5 days Ago By [email protected] (Jessica Sansome)
Strictly Come Dancing has confirmed a major change to one of its post-show staples just days after the final - and it involves Amy Dowden. The hit BBC One dance contest came to an end for another year over the weekend with Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell being announced as the 2024 champions. The comedian and the professional dancer were in disbelief as they lifted the Glitterball trophy as the final came to an end on Saturday night (December 14).
After Tess Daly announced them as this year's winners of the BBC One dance contest, Chris said it was "astonishing” to win. He cried and hugged his partner Dianne after the title was announced, with them both appearing to be in disbelief. READ MORE: BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Chris McCausland says he 'hasn't recovered' as he breaks silence on win The 47-year-old said: "It’s astonishing.
It’s – you know. I don’t know what to say. I honestly thought I could go out in the first week or two, and I know no one went out in the first week, but I still thought I could.
" But, Chris revealed that he won’t be taking part in the upcoming Strictly Come Dancing Live 2025 tour as he prepares for his latest comedy tour, Yonks!. It means he'll be split from Dianne much earlier as their dancing journey comes to an end while some of his co-stars continues for a few weeks in the New Year. "I started the [comedy] tour in January this year and I did the first leg till May and then I was meant to be back out again in September but we moved the dates to accommodate Strictly.
.. " Chris explained in his first TV interview on ITV's Lorraine on Monday (December 16).
"It just wasn’t really a consideration at the time as I don’t think anyone thought I would be any good at it...
I didn't think I would be going off the back of Strictly on tour. I thought I would be going off the back of two months off." Shortly after his TV appearance, the full touring line-up was confirmed.
It was announced that Amy will be returning for the arena tour next year after she was forced to pull out of this year's competition mid-way through due to injury. The celebrity line-up for the 2025 Strictly Live tour (Image: PA) But she is set to take to the dance floor once again as it's been revealed that she'll be back dancing with JB Gill for the tour and in a tour first, he'll also get to perform once again with Lauren Oakley who stepped in for Amy and saw JB all the way through to the final of Strictly's 20th-anniversary series. As well as Lauren, Amy and JB, the couples performing will be Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas, Montell Douglas and Kai Widdrington, Wynne Evans and Katya Jones; Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec, Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola and Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu.
They'll also be joined by a number of the show's professional dancers, including champion Dianne, Karen Hauer, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Jowita Przystal plus Robbie Kmetoni and Jake Leigh. They'll join all four judges - Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Craig Revel Horwood - for the first time as well as host Janette Manrara. Speaking of the upcoming tour Janette said: "Wow - what an incredible line-up of couples we have on the tour next year! Arena audiences around the country are in for a real treat.
It’s going to be a blast to be back with all the pros and, as an extra special treat, it will be a joy to welcome back the lovely Amy Dowden. Get ready for an evening of pure Strictly entertainment for the whole family - bigger and better than ever before!".
