BBC star Nicholas Bailey is officially the fourth celebrity confirmed to be taking part in Strictly Come Dancing‘s Christmas special, later this year. The actor is best known for his role as Dr Anthony Trueman in the BBC long-running soap opera EastEnders and will join the likes of Scarlett Moffatt, Melanie Blatt, and Jodie Ounsley on the glitzy dancefloor in December. Nicholas has been an iconic Albert Square figure for decades, after he first arrived in Walford 25 years ago, where he remained a regular until 2003.
The star recently experienced a major career revival after returning to EastEnders earlier this year with a gripping and mysterious storyline. However, he will be hanging up the white coat and stethoscope to perform in Strictly’s festive ballroom alongside Luba Mushtuk. As well as his role as Anthony, the actor has also starred in Death in Paradise, Casualty, The Archers, Coronation Street and Miranda. His theatre work has also seen him perform extensively on stage across the UK and in the West End, where his credits include Dream Girls and Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap.
Ahead of his Strictly debut, Nicholas told the BBC: “I’m really excited to be doing this, almost as excited as my wife and daughters are! Hopefully, I’ll do them, Albert Square and Luba proud. Bring on the dancefloor.”
The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special will see six couples battle it out under the glitterball to be crowned the Strictly Christmas Champion. Hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will oversee the festivities for their final time.
This comes after the hosting duo announced their departure from the show in a shock joint announcement last month.
They will be joined by head Judge Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke who will all be on hand to dish out expert advice and Christmas cheer before the voting studio audience will decide who wins.
Sacrlette was the first celebrity to be confirmed, and in her statement, she shared: “Strictly has always held a special place in my heart, so being part of the Christmas Special feels truly magical.
“It’s the show that brings everyone together around the TV, and being part of that is a genuine personal and career highlight. I’m sure it’ll also introduce me to a few muscles I didn’t know I had. I can’t wait to live my best life on that dancefloor.”
Just days later, Melanie stated: “If you can’t have a dance at Christmas, when can you?! I’m so excited to meet Kai and start training to make this a dance to remember.”
On Monday (November 24), Jodi was confirmed, and she added: “I’m absolutely buzzing to be doing the Strictly Christmas Special. Being the first female rugby player means a lot to me, too. I honestly can’t wait to get stuck in, I’m used to smashing into people, so this is definitely going to be a challenge!”
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