Strictly fans say Paddington "stole the show" as bear performs with Tom Fletcher

Strictly Come Dancing's Musicals Week did not disappoint – but it wasn't just the celebrities and their partners that wowed fans.

There were two special guests in the ballroom – McFly's Tom Fletcher took to the stage to perform The Explorer & The Bear from Paddington: The Musical and was joined by none other than Paddington himself, which sent the studio crowd wild.

Fletcher welcomed the bear to the stage and then performed a duet with him to close out the song, which is a number that was written for the hit West End musical by the McFly frontman.

Plenty of production value and innovation has gone into making Paddington ready for the stage, with a performer inside the suit and an animatronic head that is controlled from by a remote puppeteer while an actor voices the character from off-stage.

On a night when Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin scored a perfect 40 for their Charleston to Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat from Guys and Dolls, it was the appearance of the much-loved bear that really had Strictly fans talking.

"Amazing and beautiful performance from Paddington The Musical and Tom Fletcher on Strictly Come Dancing musicals week," said one fan.

Many others agreed that the bear's appearance was the highlight on Saturday's episode of Strictly.

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Given it had already been an emotional episode, with EastEnders star Bavinder Sopal having to be consoled by judge Motsi Mabuse after Sopal and Julian Caillon received a standing ovation for their moving Viennese Waltz to Never Enough from The Greatest Showman, it is perhaps no surprise that Paddington's appearance had plenty of Strictly fans sobbing.

One fan said: "Tom and Paddington making me cry wasn’t on my agenda tonight." And another added: "Paddington was so beautiful! Made me tear up! Paddington is alive!!!"

Having stolen the show on Musicals Week, you'd imagine the Strictly chiefs may try to get Paddington back in the ballroom sooner rather than later...

Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One and iPlayer on Sunday, 7th December at 7:45pm.

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