Having now lifted the Strictly Come Dancing Glitterball on Christmas day alongside Vito Coppola, reality star Scarlett Moffatt has opened up about why she is unlikely to ever appear on the main edition of the beloved BBC dancing show.

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The dancing pair emerged victorious on Christmas Day, performing a Cha Cha to Cher's DJ Play a Christmas Song which received a perfect score of 40 from the judges, as well as topping the vote from the studio audience.

Just days before her win, Moffatt took to Instagram to share a heartfelt video to her fans, showing some of her favourite dance moments from her childhood, as well as behind-the-scenes moments from rehearsals and her time on the Strictly set.

In her caption, Moffatt explained that her dancing background would likely prevent her from appearing on the main version of the series.

She wrote: "I know I’ll probably never get to dance on the main Strictly series because of my past dance experience when I was a little girl so getting to be part of the Christmas special means everything to me.

"School wasn’t always easy for me, but dance was my safe place. It’s where I found my people, where I felt happiest, and where I could just be me."

Scarlett Moffatt smiling ahead wearing a white jumper in front of a festive background.
Scarlett Moffatt. DavidLawsonPhotography

While not an official rule, fans of Strictly will know that contestants with extensive dance experience are often not featured on the main show, as to keep the competition fair. However, some celebrities with prior theatre experience have competed on the show, such as Lewis Cope and Layton Williams.

The former Gogglebox star went on to reflect on how much she had enjoyed her experience dancing on Strictly, adding: "Dancing on the Strictly Christmas Special, on Christmas Day, feels like a true bucket-list moment — one of those wishes you make quietly and never really expect to come true.

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"I am so grateful to share this moment with my family, my friends, Vito and everyone watching at home & this will forever be one of the greatest days of my entire life."

Moffatt initially rose to fame on Channel 4's Gogglebox, and later was crowned Queen of the Jungle on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.

Strictly Come Dancing is set to return in 2026 – however, now without long-serving presenting duo Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who have now stepped down from their hosting duties. As for who will be replacing them, fans will just have to wait and see.

Strictly Come Dancing is available to watch on catch-up on BBC iPlayer.

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Authors

Chezelle Bingham is a Sub-Editor for Radio Times. She previously worked on Disney magazines as a Writer, for 6 pre-school and primary titles. Alongside her prior work in writing, she possesses a BA in English Literature and Language.

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