Strictly's most memorable moments from Blackpool

Strictly Come Dancing Blackpool Week is always pretty special.

The annual trip to Blackpool's famous Tower Ballroom sees the celebrity contestants perform on the unique sprung dancefloor in a much wider space and front of a larger live audience.

It's a like a school trip for the Strictly stars as hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman get all giddy, the judges get nostalgic and the choreographers pull out all the stops.

Strictly first featured the Blackpool Week in the second series and it returned almost every year since series seven. For two years during COVID restrictions the trip to the ballroom had to be cancelled but in 2022 it came back with a bang.

So what have been the stand out routines from Strictly at the Blackpool ballroom? Here are a few that spring to mind.

Ann Widdecombe and Anton Du Beke

Tory politician Ann Widdecombe, 77, took part in the show in 2010 and was paired with judge Anton Du Beke when he was still a professional dancer on the show.

Widdecombe proved not to be a very talented dancer, nor very graceful and she did not improve greatly each week.

But Du Beke cleverly played on her comedy value, performing hilarious routines that kept viewers voting her in each week.

Their Blackpool routine unforgettably saw him spin her around by the limbs in her bright canary yellow dress, like a giant duster polishing the famous floor.

It was enough to save them from the dance off and Widdecombe survived one more week.

Caroline Flack and Pasha Kovalev

Caroline Flack - who won Strictly in 2014 - is hailed as one of the best dancers ever to compete on the show.

The TV presenter - whose life was tragically cut short when she took her own life in 2020 aged just 40 - danced the Jive to Elton John's Crocodile Rock at the Blackpool Ballroom and scored 37 out of 40.

Flack wore a sequinned Union Jack dress for the London-themed dance and rocked her Girl Power at the historic venue.

Ed Balls and Katya Jones

Former Labour MP turned Good Morning Britain host Ed Balls was the comedy contestant of Strictly 2016.

Katya Jones played up to his strengths, and even though he was not the nest dancer he made it to Week 10, and will always be remember for his Gangnam Style routine.

But at Blackpool that year he also made a bit impression as Ed Balls Of Fire.

Balls was lowered onto the dancefloor pretending to play a flaming grand piano before jiving to Goodness Gracious Great Balls of Fire.

It was such a flaming success that even tough judge Craig Revel Horwood enjoyed it, and told Balls he was an inspiration to "all the couch potatoes at home doing nothing".

Stacey Dooley and a stick of rock

Stacey Dooley won the show in 2018 with her now boyfriend Kevin Clifton.

The documentary maker had everyone's jaws dropping onto the spring dancefloor in Blackpool week when she appeared straddling a giant stick of Blackpool rock before dancing the Salsa to Ooh Aah (Just A Little Bit)' by Gina G.

Dooley's routine included not one, not two but SIX lifts, including an incredible scissor jump over one dancer's head, another where she landed to sit on his shoulder.

Ooh Ah, quite a big deal actually!

Fleur East and Vitto Coppola

Fleur East had Blackpool Ballroom Jumpin' when she performed her astonishing Couples Choice dance with partner Vito Coppola in Blackpool Week in 2022.

The former X Factor contestant and TV presenter made the judges lose their breath with her powerful performance to a medley of songs by her favourite band Destiny's Child.

East channelled Queen Beyonce in her moves and achieved the first perfect 40 score of the series.

Judy Murray and Anton Du Beke

Anton Du Beke became Dick Van Dyke for the night in 2014 - dancing to Let's Go Fly A Kite from Mary Poppins.

Again he used entertainment value to keep partner Judy Murray in the competition for as long as possible - but didn't resort to comedy.

Their Viennese Waltz impressed the judges, even though Murray was not the best of dancers, as she worked so hard to float around the floor.

Judge Bruno Tonioli said at the time: "She really went for it and did a wonderfully good, solid performance and not a comedy turn. She really put the effort in and it was stunning."

Simon Webbe and Kristina Rihanoff

Blue singer Simon Webbe steamed up the Blackpool Ballroom when he and partner Kristina Rihanoff performed their sizzling Argentine Tango to Sting's Roxanne.

Boyband star Webbe had not been doing particularly well in the contest up until then, but emerged as an underdog in Blackpool week when he wowed the judges with his ballroom technique.

Blackpool proved the making off the couple as they went on to make it all the way through to the final.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One at 6.45pm on Saturday.