Strictly Come Dancing's Blackpool special to be 'bigger and better'

'Strictly Come Dancing' director Nikki Parsons has told how this weekend's Blackpool special will be "bigger and better" this year, and she believes the couples get a boost from performing at an iconic venue like Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

Strictly Come Dancing's Blackpool special will be "bigger and better" this year.

The BBC One show’s director Nikki Parsons has told how each couple will have additional dancers to "enhance their choreography" on Saturday night (18.11.23) ahead of the special, which will air from the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom.

Speaking to The Sun newspaper's TV Mag, which is out on Saturday, Nikki said: "Each couple gets extra dancers to enhance their choreography and the staging, as Madness are performing.

"It’s such a fun show and we all love going to Blackpool."

Nikki believes the celebrities - who, this year, include the likes of Ellie Leach, Bobby Brazier, and Nigel Harman - always get a boost from performing in such a special venue.

She added: "It feels much more like a live event and more real, and I think the dancers feel like that as well because it’s such an iconic place for ballroom and everyone steps on a gear."

Earlier this week, former 'Coronation Street' actress Ellie - who is hot favourite to win the Glitterball Trophy this year - told how she has "lost a lot of weight" since she joined the Latin and ballroom show.

She told OK! magazine: "I’ve lost a lot of weight.

"You’re training so much. I still need to work on my fitness levels but even the dance we’re doing this week, I wouldn’t have been able to do three weeks ago."

Ellie has never been a fitness fanatic - but she's fully embraced the 'Strictly' challenge.

She said: "I’ve never really been into physical activity or going to the gym and stuff like that.

"But I’ve always loved watching people dance. So to be able to learn how to do it now, it’s amazing. My body and my mindset are changing so much each day. I don’t know how much weight I’ve lost but I can feel myself getting stronger, which I think is great."