BBC Strictly Come Dancing fans stunned as iconic 80s stars perform

Strictly Come Dancing fans were left stunned as an iconic 80s duo opened the show for its Blackpool special. The hit BBC competition kicked off the entertainment with a group dance featuring the professional dancers, with even the remaining celebrities joining in later on the famous sprung floor.

And they had a very special band backing them - the Pet Shop Boys. Singer Neil Tennant and keyboardist Chris Lowe donned sparkly silver jackets to perform a medley of their hit singles including It's A Sin and West End Girls.

The talented duo have sold more than 100 million records worldwide, and were listed as the most successful duo in UK music history in the 1999 edition Guinness Book of World Records. Viewers at home were shocked to see the legendary act on the stage at the famous Blackpool Tower Ballroom and took to X to comment.

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One wrote: "This is HOW to do it. The Pet Shop Boys are simply magnificent." A second said: "Bets opening yet."

A third shocked fan commented: "Blimey, it’s the actual Pet Shop Boys! #Strictly." "Good lord the Pet Shop Boys have rocked up," another echoed.

A fifth said: "Goosebumps already," while a sixth added: "#strictly Absolutely BLOODY BRILLIANT."

The celebrated opening comes after weeks of complaints from fans. Fans of the show have been unhappy with the new format of the results show, which saw the presenters, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, dive straight into revealing which contestants were safe, without the usual opening dance number from the professional dancers.

One fan expressed their dissatisfaction on X, formerly known as Twitter, saying: "No opening number. Straight in to the results and recap. Sorry, I just don't like the new format AT ALL #Strictly."

Other viewers echoed this sentiment, with another fan adding: "Another week of not starting with the group number can they please go back to the old format it's just odd #strictly."