Trending Now: Strictly star Scarlett Moffatt hails win as ‘The Greatest Christmas Gift Ever’ – Fans React

Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special winner Scarlett Moffatt opens up about her victory with Vito Coppola and her past dance experience

Tonight represented a significant moment in the Strictly Come Dancing story, with presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman making their final appearance on the pre-recorded Christmas Special.

The programme proved memorable for another reason as well, with Scarlett Moffatt claiming victory and securing the glitterball trophy for the first time, calling her triumph “the greatest” Christmas present.

Discussing her success, the 35 year old said: “This is amazing! I feel like I should have prepared a speech! This is honestly the greatest gift that could have ever happened at Christmas. We’ve all just had the best time!”.

The former Googlebox personality and I’m A Celebrity champion prevailed with her professional dancing partner Vito Coppola. In conversation with the Mirror before the special aired, Scarlett said: “I couldn’t believe my luck when I was paired with Vito.

“I really wanted him! I kept mentioning that Vito would be my favourite. I’m so grateful to the show for giving us a chance to be a small part in such a big institution.”, reports the Mirror.

Her instinct proved correct as the duo impressed with their Cha Cha to DJ Play A Christmas Song by Cher, securing a flawless 40 score from the judging panel. Scarlett continued: “We just have such a laugh together, it feels like I’ve known him a decade. It’s [Strictly] is just the best.”

The performer – who has a two year old son, Jude, with her fiancé Scott Dobinson – is well-versed in the world of dance.

She took up dancing as a youngster and progressed to become a competitive ballroom and Latin dancer, even receiving tuition from Strictly judge Anton Du Beke.

Victory is familiar territory for Scarlett, having been crowned British Ballroom Champion at just 16 years old, and continuing to compete in finals until the age of 21. She remarked: “Strictly reignited the fire inside of me, reminding me that I love dance. It’s definitely going to be something that I continue to do even after strictly, I just love it. It brings me so much joy.”

Prior to the broadcast, Scarlett also expressed her excitement about appearing on Strictly. She shared a video compilation on Instagram, combining clips from her childhood dance competitions with footage of her rehearsals for Strictly alongside Coppola.

Scarlett explained: “I know I’ll probably never get to dance on the main Strictly series because of my past dance experience when I was a little girl so getting to be part of the Christmas special means everything to me. Dancing on the Strictly Christmas Special, on Christmas Day, feels like a true bucket-list moment – one of those wishes you make quietly and never really expect to come true.”

The programme featured six celebrities hitting the dancefloor, including comedian Babatunde Aléshé partnered with Nancy Xu, singer Brian McFadden with Michelle Tsiakkas, Gladiators star Jodie Ounsley (Fury) alongside Neil Jones, All Saints singer Melanie Blatt with Kai Widdrington, and EastEnders actor Nicholas Bailey teamed with Luba Mushtuk.

Scarlett’s journey with fame and the public eye hasn’t been quite as seamless as her dancing prowess. She rapidly captured hearts with her sharp humour on Gogglebox, which led to an appearance in the I’m A Celebrity jungle during 2016, coinciding with a dramatic transformation in her physique.

Her weight plummeted from a size 18 to an 8, initially attributed to diet and fitness regimes, even prompting a fitness DVD release. However, she subsequently acknowledged the weight loss stemmed from an intensive Swiss bootcamp involving severe calorie restrictions.

She later disclosed she’d “purposefully gained weight” to discourage followers from pursuing drastic weight reduction.

Though now comfortable in her body, she confesses to occasional self-doubt during Strictly rehearsals and preparation. She explained: “Sometimes I catch glimpses of myself in the mirror and I go, oh, that isn’t what I thought I looked like in my head. But I’m having the best time, and that’s all that matters is that I’m enjoying myself.”

The festive special also marked the end of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman’s tenure as hosts on the BBC programme, following their surprising resignation earlier this year.

Tess even had a chance to show off her own dance moves, performing an Argentine Tango with Aljaž Škorjanec.

Singer Brian and Michelle impressed with their Jive to Run Run Rudolph, bagging a total of 39 points out of a possible 40. Nicholas and Luba matched this score with their Viennese Waltz.

Jodie and Neil also put in a strong performance, scoring 37 for their Street Commercial to Red Christmas by Kylie Cantrall.

With the judges’ scores combined with the studio audience vote, TV personality Scarlett was announced as the winner, lifting Strictly’s Christmas Star Trophy alongside Vito. Remarkably, Scarlett managed to keep her victory a secret from her family, who discovered the news along with everyone else yesterday.

Before the show aired, she said: “I’m going to make them wait. I already feel like a winner anyway, the fact that I’m dancing with Vito and I get to perform. I don’t want to give anything away.”

After her stint in the jungle in 2017, Scarlett joined TV presenting veterans Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly as a co-host on Saturday Night Takeaway for two years. She’s since stepped back from the limelight, but after her Strictly success, she’s considering making another triumphant return to reality shows.

She’s been tipped as a potential contestant for the I’m A Celebrity All Stars line-up, with Harry Redknapp, Mo Farah and Gemma Collins also rumoured to appear when it reportedly airs next May. Hinting at the possibility, she remarked: “I absolutely love the show. Hypothetically, if I was to go back, I would just soak up every second again because I had such an amazing time the first time round. And I was a kid, I’d just turned 25. I was starting out in this industry, and I really feel like if I got the opportunity to do it again, I know myself more now.

“I enjoyed it when I was last on, but I worried a little bit and I didn’t want it to end. Whereas now, I would just enjoy it for what it is.”

Making the most of things is precisely Scarlett’s approach to the festive period.

She continued: “I’m juggling doing panto, doing Strictly, and other work commitments, while having a toddler and trying to stay in contact with friends and family. I think you have to not stress and just remember that what a privileged position and a joy it is to have so many people to see over Christmas.”