week 4: Quickstep (6+7+7+7) = 27 Week 5: Rumba (7+7+7+7) = 28 Week 6: Argentine Tango (6+7+7+7) = 27 Week 7: Charleston (8+10+8+9) = 35 Week 8: American Smooth (7+8+8+8) = 31 Week 9: Paso Doble (9+10+10+10) = 39 Week 10: Couples' Choice (10+10+10+10) = 40 + 4 = 44 Week 11: Samba (8+8+9+9) = 34 What is Karen Carney dancing to in Week 12 on Strictly? Karen and dance partner Carlos will be dancing a Salsa to Turn the Beat Around by Vicki Sue Robinson and Waltz to One Moment in Time by Whitney Houston What is Karen Carney's health condition? During the second live show, Karen Carney opened up about a spine condition that impacted her performance during the competition. The former footballer explained that she suffers from a curved spine, which can make it "really hard" for her to open her posture up for some elements of ballroom dances. "There's certain elements I won't be able to do as well as I'd like to," she explained ahead of her Tango in Week 2. What has Karen Carney said about Strictly Come Dancing? Karen Carney said it was "a dream come true" to be part of the show's line-up, adding: "I'm such a huge fan of the show and I can’t believe I’m finally getting the chance to take part. I’m so excited to meet everyone and get dancing!" Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 13th December at 6:35pm. Add Strictly Come Dancing to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Who is Balvinder Sopal? Meet Strictly Come Dancing 2025 contestant and actor
Balvinder is swapping Walford for the dancefloor.
Balvinder Sopal burst into tears last weekend after receiving a standing ovation for her Viennese Waltz, alongside professional dance partner Julian Caillon. The pair have had a particularly rocky go of things on the show, winning all five dance-offs they have been part of. But last week, the pair scored 35 points, the highest they have received from the judges yet. All four judges shared kind words, but it was Motsi Mabuse's comments that would move her to tears for a second time. She said: "Honestly, Shirley and I were holding hands throughout that dance. Really, from the very minute you started and your dance partner, Julian, came over... "You went completely soft and you were so sensitive to each other. You were in a different type of feeling. I felt like whatever you have wanted to say through the last weeks came out through that dance, it must be really demoralising what you have been through in this competition." As we wait to find out how Balvinder does on the dance floor in the rest of the competition, read on to learn more about the star. Who is Balvinder Sopal? Age: 46 Job: Actress Instagram: @leesopal Partner: Julian Caillon Balvinder Sopal is an actress best known for her role as Suki Panesar-Unwin on EastEnders. She joined the BBC soap in 2020 and has since carved herself out as the head of one of the leading families in Walford. In December 2023, the actress was part of The Six storyline, in which she, along with five other ladies of Albert Square, found herself embroiled in a cover up for murder. Across her career, Balvinder has appeared on Emmerdale, Coronation Street, Doctors and Hollyoaks, and voiced Simran Kaur in the radio soap opera Silver Street. In recent years, she was won several awards for her role on EastEnders, having scooped nods for Best Soap Partnership, Inspiring Storyline of the Year and Soap Superstar. Balvinder Sopal's Strictly journey so far Scoreboard Week 1: Samba (4+4+4+5) = 17 Week 2: Charleston (7+8+8+7) = 30 Week 3: Foxtrot (7+7+6+6) = 26 Week 4: Paso Doble (7+7+7+7) = 28 Week 5: Quickstep (7+7+7+7) = 28 Week 6: Rumba (7+7+7+7) = 28 Week 7: Couple's Choice (7+7+7+7) = 28 Week 8: American Smooth (6+7+7+7) = 27 Week 9: (8+8+8+9) = 33 Week 10: Jive (7+7+7+7) = 28 +5 = 33 Week 11: Viennese Waltz (8+9+9+9) = 35 What is Balvinder Sopal dancing to in Week 12 on Strictly? Balvinder and dance partner Julian will be dancing a Waltz to At This Moment by Michael Bublé and Salsa to Rhythm Is Gonna Get You / Get on Your Feet by Gloria Estefan. What has Balvinder Sopal said about Strictly Come Dancing? Balvinder's casting in Strictly Come Dancing was announced live from Albert Square on Good Morning Britain, as she said: "Being on Strictly is a dream that I held on to, with no proof that it would ever happen. "Working on EastEnders and being a part of Strictly Come Dancing is the stuff that dreams are made of. I'm far too excited to put into words how I feel but I’m incredibly excited at the prospect of dancing across the ballroom!" Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 12th December at 6:35pm. Add Strictly Come Dancing to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Who is Amber Davies? Meet Strictly Come Dancing 2025 contestant and actress
The actress is embarking on a fresh challenge this week.
Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin found themselves back on the top spot of the leaderboard last weekend after receiving an all-round perfect score for their Charleston. Despite receiving 40 points though, Amber and Nikita found themselves in the bottom two yet again, and were forced to dance-off against Lewis Cope and Katya Jones. The judges ultimately decided to save Amber and Nikita, and they secured their spot in this weekend's semi-final. But just who is Amber Davies? Read on to learn more about the actress as she joins the cast of Strictly Come Dancing 2025. Who is Amber Davies? Age: 28 Job: Actress Instagram: @amb_d Partner: Nikita Kuzmin Amber Davies is an actress and performer, who has carved out an impressive career across London's West End and beyond, having starred in the likes of Pretty Woman, 9 to 5: The Musical and The Great Gatsby. Addressing her musical theatre background following criticism from some members of the public that she has an advantage over her fellow contestants, she insisted that every dancer faces their own unique challenges. "I wanna say I think the ballroom and Latin community know that they are worlds apart from musical theatre," said Davies (via Manchester Evening News). "I do understand where the [argument] comes from because yes, I can perform. But there's a great example. Yesterday, we were doing our American Smooth and even just walking left, right, left, right, brought me to tears, because it's so much more complicated than you can imagine." She rose to fame on Love Island in 2017 and for a while did continue work across TV, having appeared on Pointless Celebrities, Celebrity Ghost Hunt and more recently, Dancing on Ice. In a week of exciting announced, the actress was announced as Elle Woods in the Legally Blonde UK and Ireland tour, which kicks off in Leicester in February 2026. She also hosts the successful podcast Call To Stage, in which she interviews theatre performers across the West End and Broadway. Amber Davies's Strictly journey so far Scoreboard Week 1: Waltz (7+7+7+6) = 27 Week 2: Samba (7+8+8+8) = 31 Week 3: American Smooth (8+9+9+9) = 35 Week 4: Argentine Tango (8+9+8+8) = 33 Week 5: Cha Cha (8+8+8+9) = 33 Week 6: Viennese Waltz (9+9+8+9) = 35 Week 7: Salsa (9+10+9+10) = 38 Week 8: Paso Doble (9+10+9+10) = 38 Week 9: Quickstep (9+9+9+9) = 36 Week 10: Jive (10+10+10+10) = 40 + 4 = 44 Week 11: Charleston (10+10+10+10) = 40 What is Amber Davies dancing to in Week 12 on Strictly? Amber, alongside Nikita Kuzmin, will dance a Couple's Choice to Fly Me to the Moon by Raye and Tango to Higher by Michael Bublé. Who is Amber Davies's boyfriend? Amber Davies has been in a relationship with actor Ben Joyce for three years after they met while starring in Back to the Future on the West End. A graduate from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, Ben made his West End debut as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys and recently starred as Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame in Concert. Ben shared his support for Amber on Instagram upon her casting announcement, writing: "Does she ever stop?!! No she doesn't!" What has Amber Davies said about Strictly Come Dancing? Amber noted that it had been "the craziest 24 hours of [her] life" prior to being announced for the show. She added: "I've watched Strictly with my family since I was younger and to now be part of the show is a dream come true. "I’m going to give it my all and I am sending Dani well wishes for a speedy recovery. I hope I do her proud." Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 13th December at 6:35pm. Add Strictly Come Dancing to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Doctor Who's David and Georgia Tennant to appear on TV tonight for a very important cause
The couple join a long list of celebrity guests.
David and Georgia Tennant have been confirmed as the final celebrity pairing for Gogglebox's Stand Up to Cancer special. They join a line-up of star guests who have been announced across the week, including Celebrity Traitors co-stars Joe Marler and Nick Mohammed, Josh Hartnett and his wife Tamsin Egerton, and Oscar winner Kieran Culkin and his wife Jazz Charton. Alongside the nation's favourite armchair critics, they will take a look back on the past week's best television, all in aid of Stand Up to Cancer. Shows under scrutiny include The 1% Club Rollover, With Love, Meghan: Holiday Celebration, Celebrity Catchphrase Christmas Special, The Sound of Music, James May's Shed Load of Ideas, and Becca and Matthew's Stand Up to Cancer stories. Read our guide to the best Christmas TV for 2025 Tonight (12th December) is the Stand Up to Cancer live night of TV, with broadcaster Clare Balding joining the presenting line-up. Other hosts include Adam Hills, Hannah Fry and Vicky Pattison, for an unmissable night of television, live on Channel 4. There will also be a special edition of The Last Leg, as well as moving stories, performances and fundraising moments as celebrities and the public unite to raise money for life-saving cancer research. Babatunde Aléshé will be live in the studio as guest announcer, with an appearance from Strictly Come Dancing star Amy Dowden too. Meanwhile, Davina McCall will front Cancer Clinic: Live, a live broadcast direct from inside a special one-off cancer clinic at Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge. To find out more about Stand Up to Cancer and how you can get involved or make a donation, visit its official website. Celebrity Gogglebox for Stand up to Cancer airs on Friday 12th December at 9pm on Channel 4. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Who is on The Graham Norton Show tonight?
Graham is back with a new cohort of guests this week.
The Graham Norton Show is back on our screens with yet another star-studded line-up on the famous sofa. Tonight's episode will see Graham Norton back in the interviewer's chair as the 33rd season continues. Audiences can expect hilarious anecdotes, details about the latest movies and TV shows that everyone has been talking about and, of course, Graham's red chair. So, who's appearing on the show tonight? Here's everything you need to know about The Graham Norton Show's latest set of guests, and when you can watch the episode. Who is on The Graham Norton Show tonight? On Graham Norton's famous red sofa tonight is Hollywood star Timothée Chalamet, promoting the highly-anticipated Marty Supreme. Meanwhile Oscar-winner Dame Emma Thompson joins alongside him, to chat about her Apple TV conspiracy thriller Down Cemetery Road. They are joined by comedy great Rowan Atkinson, and former editor-in-chief of British Vogue Edward Enninful, whose new publication is the quarterly 72. The Graham Norton Show airs on Friday 12th December at 10:40pm on BBC One. Who is the next music act on The Graham Norton Show? Tonight's musical guest is singing sensation JADE. Is Graham Norton in the BBC studio? Graham Norton is once again back on the red sofa in his BBC studio. His famous Big Red Chair will also be making a return, as audience members share their anecdotes with Norton and the celebrity guests, in the hopes of not being tipped over. The Graham Norton Show airs on Friday 12th December at 10:40pm on BBC One. Add The Graham Norton Show to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Who won Celebrity Race Across the World 2025? Season 3 winners crowned
Celebrity Race Across the World has ensured audiences have cleared their Wednesday night schedules yet again, as a group of four famous faces and their loved ones are taken on an adventure of a lifetime. Last month, the series introduced viewers to Anita Rani and her dad, Bal; Dylan Llewellyn and his mum, Jackie; couple Tyler West and Molly Rainford and Roman Kemp and his sister Harleymoon as they began their journey in Isla Mujeres, in the most easterly point of Mexico. Over the past six weeks, the teams have travelled 5,900km to reach the finish line in Península de La Guajira in Colombia - but only one team could reach the finish line first. It all came down to one final moment, and it was Roman and Harleymoon Kemp who reached the checkpoint first. In addition to the title of winners, the pair join a hall of fame of champions, including Scott Mills and Sam Vaughan and Alex and Noel Beresford. Molly Rainford and Tyler West made it to the checkpoint just two minutes behind the duo and were followed by Anita Rani and her dad Bal, who came in six hours behind. For Dylan and Jackie, they decided to leave the race due to limited budget, therefore forfeiting a place in the final. Upon learning they had reached the final checkpoint first, Roman said: "We did it!" Harleymoon said: "I'm so overwhelmed, I don't know whether to be sick, to celebrate – I feel in shock," as Roman added: "That was the most adrenaline, most emotion that I’ve had ever." Celebrity Race Across the World is available to watch on BBC iPlayer. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Which countries are boycotting Eurovision 2026 and why? UK response explained
A decision was made to allow Israel to compete in the contest next year.
A number of countries are choosing to boycott Eurovision 2026 after Israel was given the go-ahead to compete. There have been calls from multiple participating nations for Israel to be banned from next year's contest due to the ongoing war in Gaza. But last week, the singing contest’s organising body, the European Broadcasting Union, declined to expel the country from competing in the 2026 contest. Members from 37 countries voted to adopt tougher contest voting rules, following allegations that Israel manipulated the vote in favour of its contestants, at the EBU general assembly, but no vote on Israel’s participation was held. It's a decision that has led to five countries confirming they will be boycotting next year's competition. Eurovision 2026 will be held in Vienna, Austria in May of next year after the country's entrant JJ won the competition hosted this year in Basel, Switzerland with his song Wasted Love. So, wondering which countries have confirmed they will be boycotting next year's contest? Read on to find out everything you need to know about the landmark decision and how the BBC has responded. Which countries are boycotting Eurovision 2026? The countries that have confirmed to be boycotting Eurovision 2026 are: • Ireland • Spain • The Netherlands • Slovenia • Iceland The board of Iceland's broadcaster made its decision just hours before the deadline for countries to confirm whether they will join the contest next May. Iceland was believed to be the last remaining country to confirm its decision. Why are some countries boycotting Eurovision 2026? <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/12/GettyImages-2215078224-3b04a1f.jpg" width="4532" height="3021" alt="Austrian singer Johannes Pietsch, known as JJ representing Austria with the song "Wasted Love" performs after winning the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, at the St. Jakobshalle arena in Basel on May 18, 2025." title="eurovision-2025-austria-winner-jj" /> Last week, around 50 broadcasters from Eurovision participating countries, including the BBC, attended an EBU meeting to decide on new safeguarding measures for the contest. The meeting was held after a number of countries called for Israel to be excluded from the singing competition over the war in Gaza and accusations of unfair voting practices. Attending broadcasters were urged to support new regulations designed to prevent governments and outside groups from running voting drives for their own acts, following claims that Israel's promotion of its contestant, Yuval Raphael, gave the act an unfair boost this year. A "large majority" of those who voted found that there was no need for an additional vote on participation, and Eurovision 2026 could go ahead as planned. In response, five countries have confirmed they will be boycotting Eurovision 2026, with the Irish broadcaster citing that "participation remains unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis there which continues to put the lives of so many civilians at risk". Spain will also be boycotting despite being one of the "Big 5" countries of the competition alongside the UK, Italy, France and Germany, meaning their acts bypass straight to the final as they provide the most funding to the EBU. The Spanish broadcaster RTVE said: "The board of directors of RTVE agreed last September that Spain would withdraw from Eurovision if Israel was part of it. "This withdrawal also means that RTVE will not broadcast the Eurovision 2026 final... nor the preliminary semi-finals." Meanwhile, Iceland's RÚV said in a statement that “given the public debate in this country … it is clear that neither joy nor peace will prevail regarding the participation of RÚV in Eurovision. It is therefore the conclusion of RÚV to notify the EBU today that RÚV will not take part in Eurovision next year.” This comes after Russia's continued ban from Eurovision following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022. What is the UK's response to Israel’s inclusion in Eurovision 2026? The UK will be participating in Eurovision 2026 with the BBC saying in a statement: "We support the collective decision made by members of the EBU. This is about enforcing the rules of the EBU and being inclusive." The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 final will take place in May 2026 in Vienna, Austria. You can check out the full list of Eurovision winners and how many times the UK has won Eurovision. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Masked Singer and The 1% Club return dates confirmed by ITV – and they're soon
ITV is already providing the goods in 2026, with both The Masked Singer UK and The 1% Club returning for brand new seasons. Returning for a seventh run, The Masked Singer will be back on Saturday 3rd January at 6:30pm on ITV1, followed by a second episode on Sunday 4th January. Davina McCall, Maya Jama, Jonathan Ross and Mo Gilligan are all headed back to their detective chairs, and each week they'll be joined by an array of guest panellists, who will be hoping that they can guess who is hiding behind the mask. A new cohort of famous faces will don an elaborate disguise as they sing in front of a studio audience and the celebrity judging panel. This year’s cast follow in the footsteps of past Masked Singer entrants such as Dionne Warwick, NeYo, Richie Sambora, Prue Leith, Daisy May Cooper, Gregory Porter, Grayson Perry, Glenn Hoddle, Mel Giedroyc, Lorraine Kelly, Jason Manford, Jake Shears and Sir Lenny Henry to name a few. Read our guide to the best Christmas TV for 2025 Meanwhile, Lee Mack is back to test the nation on their puzzle-solving skills, as The 1% Club returns on Saturday 3rd January at 9pm on ITV1. The BAFTA-nominated series is returning for a fifth outing and will see 100 contestants begin every show, but to make it to the end and win up to £100,000, the contestants must correctly answer a question only 1 per cent of the country would get right. The 1% Club is a global hit and the biggest original quiz show in more than a decade, according to ITV. The series regularly exceeds six million viewers an episode, and since it launched three years ago, it has been streamed over 40 million times and reached 43 million viewers. The Masked Singer and The 1% Club will return to ITV1 and ITVX in 2026. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Celebrity Traitors’ Joe Marler and Nick Mohammed to reunite after shock finale for very important TV special
It might be best they don't watch back the finale episode...
After the great betrayal of The Celebrity Traitors final, it was hard to believe Joe Marler and Nick Mohammed may grace TV screens alongside one another again - until now. The pair will join the line-up for Channel 4's Celebrity Gogglebox for Stand Up to Cancer, with Hollywood stars Josh Hartnett and Kieran Culkin previously announced to be taking part. As ever, Nick and Joe will join the nation's favourite armchair critics as they look back on the past week's best television, all in aid of Stand Up to Cancer. Joe Marler said of taking part: "When they told me I’d be doing Celebrity Gogglebox with Nick for Stand Up to Cancer, I felt it would be a great opportunity to finally stare him in the eye and ask why he gleefully betrayed me on national television. "But honestly, I wouldn’t want to do it with anyone else. We had a mad old time on The Traitors, and somehow came out of it as actual mates… though I’ll be keeping one eye on him at all times, just in case. "Supporting Stand Up to Cancer was a no-brainer - cancer affects everyone in some way, and if us two idiots watching telly can help raise money and awareness, then I’m all in. Plus, I love Gogglebox. It’s the only job where 'talking rubbish on the sofa' counts as fundraising - and Nick can’t betray me, unless he’s going to try and backstab me with the remote." Read our guide to the best Christmas TV for 2025 Meanwhile, Nick Mohammad commented: "When Gogglebox asked if I’d do their Stand Up to Cancer special with Joe Marler, I thought, 'Great - finally an opportunity for him to apologise for making me believe he was a traitor.' Joe still texts me about it every 20 minutes, so sitting on a sofa together, unnaturally close, felt like the safest way to rebuild our trust. "Supporting Stand Up to Cancer means a huge amount to both of us - cancer affects so many people, and if us nattering through the week’s telly can help raise money for research, then fantastic. And Gogglebox is the purest of joys: friends, food, comfy sofa, and not a chalkboard or Claudia in sight." In addition to the Gogglebox specials, Stand Up to Cancer has also launched a moving tribute to loved ones lost to cancer, led by Married at First Sight's Mel Schilling. People across the UK are invited to take part by dedicating a lantern to someone who has been lost to cancer. Each lantern will bear a personalised tribute and photograph, creating a shared expression of love, loss and hope, stretching one mile through Leicester's Abbey Park. Four unique lantern designs are available for personalisation online. To create a lantern and submit a tribute, supporters can visit the Stand Up To Cancer Tribute Mile website, select a design and upload their dedication. Celebrity Gogglebox for Stand up to Cancer airs on Friday 12th December at 9pm on Channel 4. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Who are Roman and Harleymoon Kemp? Meet Celebrity Race Across the World 2025 contestants
The radio DJ is embarking on the adventure with his older sister.
It's time for the final leg of Celebrity Race Against the World 2025, and it'll be the longest push the teams have seen so far. Tonight (11th December), the teams must travel from Medellín, to the finish checkpoint on the Guajira Peninsula, the northernmost region of South America. Roman said of the final leg: "It's all systems go and this is the last big push - we've got to do this. We're ready to properly fight, because this is our last chance to ever come first. "The whole way we’ve said, as long as we just come first once and we can say we did it once but it's just not happened." But after 33 days and nearly 5,900km, which team will triumph? As we wait to find out, here's everything you need to know about contestants and siblings Roman and Harleymoon Kemp. Who are Roman and Harleymoon? Relationship: Brother and sister From: London Jobs: Radio DJ and singer/songwriter Instagram: @romankemp and @harleymoonkemp Roman Kemp is a 32-year-old radio DJ and presenter, best known for hosting the breakfast show on CapitalFM from 2017 to 2024. He is taking part in the race alongside his older sister, 36-year-old Harleymoon, who is a singer/songwriter. Roman and Harleymoon are the children of musicians Martin Kemp and Shirlie Holliman, who independently found success in the '80s as part of the bands Spandeau Ballet and Wham! respectively. Roman struggled with the language whilst racing through the South American continent, telling Radio Times magazine that he kept "mistakenly telling everyone Harley was 'my beautiful' – mi hermosa – instead of 'my sister' – mi hermana – for at least a week." If you're planning a trip abroad, read our financial expert's advice on what to consider before going on holiday Why did Roman and Harleymoon want to take part in Celebrity Race Across the World? When asked if he had considered taking his famous dad rather than his sister on the show with him, Roman only had one thing to say: "No way!" He continued: "I am very lucky that I do a lot of stuff with my dad, and I think that the reason I do those things is I can't wait to show my kids or my grandkids what my relationship was like with my dad. With this, it's such a privilege to be able to do something so special with your sister. "It's such a privilege to be able to have that and to also show that to future generations and to share an experience. The other side of it is for personal reasons, travelling and seeing new places and seeing different cultures or being in certain experiences has such a great impact on my perspective and what life is about." Harleymoon also revealed to Radio Times magazine that their mum had previously been asked to go on the show. "My mum [Shirlie Kemp, a former backing singer for Wham! and half of Pepsi & Shirlie] was asked to be in the first celebrity Race across the World and was going to take me, but thought it sounded too hard. I was glad to have another chance to go," she said. Celebrity Race Across the World continues on Thursday 11th December at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Add Celebrity Race Across the World to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Who are Dylan and Jackie Llewellyn? Meet Celebrity Race Across the World 2025 contestants
Dylan is bringing his mum along for the adventure of a lifetime.
It's time for another dose of adventure, as Celebrity Race Across the World returns for a thrilling final episode as the teams make their way to the finish line on the Guajira Peninsula. Team Tortoise, AKA Jackie and Dylan Llewellyn, must either cut a course inland or follow the tourist trail along the Caribbean coast as they begin their journey in Medellín, Colombia’s second-largest city. "I don't think we expected to get this far. Our main target is just to complete it and to get to the fifth leg is huge for us," Dylan said as he reminisced on the race. Jackie added: "I thought we wouldn't make it after leg one. I'm so pleased that we pushed ourselves through the lows, and I'm proud of us both for getting to the end of leg five. I can't believe we’ve got this far." As we wait to find out how Jackie and Dylan's final leg of the race goes, here's everything you need to know about them as they take part in Celebrity Race Across the World. Who are Dylan and Jackie? Relationship: Mother and son From: Reigate, Surrey Jobs: Actor and retiree Instagram: @djllewellyn Dylan Llewellyn is a 33-year-old actor, best known for playing James in all three series of Derry Girls. He has also starred in Hollyoaks, Big Boys and Beyond Paradise. Self professed "mummy's boy" Dylan is embarking on the race with his mum Jackie, a 59-year-old retiree. "I’d always wanted to do an amazing adventure with a family member, and I’m a bit of a mummy’s boy," he admitted to Radio Times magazine. If you're planning a trip abroad, read our financial expert's advice on what to consider before going on holiday Why did Dylan and Jackie want to take part in Celebrity Race Across the World? When asked about their time on the show, the duo described it as "once in a lifetime" and "magical". "I wanted to take part because it’s such an amazing experience to be had. I think it looks so beautiful and cool, and it's just a giant adventure and who wouldn't want to go on one of those? "And to do it with my mum is a huge bonus. It's a once in a lifetime thing to do, and to do it with a loved one is even better," Dylan said. Jackie added: "In my life, I'm very predictable, like to keep to a routine, safe and everything, and this is really pushing me out of my comfort zone, and I feel, at my age, I should do something like that. I just generally go to destinations for holiday I never have a journey. "So it's throwing a different spin on my holiday experience. And also to spend time with Dylan, there's normally in life so many distractions and to have that… I don't think anyone has a relationship where there's no distractions and it's just one to one, and that's going to be magical." Celebrity Race Across the World continues on Wednesday 11th December at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Add Celebrity Race Across the World to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Who are Anita Rani and Balvinder Singh Nazran? Meet Celebrity Race Across the World 2025 contestants
Here's everything you need to know about the father and daughter duo.
The series finale of Celebrity Race Across the World has arrived, with an epic push of over 1,000km to reach the finish line. Tonight (11th December), it's time for the race to resume one last time, and it's up to the teams to either cut a course inland or follow the tourist trail along the Caribbean coast to reach the Guajira Peninsula. Hoping to reach the finish line first are Anita Rani and her dad Bal, who always knew they were going to make it this far in the competition. Anita said: "There’s obviously been disappointment so far about the things that have been out of our control, but there's a life lesson in that, isn't there? "You know when Guatemala closed down, we miss a bus, or whatever, all those things are completely out of your control, and it's very frustrating, but that's part of the journey. As the race nears the end, here's everything you need to know about the duo. Who are Anita and Bal? Relationship: Father and daughter From: Bradford Jobs: Radio and television presenter and semi-retired businessman Instagram: @itsanitarani Anita Rani is a radio and television presenter, best known for co-presenting Countryfile for the past 10 years and for BBC Radio 4's Woman's Hour which she has presented since 2021. In 2015, the 47-year-old appeared on Strictly Come Dancing and made it as far as the semi-final. She will be taking part in the race alongside her 69-year-old dad Balvinder Singh Nazran, who is a semi-retired businessman. Speaking to Radio Times magazine, Anita shared that the father and daughter duo had their first bicker only an hour into the race after she "ran into the road" according to Bal. "The cameras were rolling and Dad was telling me off about something and I turned into teenage me, stomping and pouting," said Anita. If you're planning a trip abroad, read our financial expert's advice on what to consider before going on holiday Why did Anita and Bal want to take part in Celebrity Race Across the World? Anita said her dad signed up to do the race so they could spend valued time together travelling, something they missed out on when she was young. "We didn’t really do holidays as kids, because my parents were too busy working. I don’t think Dad had much choice [about signing up]!" she told Radio Times magazine. Bal added: "She said, 'Dad, are you up for an adventure?' I presumed it was a weekend away, but I’m not afraid of adventures and I wanted to get to know Anita better. We’re very similar: outgoing and independent, with the same sense of humour." Celebrity Race Across the World continues on Thursday 11th December at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Add Celebrity Race Across the World to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Who are Molly Rainford and Tyler West? Meet Celebrity Race Across the World 2025 contestants
Meet the celebrity couple taking on the ultimate race.
The final leg of Celebrity Race Across the World is coming to screens tonight, as the teams must race from Medellín in Colombia to the finish line on the Guajira Peninsula. Among the pairs hoping to make it to the final checkpoint first are Molly Rainford and Tyler West, who "never in a million years" thought they'd make it this far in the race. "We thought that we'd be here to take part, not to actually be the front runners. The pressure is on," Tyler said, while Molly added: "I'm definitely going to go full competitive mode." As the race concludes, here's everything you need to know about the duo on Celebrity Race Across the World 2025. Who are Molly and Tyler? Relationship: Couple From: London Jobs Actress/singer and TV presenter/radio DJ Instagram: @mollyrainford and @tylerwestt Molly Rainford is a 24-year-old actress best known for her role as Anna Knight in EastEnders, although she made her TV debut much earlier at just 12 years old, when she made it to the final of the sixth series of Britains Got Talent as a singer. Molly met her fiancé, 29-year-old radio DJ Tyler West, who currently presents the afternoon show on KissFM, after they both took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2022. Appearing on Lorraine, Tyler said taking part in the race together was "tough" with Molly adding: "It was probably the biggest test to be like, can I marry this person?" Tyler even admitted to Radio Times magazine: "There were times when I thought about trading Molly for a mountain goat to get some extra money to race! But it obviously worked out in the end, because we got engaged after the trip…" If you're planning a trip abroad, read our financial expert's advice on what to consider before going on holiday Why did Molly and Tyler want to take part in Celebrity Race Across the World? When Molly and Tyler were first asked to take part in Celebrity Race Across the World, Molly described it as "a no-brainer". "I think it was just a no brainer to do it together – we're so comfortable with each other, we already live together, so we know we can do that. We have nothing to hide from each other. "We haven't done any kind of travelling like this before. We always stick to our comfort zone, all inclusive, just one location. This will be a new experience." Tyler added: "We live busy lives. We're sometimes passing ships, I would love to experience this with my best friend, my person. I think I would struggle more doing it without Molly." Celebrity Race across the World continues on Thursday 11th December at 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Add I'm a Celebrity Race Across the World to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Celebrity Apprentice confirmed for full series on BBC after Lord Sugar pointed out key format differences
The main series will also return in 2026.
The first ever full-length series of The Celebrity Apprentice is coming to BBC One in 2026, with a new line-up of famous faces braving Lord Sugar's boardroom. The six-part season will see a group of celebrities take on weekly business challenges set by Lord Sugar himself, all of whom are hoping to avoid being fired and be crowned The Celebrity Apprentice winner. Lord Sugar said: "We've had some great celebrity names walk into my boardroom over the years, but they’ve only ever had a small taster of what it’s like to be a candidate. It'll be interesting to see how our future celebrities fare across a full series, removing their PAs, PRs, agents and all the other assistance they have in their day-to-day lives to fully immerse themselves into The Apprentice world." This comes as a festive edition of The Celebrity Apprentice will be coming to screens later this month on the 29th and 30th December, starring Rob Rinder, Jake Wood, Eddie Kadi, JB Gill, Thomas Skinner, Matt Morsia, AJ Odudu, Kadeena Cox, Charlie Hedges, Sarah Hadland, Shazia Mirza and Angela Scanlon. Later this month, the celebrity candidates will be headed to Lapland, where they are tasked with creating a magical festive gingerbread biscuit. The famous faces will then have to pitch their biscuits to the UK's biggest retails who will then, for the first time in the show's history, sell the biscuits in stores across the UK - with a percentage of profits going to BBC Children in Need. And there is plenty more to come from The Apprentice, with the main series returning in early 2026. Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC added: "The Apprentice is a much-loved part of the BBC's entertainment offering and we can't wait to see how the celebrity candidates rise to the challenge when the series launches later in 2026." While Paul Broadbent, Director of Programmes at Naked (a Fremantle label), commented: "It's a joy to be bringing The Celebrity Apprentice to our screens for a full series. Viewers have our two fantastic Christmas specials to come, which will give them a taste of what to expect from the next series. The celebrities will need to leave their ego at the boardroom door and prepare to roll their sleeves up for some very challenging – and hugely entertaining – tasks." Read more: Celebrity Gogglebox confirms Hollywood stars – including an Oscar winner – for charity special Lord Alan Sugar dishes on Celebrity Apprentice and why he allowed Thomas Skinner to return for it It is likely the new series will follow similar proceedings to the main series, given Lord Sugar previously pointed out the Christmas series format couldn't work outside of a one-off special. During a Q&A, Lord Sugar told RadioTimes.com and other press: "The thing is that on the main Apprentice show, some of the things that they come up with, they do sell them straight away to the trade and to the public. There's never a product which is mass produced in volume that gets sold to supermarkets." Karren Brady added: "I think you have to remember the lead time. The public is seeing these while the biscuits are available to buy, where in the main series, we're filming tasks week after week after week. "And obviously there's a bit of time between the filming of it and when it goes out, so it's not as reactive and as easy to do." Read our guide to the best Christmas TV for 2025 The first full-length series of The Celebrity Apprentice is coming to BBC One and iPlayer later in 2026. Add The Celebrity Apprentice to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Celebrity Gogglebox confirms Hollywood stars – including an Oscar winner – for charity special
Two more celebrity pairings are yet to be announced.
Gogglebox is getting the Hollywood treatment! In a Gogglebox for Stand Up to Cancer special, actors Josh Hartnett and Kieran Culkin will be joining the nation's favourite armchair critics as they look back on the past week's best television. There will be four celebrity pairings this Friday, with the first pairings revealed as Josh Hartnett (Trap) and his wife Tamsin Egerton (St Trinian's), and Kieran Culkin (Succession) and his wife Jazz Charton. Speaking about his participation in the programme, Hartnett said: "Tamsin introduced me to Gogglebox many years ago and I’ve been a fan ever since. "Having the chance to sit with her, share a few laughs and inevitably say something that embarrasses us both, all while helping raise awareness for the worthiest of charities, is the perfect way to kick off the holiday season. "I’m incredibly excited to be a part of it, and to support Stand up to Cancer." Egerton added: "We first started watching Gogglebox during lockdown in 2020. I found it so comforting watching other families around the country watching TV 'with' us. It's such a great cross-section of the UK. "Ever since then, Josh and I have tried to watch it together whenever we can. I can’t wait to snuggle up on the sofa with him for such an important cause as Stand Up to Cancer." Culkin, who won this year's Best Supporting Actor Oscar for A Real Pain, has made no secret of his love for Gogglebox, with a TikTok clip having gone viral of him explaining the premise of the show to Jesse Eisenberg during their press tour for the movie. "It's one of the best shows ever," he said. "Almost like how Beavis and Butt-Head would comment on... It's people all over England, it's great. Because I don't watch a lot of TV, it's gives a good sense of television." This year's Stand Up to Cancer will see Davina McCall and Adam Hills at the helm of a special night of programming, which will feature dedicated editions of some much-loved shows, including Celebrity Gogglebox and The Last Leg, alongside moving performances and stories as the public and celebrities unite to raise money for life-saving cancer research. Last month, Channel 4 announced a new campaign led by the broadcaster and Cancer Research UK to drive awareness of NHS cancer screening programmes. At the heart of Friday night is Cancer Clinic: Live, which has been described as a "pioneering" new campaign presented by McCall. It will feature a live broadcast direct from inside a special one-off cancer clinic at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge. Audiences will meet patients and their families whose cancer journeys have been followed for several weeks from diagnosis to results, as they continue through treatment. This marks the first time in UK television where audiences will see clinical consultations with cancer specialists from Addenbrooke’s and Royal Papworth Hospitals unfold in real time. Celebrity Gogglebox for Stand up to Cancer airs on Friday 12th December at 9pm on Channel 4. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly predict "shock" will be felt as they depart Strictly Come Dancing in mere days
When Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman announced they would be leaving Strictly Come Dancing, it was a shock, but at least one that wouldn't become reality for over a month. Well, that month has been and gone and with just two more episodes of Strictly's 2025 season to go, Winkleman has shared that she and Daly will undoubtedly be "emotional" during next week's finale. During an appearance on It Takes Two, host Fleur East asked the pair if their departure had sunk in, to which Daly replied: "The short answer is no. "I genuinely haven't had time to think about it, because we've been so into this series, so absorbed by it – it's such a brilliant series that all of our focus is on that, really. "So I think it'll be a bit of a shock on the 20th. I might get emotional." Winkleman added: "I think we will be emotional, but of course, it won’t be about us. It'll be about the winners." While they joked that they're "not allowed to cry", Winkleman added that the duo will "hold each other very tight and cry" after the show concludes. Back in October, the pair revealed they would be stepping down from their hosting duties, with this year's Christmas special confirmed to be their last time on the programme. In a statement shared on Instagram, the duo wrote: "We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. "We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time. "We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show. They’re the most brilliant team and we’ll miss them every day. "We will cry when we say the last 'keep dancing' but we will continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza." Following the news of their departure, the BBC's chief content officer Kate Phillips shared her reaction, noting that the presenters had been "integral" to Strictly's success over the last two decades. In a statement, Phillips said: "I can’t quite believe I’m saying this, but it’s the end of an era with Tess and Claudia’s decision to bid farewell to the Strictly ballroom. They’ve both been such incredible hosts at the very heart of the show, their passion and dedication has gone above and beyond. "They’ve been integral to Strictly’s success over the last 20 years, but I understand why they’ve decided it’s time to hang up the glitter ball and get their weekends back. As Craig would say, they are fab-u-lous presenters, and they are fab-u-lous friends to me and so many others at the BBC. "Thank you Tess and Claud for everything, we will miss you hugely." Read more: Claudia Winkleman receives esteemed honour from King Charles III at Windsor Castle Alan Carr reacts to Strictly Come Dancing host speculation - and reveals whether he wants the job Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 13th December at 6:35pm. Add Strictly Come Dancing to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Doctor Who favourite Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe spill on Strictly journey and finale return
From first steps to standing ovations: Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe reflect on dancing, friendship, and their post-Strictly Christmas plans.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. At 62, actor Alex Kingston is only three years younger than the mother of her Strictly Come Dancing partner, 38-year-old professional Johannes Radebe. But in this partnership, she was the one learning from him. Over the past few months, they went from tentative first steps to earning standing ovations. And now, despite their Strictly journey ending, they vow they’ll stay on the dance floor one way or another… Alex, what was it like learning from someone younger? ALEX: Oh my gosh, I can’t imagine anyone else being my dance partner. The problem is, now my Strictly journey has come to an end, I will have to carry on dancing and I don’t know who will ever come close to Johannes. JOHANNES: Oh my goodness, we’ll have to book some lessons. I’ve always said that partnerships are special because they grow, and that I always teach like a marriage – even though I have never been married. ALEX: And I’ve been married three times! Did you have a mentor or someone you looked up to earlier in your careers? JOHANNES: As a boy, there was an Australian dancer I watched from a distance from my township in South Africa. His name is Jason Gilkison. I modelled my career on his, and now I am in the same room as him – he’s the creative director of Strictly Come Dancing. It’s an honour to work with him. Nowadays, I go back home to South Africa and run workshops teaching kids to dance. That’s my way of giving back. ALEX: My English teacher saw that I wasn’t academic in the sciences, but she made sure I had an opportunity to begin acting, devising plays where I was the lead. Her name was Margaret Kirk. She’s no longer with us, but I’m forever thankful to her. Are you looking forward to the final, where every Strictly couple returns for a reunion? ALEX: Oh yes, one hundred per cent. Looking at the opening credits of Strictly, seeing all the contestants, you realise how few are left. The first week does seem a long time ago now. It will be really lovely to see all those smiling faces again. JOHANNES: Strictly plus Christmas feels like a warm hug. It’s so dark outside, it’s cold… I know that people are thankful it’s on telly. And finally, what are your post-Strictly Christmas plans? ALEX: We celebrate two Christmasses – the German Christmas on the 24th and the English Christmas on the 25th. I also participate in our village pub panto. This year, it’s Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. They asked me to be the mirror on the wall, so that if I was still busy with Strictly, I could just record a voiceover! JOHANNES:After two years of not being home for Christmas, I’m jumping on a flight. It’s summer back home. Normally there’s a big barbecue – the whole family’s in the yard, playing music and dancing. Sounds like heaven to me. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One and iPlayer. Add Strictly Come Dancing to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Lord Alan Sugar dishes on Celebrity Apprentice and why he allowed Thomas Skinner to return for it
From Lapland tasks to childhood chestnuts, Lord Sugar reveals what makes a very Apprentice-style Christmas.
This article first appeared in Radio Times magazine. Merry Christmas, Sugar Claus! If you were Father Christmas, which public figures would you put on your naughty list? I would have to say no comment on this whatsoever, my friend. As you will know, the BBC has guidelines. I have to keep my big mouth shut and not make personal or political comments like that. In that case, can we assume the contestants in your Celebrity Apprentice Christmas specials went straight on the nice list? Nah! That’s the excitement of it. Most of the time, they’re schmoozed by everybody, told how marvellous they are. Then they get a gig where I’m telling them what a load of rubbish they are. They’re masochists, really. Still, it’s worth remembering they don’t get paid anything at all. They do it for charity and that is very, very commendable. What will you be making the brave contestants do in the two festive episodes? They’re going up to Lapland and meeting Father Christmas. There was snow and ice, as you can imagine, reindeers and sledges. The contestants were split into two teams and each team had to create a special Christmas biscuit. Then they came back to London and presented their biscuits to big supermarkets and the best biscuit won. The interesting thing is, for the first time ever, the products created in the programme are actually going on sale in the supermarkets. All the money is going to Children in Need. Does the show create its own celebrities now? Did you decide whether Thomas Skinner could come back as a “celebrity”? I’m not sure over the 20 years how many people who have appeared on my show have actually made a name for themselves. I can think of maybe three: Saira Khan did quite well, then Katie Hopkins, who everybody loves to hate, and Thomas Skinner, who ended up on Strictly. But I don’t have any input. I’m presented with these celebrities; the BBC seek these people out and find them. And it’s not easy, because you can imagine that some of them are working and can’t take four or five days off. I can dream and say, “Oh, I’d love Madonna, I’d love Adele, I’d love the ginger bloke with a guitar...” What’s his name? Ed Sheeran. So, it’s not a matter of you ringing up the Beeb and going, “Get me Piers Morgan”? Well, funny you should say that. He was in the very first Celebrity Apprentice and I fired him. I keep reminding Piers that I gave him his TV debut, but he says, “I was on TV before that.” But you know what an arrogant bloke he is. He’d never admit it. Did you enjoy Christmas when you were growing up in Hackney in the 1950s? Our family weren’t very religious Jews, so we semi-celebrated Christmas, but more the happy side of things. We put Christmas decorations up and all that stuff. As a kid, I’d look forward to getting a Christmas present. I remember when I was 10 or 11 getting a pair of metal roller skates with rubber wheels on them that you adjusted with a little spanner. Mum and Dad saved up and bought them for me and my sisters and brother. As I grew older, I didn’t dish out Christmas presents to people. We used to give the staff financial bonuses and things like that, not physical things. Where will you be spending Christmas this year? I’ve had Christmas away from England the last 40 years. I spend five to six months of the year in America, so I’ll be here in Florida. My family also have homes here, so we’ll all be together. The grandkids as well, though they’re not kids any more. We’ll have a big traditional at-home British Christmas lunch with turkey and things like that. Won’t you miss cold, rainy old Hackney? No. Will you be having any special Christmas treats? My wife went to the supermarket today and bought my favourite thing – chestnuts. It’s the time for them, isn’t it, Christmas? I remember the vendors on Oxford Street when I was a boy, those black ovens with coal underneath and the chestnuts sitting on the top. You’d buy a white paper bag full of them off the bloke for sixpence. The latest issue of Radio Times is out now – subscribe here. The Celebrity Apprentice is coming to BBC One and iPlayer this Christmas. Add The Celebrity Apprentice to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Claudia Winkleman receives esteemed honour from King Charles III at Windsor Castle
Her Strictly co-host Tess Daly was also awarded.
Claudia Winkleman has officially been awarded an MBE, having accepted the esteemed honour from King Charles at Windsor Castle. Winkleman, along with her Strictly Come Dancing co-host Tess Daly, were made Members of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to broadcasting in the King's Birthday Honours. "I am ridiculously lucky and will celebrate with Tess by doing a paso doble," Winkleman previously said. Claudia Winkleman has proven her icon status each year, from her work on Strictly to her impeccable hosting skills on The Traitors, the fourth season of which is set to debut on New Year's Day. Earlier this year, a flurry of high profile names were announced as part of the Honours, including David Beckham, who received a knighthood, as well as actor Gary Oldman. Further honourees include Evita star, actress and singer Elaine Page, who has received a damehood, Love Island and TOWIE star Georgia Harrison, who has received an MBE for her work on online privacy and cybercrime, and The Who's Roger Daltrey has been knighted for his services to charity and music. Luke Littler and Luke Humphries, who teamed up for England at the World Cup of Darts, received MBEs, joining Beckham on the list of sporting honourees. Tess and Clauda's recent awards come just months after the presenting duo announced that the 2025 Strictly series would be their last, with the Christmas special marking the last time the pair will host the show. In a statement shared on Instagram, the duo wrote: "We have loved working as a duo and hosting Strictly has been an absolute dream. "We were always going to leave together and now feels like the right time. "We will have the greatest rest of this amazing series and we just want to say an enormous thank you to the BBC and to every single person who works on the show. They’re the most brilliant team and we’ll miss them every day. "We will cry when we say the last 'keep dancing' but we will continue to say it to each other. Just possibly in tracksuit bottoms at home while holding some pizza. "Tess & Claud." Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Strictly Come Dancing 2025 songs and dances confirmed for the semi-finals
There are just two more weeks to go before Strictly Come Dancing 2025 draws to a close, with one more weekend of performances before this year's finalists are unveiled. This weekend, the remaining couples will perform two electric routines during the semi-finals, as per the rules of the competition. After last week's shock elimination, it has never been clearer just how tough the competition is... Scroll on to find out what songs and dances the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 cast will be performing to this week. Strictly Come Dancing 2025 semi-finals songs and dances Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - Waltz to At This Moment by Michael Bublé and Salsa to Rhythm Is Gonna Get You / Get on Your Feet by Gloria Estefan George Clarke and Alexis Warr - Charleston to We No Speak Americano by Yolanda Be Cool and Samba to Volare by Gipsy Kings Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - Salsa to Turn the Beat Around by Vicki Sue Robinson and Waltz to One Moment in Time by Whitney Houston Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - Couple's Choice to Fly Me to the Moon by Raye and Tango to Higher by Michael Bublé Strictly Come Dancing 2025 Musicals Week songs and dances Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - Viennese Waltz to Never Enough from The Greatest Showman George Clarke and Alexis Warr - Argentine Tango to The Point of No Return from The Phantom of the Opera Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - Samba to The Rhythm of Life from Sweet Charity Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - Salsa to Dance at the Gym from West Side Story Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - Charleston to Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat from Guys and Dolls Strictly Come Dancing 2025 Week 10 songs and dances Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - Cha Cha to Ring My Bell by Anita Ward Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - Jive to Right Back Where We Started From by Maxine Nightingale George Clarke and Alexis Warr - Quickstep to I Get a Kick Out of You by Frank Sinatra Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - Couples' Choice to Born This Way by Lady Gaga Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - Rumba to Falling by Harry Styles Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - Jive to Proud Mary by Tina Turner Strictly Come Dancing 2025 Blackpool Week songs and dances Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - Couple's Choice to History Repeating + Look At Me by Propellerheads ft Miss Shirley Bassey + Geri Halliwell Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - Argentine Tango to The Logical Song by Supertramp George Clarke and Alexis Warr - Salsa to Rock This Party (Everybody Dance Now) by Bob Sinclar Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - Paso Doble to O Fortuna by Carmina Burana Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - Charleston to I Bet That You Look Good on the Dancefloor by Arctic Monkeys Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - Quickstep to Reach by S Club 7 Strictly Come Dancing 2025 Week 8 songs and dances Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - Waltz to Weekend in New England by Barry Manilow Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - American Smooth to My Guy by Mary Wells George Clarke and Alexis Warr - Rumba to Somewhere Only We Know by Lily Allen Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - American Smooth to You Don't Own Me by SAYGRACE La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - Couple's Choice to Don't Rain On My Parade by Barbra Streisand Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - Tango to 12 to 12 by sombr Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - Jive to Sound of the Underground by Girls Aloud Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - Paso Doble to Dream On by Aerosmith <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/11/Untitled-design-25-10fe294.jpg" width="1200" height="840" alt="A brightly lit TV studio shows four judges seated behind a sparkly judging desk. They each hold up score paddles: the first judge displays a 9 and looks serious, while the other three judges hold up 10s, smiling and cheering. Colourful stage lights and an audience are visible in the background." title="Strictly Come Dancing judges" /> Strictly Come Dancing 2025 Week 7 songs and dances Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - Paso Doble to Amparito Roca by Jamie Texidor Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - Couple's Choice to Sapphire by Ed Sheeran & Arijit Singh George Clarke and Alexis Warr - Vienesse Waltz to Somebody to Love by Queen Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer - Samba to Samba by Gloria Estefan Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - Charleston to Upside Down / Think by Diana Ross / Aretha Franklin La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - Foxtrot to Make Your Own Kind of Music by Cass Elliot Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - Cha Cha to I Like It Like That by Pete Rodriguez Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - Tango to The Fate of Ophelia by Taylor Swift Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - Salsa to You Make Me Feel (Mighty Real) by Sylvester Strictly Come Dancing 2025 Halloween Week songs and dances Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - Salsa to Horny by Hot 'N' Juicy and Mousse T Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - Rumba to Stay by Shakespears Sister Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola - Tango to Abracadabra by Lady Gaga George Clarke and Alexis Warr - Cha Cha to Apple by Charli XCX Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer - American Smooth to Mystical Magical by Benson Boone Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - Argentine Tango to Red Right Hand by Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - Paso Doble to The 5th by Beethoven Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - Couple's Choice to Creep by Radiohead Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - American Smooth to Total Eclipse of the Heart by Bonnie Tyler Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - Viennese Waltz to I See Red by Everybody Loves an Outlaw Strictly Come Dancing 2025 Icons Week songs and dances Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - Foxtrot to Here You Come Again by Dolly Parton Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - Quickstep to Texas Hold 'Em by Beyoncé Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola - Salsa to Spice Girls Medley George Clarke and Alexis Warr - Jive to As It Was by Harry Styles Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer - Tango to Caught Up by Usher Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley - American Smooth to Purple Rain by Prince Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - Rumba to Think Twice by Céline Dion La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - Salsa to Strong Enough by Cher Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - Quickstep to Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - Couple's Choice to Fight For This Love by Cheryl Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - Cha Cha to Break Free by Ariana Grande Strictly Come Dancing 2025 Week 4 songs and dances Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - Rumba to Fast Car by Tracy Chapman Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - Paso Doble to Diablo Rojo by Rodrigo y Gabriela Chris Robshaw and Nadiya Bychkova - Salsa to Maria by Ricky Martin Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola - Couple's Choice to Golden by HUNTR/X George Clarke and Alexis Warr - Tango to Viva La Vida by Coldplay Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer - Rumba to It Must Have Been Love by Roxette Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley - Couple's Choice to Soca Medley Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - Quick Step to Marvellous Party by Beverley Knight La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - Cha Cha to Hit Me With Your Best Shot by Pat Benatar Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - Foxtrot to L-O-V-E by Nat King Cole Stefan Dennis and Dianne Buswell - Charleston to Dance Monkey by Tones and I Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - Samba to La Isla Bonita by Madonna Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - Argentine Tango to Angel of My Dreams by JADE Strictly Come Dancing 2025 Movie Week songs and dances Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - Quickstep to Suddenly I See from The Devil Wears Prada Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - Foxtrot to The Way You Look Tonight from Swing Time Chris Robshaw and Nadiya Bychkova - Paso Doble to Sweet Child O'Mine from Thor: Love and Thunder Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola - Samba to Dance the Night from Barbie George Clarke and Alexis Warr - Couple's Choice to Soda Pop from KPop Demon Hunters Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer - Salsa to I Always Wanted a Brother from Mufasa: The Lion King Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley - Rumba to No Time to Die from James Bond Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - Cha Cha to She's a Lady from Miss Congeniality La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - Waltz to Feed the Birds (Tuppence A Bag) from Mary Poppins Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - Paso Doble to The Plaza of Execution from The Mask of Zorro Ross King and Jowita Przystał - Paso Doble to Thunderbirds Theme from Thunderbirds Stefan Dennis and Dianne Buswell - Waltz to It Is You (I Have Loved) from Shrek Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - Charleston to A Little Party Never Killed Nobody from The Great Gatsby Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - American Smooth to Sixteen Going on Seventeen from The Sound of Music Strictly Come Dancing 2025 Week 2 songs and dances Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - Samba to La Bamba by Connie Francis Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - Charleston to Been Like This by Meghan Trainor and T-Pain Chris Robshaw and Nadiya Bychkova - Viennese Waltz to Die With a Smile by Lady Gaga and Bruno Mars Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola - Waltz to Your Song by Ellie Goulding George Clarke and Alexis Warr - Paso Doble to Game of Survival by Ruelle Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer - Quickstep to Everybody Needs Somebody to Love by The Blues Brother Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley - Cha Cha to I Heard it Through the Grapevine by Santa Esmeralda Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - Tango to Training Season by Dua Lipa La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - Jive to Objection (Tango) by Shakira Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - Viennese Waltz to Lose Control by Teddy Swims Ross King and Jowita Przystał - Waltz to Sunshine on Leith by The Proclaimers Stefan Dennis and Dianne Buswell - Cha Cha to Give It Up by KC & The Sunshine Band Thomas Skinner and Amy Dowden - Salsa to Bonkers by Dizzee Rascal and Armand Van Helden Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - Foxtrot to Rein Me In by Sam Fender and Olivia Dean Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - Samba to Bam Bam by Camila Cabello and Ed Sheeran Strictly Come Dancing 2025 Week 1 songs and dances Alex Kingston and Johannes Radebe - Viennese Waltz to Cry Me a River by Justin Timberlake Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon - Samba to (Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty by KC & The Sunshine Band Chris Robshaw and Nadiya Bychkova - Samba to Unbelievable by EMF Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola - Cha Cha to yes, and? by Ariana Grande George Clarke and Alexis Warr - American Smooth to Stargazing by Myles Smith Harry Aikines-Aryeetey and Karen Hauer - Cha Cha to Push It by Salt-N-Pepa Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and Lauren Oakley - Quickstep to Chelsea Dagger by The Fratellis Karen Carney and Carlos Gu - Jive to One Way Or Another by Blondie La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec - American Smooth to Pink Pony Club by Chappell Roan Lewis Cope and Katya Jones - Jive to Get Ready by The Temptations Ross King and Jowita Przystał - Cha Cha to California Gurls by Katy Perry Stefan Dennis and Dianne Buswell - Foxtrot to Neighbours Theme by Barry Crocker Thomas Skinner and Amy Dowden - Paso Doble to Battle Without Honor or Humanity by Hotei Vicky Pattison and Kai Widdrington - Cha Cha to Best of My Love by Ella Eyre Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin - Waltz to TBC Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 6th December at 6:50pm. Add Strictly Come Dancing to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
The Radio Times 2025 Christmas double issue is on sale now
Find what’s worth watching this Christmas with your ultimate 14-day guide to the best TV, streaming, film and radio.
The Radio Times 2025 Christmas issue is on sale now! It's the legendary Christmas edition of Radio Times. Whether you're a regular reader or have simply dropped in for the Christmas festivities, we are delighted you're here. After all, it never feels like Christmas until Radio Times is safely in your hands. This issue has been a long time in the making, but the real work has happened in the past few weeks when the office has been buzzing. It turns out that gathering, watching and listening to the very best of television, radio, streaming and films is an all-consuming business. A tough job, of course, but someone has to do it. We are especially proud of our cover. The idea was first discussed on 28 January at the Radio Times Covers Party. And what a cover it has turned into. The team at Aardman in Bristol have worked their magic once again, crafting a wonderful homage and a stop-motion film to accompany it. Reuniting Gromit with Shaun the Sheep for the first time in 30 years, when they appeared in A Close Shave, felt like the perfect way to mark the season. Cover: © ™ Aardman Animations LTD/Wallace & Gromit LTD Also, in a real coup, we got to talk to national treasure Dame Judi Dench (but don't tell her I've called her that). Hearing her describe her search for a family link to William Shakespeare has been a genuine privilege and I think you will find it a fascinating read. And now it's your turn. Fetch your highlighter pen, pour yourself a cup of something warming and settle in for one of the great Christmas pleasures - circle your favourite programmes and build the perfect festive viewing schedule. And if that's too analogue you can do it all on the brilliant Radio Times App. Please don't forget to share with us on social media anything that's on your mind during the Christmas period. You can follow @radiotimes on Instagram, X, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok and Threads. From all of us at Radio Times, we wish you the merriest of Christmases and the happiest of new years! How to buy the Radio Times Christmas issue 2025 From Tuesday 9 December, you’ll be able to pick up a copy in the usual places and online with your favourite retailers: Asda, Morrisons, Ocado, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, Waitrose and TGJones. What's inside the Christmas double issue? Festive entertainment, all wrapped up – Two weeks of TV, film and radio listings (20 December 2025 – 2 January 2026). Editor's top picks – Our unmissable selection of what’s new to watch over Christmas, a glimpse at what the stars are streaming, plus a round-up of the best films and dramas of 2025. Big-name interviews - Interviews and festive features with Judi Dench, Kate Winslet and David Attenborough to name a few. Gromit and Shaun the Sheep reunite - Nick Park, director and creator of Wallace & Gromit, reveals behind-the-scenes secrets of this year's iconic Christmas cover. A star-studded wonderland - Iconic characters from your favourite shows as you've never seen them before... the Dons of Death in Paradise, Sister Monica Joan and Trixie from Call the Midwife and more! For the ad breaks (and between mince pies) - Christmas crosswords and The Big Picture Quiz with prizes to be won! It wouldn’t be Christmas without Radio Times - on sale nationwide on Tuesday 9 December 2025. Did you know you can now order a previous edition of Radio Times magazine with our new back issues service? Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to see what's on tonight. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Gary Lineker among celebs cut from Celebrity Apprentice 2025 special after appearances filmed
The Rest Is Football host filmed scenes for the BBC's Celebrity Apprentice Christmas special back in March.
Gary Lineker’s appearance has been cut from the BBC's Celebrity Apprentice 2025 Christmas special. The ex-footballer and pundit, who stepped down as host of flagship football programme Match of the Day earlier this year, is among the famous faces who have not made the edit in the upcoming Celebrity Apprentice specials for Children in Need, after filming scenes back in March. RadioTimes.com understands that Lineker was one of multiple celebrities who filmed videos for the show, which didn’t make the final cut in the planned episode due to time constraints. However, these celebrity videos are expected to be shared online in the coming weeks as the specials air. The upcoming Celebrity Apprentice specials will see 12 star candidates head to Lapland, where they’ll be tasked with making and selling festive biscuits. Lord Sugar’s assistant Baroness Karren Brady said of the special upon its announcement last month: “There are so many people that are coming to help us, and they’re coming because they love the show, they love the charity, and clearly they have a connection with the celebrities. “So Olivia Colman, Benedict Cumberbatch, Robbie Williams. Piers Morgan – I don’t think we should forget that one. And Rylan Clark and Gary Lineker.” Lord Sugar added: “I was very impressed that they managed to call these people in, they are top names. “The main thing is that these celebrities, and I have a lot of respect for them, is they give up three days of their busy time for this great cause, it’s the money that’s raised for Children in Need.” Lineker left the BBC back in May after sharing a now-deleted social media post that was deemed antisemitic by various groups on social media. Lineker later “apologised unreservedly” and said he deleted the post "as soon as I became aware of the issue", adding that he would “never knowingly share anything antisemitic”. He has since gone on to present an upcoming game show on ITV called The Box, and will be bringing his The Rest Is Football podcast to Netflix for daily instalments during the 2026 World Cup alongside Alan Shearer and Micah Richards. The Celebrity Apprentice will air on Monday 29th December and Tuesday 30th December at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Add The Celebrity Apprentice to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Lord Sugar explains why Celebrity Apprentice format wouldn’t work for main show – and why it must remain as festive specials
The Christmas edition of the show will return later this month.
Lord Alan Sugar is back in the boardroom this Christmas but this time, he's putting a group of celebrities through their paces instead of wannabe business moguls. Later this month, 12 celebrity candidates will be headed to Lapland, where they are tasked with creating a magical festive gingerbread biscuit. The famous faces will then have to pitch their biscuits to the UK's biggest retails who will then, for the first time in the show's history, sell the biscuits in stores across the UK - with a percentage of profits going to BBC Children in Need. Rob Rinder, Jake Wood, Eddie Kadi, JB Gill, Thomas Skinner, Matt Morsia, AJ Odudu, Kadeena Cox, Charlie Hedges, Sarah Hadland, Shazia Mirza and Angela Scanlon will be split into two groups of six as they show off their entrepreneurial prowess. While there has been a celebrity edition of The Apprentice before, the products being sold in stories is a first for the series - but there's a reason it could never happen in the main show... During a Q&A, Lord Sugar told RadioTimes.com and other press: "The thing is that on the main Apprentice show, some of the things that they come up with, they do sell them straight away to the trade and to the public. There's never a product which is mass produced in volume that gets sold to supermarkets." Despite on one occasion there being an order from a supermarket about a biscuit one team had made during the show's run, it is generally known that once a product is made, it is sold that week and the competition continues. Karren Brady said: "I think you have to remember the lead time. The public is seeing these while the biscuits are available to buy, where in the main series, we're filming tasks week after week after week. "And obviously there's a bit of time between the filming of it and when it goes out, so it's not as reactive and as easy to do." Read more: BBC confirms Christmas 2025 TV schedule – from The Traitors season 4 to The Night Manager season 2 ITV confirms Christmas 2025 TV schedule – from The Chase to Bullseye Christmas specials When comparing the main show to the celebrity series, Lord Sugar added that the celebrities have a more "eagerness to compete and want to win", due to there being no financial incentive. He continued: "There's no financial gains, obviously, for the celebrities or partnerships with me in business, but what you do have is the same hunger to win and the same desire to win. So I suppose it's their own personal pride to make sure that they come out looking good, and they do a great job. "And with the civilian version, there is that competitiveness for the ultimate goal of becoming my business partner and getting the £250,000 investment. "But the celebrities are, believe it or not, then they're not slack at getting on with trying to win and do the best they can." The Celebrity Apprentice will air on Monday 29th December and Tuesday 30th December at 9pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.
Who won I'm a Celebrity 2025? Season 25 winner crowned
It's been a long three weeks for the I'm a Celebrity 2025 campmates, with gruelling trials aplenty and some rather interesting meals - inside and out of the trials. Tonight (7th December), audiences watched on in anticipation as hosts Ant and Dec revealed who was to be crowned the King or Queen of the Jungle. Over the past week, the celebrities have been eliminated from the jungle one by one, but it was all down to the final three celebrities: Shona McGarty, Angry Ginge and Tom Read Wilson. The final saw the contestants take on their final trial before the winner was revealed, which included a peculiar eating tasks, plenty of rats and some unwanted spiders. Shona McGarty left the jungle in third place, before the vote reopened to crown either Angry Ginge or Tom Read Wilson as this year's winner. After the anticipating built, the presenting duo revealed that Angry Ginge was this year's King of the Jungle, after receiving the most public votes. Ginge, AKA Morgan Burtwistle, joins a long hall of fame of winners, including reigning champion Danny Jones, TV personality Sam Thompson and Coronation Street star Danny Miller. Celebrating 25 years on air, the new series has broken records, achieving its most streamed launch in the series' history. The reality series achieved 12.3 million streams in its first three episodes, marking a 28 per cent year-on-year increase for the show and the most streamed launch in series history. ITV previously revealed that the launch had a peak audience of 7.3million viewers, marking ITV’s highest overnight audience of 2025. I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! is available to watch on ITVX. Add I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here! to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.