Christmas Day wouldn’t quite be the same if it wasn’t for The Snowman, Elf and… the Strictly Come Dancing festive special of course!

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It’s still a while away yet, but to get you in the yuletide mood, the six former celebrity contestants returning to the dance floor this year have been revealed.

Series 12 winner and Love Island presenter Caroline Flack will be strutting her stuff, alongside former JLS star Aston Merrygold, ex-politician Ann Widdecombe, EastEnders actor Jake Wood, presenter Anita Rani and cricketer Michael Vaughan.

“I can’t quite believe it’s been four years since I had the best time of my life, dancing with Pasha on the Strictly dance floor,” said Flack. “My Glitterball still has pride of place in my living room! It always felt like a family at the SCD studios, so how could I say no to performing one last time on this year’s Christmas special? It’ll be the best present I could imagine.”

And Widdecombe, who holds the record for receiving the most ones on the show, said: "I am very much looking forward to returning to Strictly, where I shall once again be pushed, pulled, cajoled and coaxed around the dance floor in all manner of ways by my poor dance partner. Who knows, they might even fire me out of a canon."

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The theme for this year’s special is “fairy tales and making dreams come true”. Each of the six pairs will perform a Christmas inspired routine in a bid to win the Silver Star trophy.

Hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will be in the studio, alongside judges Craig Revel Horwood, Darcey Bussell, Bruno Tonioli and Shirley Ballas.

While the judges will handle the scores, it will be down to the studio audience to vote for which duo will win.

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The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2018 will air on Christmas Day on BBC1.

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