| Strictly Come Dancing | |
|---|---|
| Series 19 | |
| Presented by | Tess Daly Claudia Winkleman |
| Judges | Shirley Ballas Anton Du Beke Motsi Mabuse Craig Revel Horwood Cynthia Erivo (guest) |
| Celebrity winner | Rose Ayling-Ellis |
| Professional winner | Giovanni Pernice |
| No. of episodes | 25 |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC One |
| Original release | 18 September – 18 December 2021 |
| Series chronology | |
Strictly Come Dancing returned for its nineteenth series with a launch show on 18 September 2021 on BBC One, and the live shows beginning on 25 September.[1] Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman returned as hosts, while Rylan Clark-Neal returned to host Strictly: It Takes Two alongside new presenter Janette Manrara, who replaced Zoe Ball.[2] In June 2021, the BBC announced that Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, and Craig Revel Horwood would return to the judging panel. Anton Du Beke, who served as a guest judge in the previous series, joined the panel in place of Bruno Tonioli, who did not return for the second year in a row due to travel restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic.[3][4]
In July 2021, the show's executive producer, Sarah James, said the show would return for a "full-length series", with fifteen celebrities, themed weeks, pre-recorded professional group dances, and a Christmas special, but no Blackpool Tower Ballroom special.[5] For this series, the contestants were no longer restricted to perform one of the "couple's choice" categories — contemporary, theatre/jazz, or street/commercial — and could instead incorporate the routine however they wished.[6] In September, a row broke out over whether dancers should be vaccinated against COVID-19. Reports had suggested that three dancers had refused to be vaccinated, with one unnamed celebrity already having to self-isolate since the show's launch night had been filmed.[7]
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EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice were announced as the winners on 18 December,[8] while John Whaite and Johannes Radebe — the first male same-sex couple to compete on the programme — finished in second place.
- ^ Carr, Flora (3 September 2021). "Strictly Come Dancing 2021 launch date is officially confirmed". Radio Times. Retrieved 8 September 2021.
- ^ "Janette Manrara to join BBC Two's Strictly: It Takes Two as new host". bbc.com. Retrieved 10 June 2021.
- ^ "Judges revealed for Strictly 2021!". BBC. 24 June 2021. Retrieved 24 June 2021.
- ^ "Anton Du Beke to join Strictly judges for new series". BBC News. 24 June 2021.
- ^ Methven, Nicola (27 July 2021). "Strictly Come Dancing fans to get 'full fix' this year apart from Blackpool week". mirror.
- ^ "Week Eight is going to be great!". BBC. 13 November 2021. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
- ^ Jackson, Matt (25 September 2021). "Strictly's Craig Revel Horwood says not having Covid vaccine is 'ridiculous'". WalesOnline.
- ^ PA Media (18 December 2021). "History made as Strictly Come Dancing winners crowned". The Guardian. Retrieved 19 December 2021.