Strictly Come Dancing Stars kickstart Blackpool celebrations

Stars arrive in Blackpool for the annual Strictly Come Dancing special

Professional dancers and celebrities arrive in the seaside town for this weekend's Blackpool special

The Strictly Come Dancing stars have arrived in Blackpool for the annual seaside special. The professional dancers and celebrities were spotted arriving in the town on Thursday, ahead of the live shows on Friday and Saturday.

This year's Blackpool special will see the couples dancing in the iconic Tower Ballroom. The ballroom is the largest ballroom in the world, and it has hosted Strictly Come Dancing since 2004.

The Blackpool special is always a highlight of the Strictly Come Dancing series. The dancers and celebrities perform in front of a live audience of over 1,000 people. The ballroom is also decorated with a special Blackpool-themed set.

This year's Blackpool special is set to be particularly special, as it will be the first time that the show has been held in front of a live audience since the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The Strictly Come Dancing stars who have arrived in Blackpool include:

• AJ Pritchard and Saffron Barker
• Amy Dowden and Karim Zeroual
• Antonio Conte and Debbie McGee
• Dianne Buswell and Dev Griffin
• Giovanni Pernice and Michelle Visage
• Gorka Marquez and Katie Piper
• Graziano Di Prima and Vick Hope
• Johannes Radebe and Catherine Tyldesley
• Kevin Clifton and Stacey Dooley
• Luba Mushtuk and James Cracknell
• Neil Jones and Alex Scott
• Oti Mabuse and Kelvin Fletcher
• Pasha Kovalev and Caroline Flack
• Ranvir Singh and Giovanni Pernice
• Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke
• Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman

The Strictly Come Dancing Blackpool special will air on BBC One on Friday and Saturday at 7.45pm.