Strictly Come Dancing 2020: the Grand Final – as it happened

And that’s the end of another Strictly, and for me it’s been an absolute joy in a very up and down year. As always it’s made immeasurably better by the comment box community who have created one of the friendliest and most special corners of the internet. That’s no mean feat in these toxic times, so a massive thank you to each and every one of you.

That’s me done with liveblogging for 2020, but as usual we’ll open a blog on Christmas Day for the (alternative) Strictly Christmas Special so you can chat away down below. In the meantime you can find me on Twitter or Instagram @heidistephens if you’d like to swing by and give me a festive wave.

Have a wonderful Christmas, however you’re celebrating, and please stay safe and healthy. Hopefully 2021 will be a better year, and we’ll gather back here in September to do this all again. Very best wishes to you and yours, and keeeeeep dancing!

The winners are BILL AND OTI! YES, I’m delighted for them. Two wins on the trot for Oti, and a brilliant finale for Bill. What an incredible night for him, and what an amazing Grand Final.

I called it right on BBC Breakfast last Sunday - I’m on again tomorrow at 0750, so I can feel a TINY bit smug.

Ooh, my poll just finished. HRVY for the win, apparently?

Claudia and Tess say two very emotional thank yous - to the team who made it possible, and to the audience at home, who have supported the show despite it not being quite the same as usual.

Here’s a final montage of what it’s meant to the public this year, including a message from the Duchess of Cornwall - never let it be said that the Strictly audience isn’t diverse. Just drink everything, the emotional rollercoaster is too much.

Time for a dance featuring all the 2020 Strictly couples, to Mariah’s ‘All I Want For Christmas.’ Hook this song and Giovanni on xylophone to my veins.

It morphs into ‘Sweet Caroline’ by Neil Diamond, and now this is the best festive wedding ever. All I want for Christmas is for Strictly to keep going. Usually by now I’m ready for it to be over but this year it’s kept us all going.

The vote is now closed, and it’s time for a recap of the whole series! DRINK! I’m still sad about Clara going, and I miss Johannes every day. Had anyone else wiped that Max and Dianne Simpsons dance from their brain, and now can’t stop thinking about it?

Time for a musical interlude, courtesy of Robbie Williams. Luckily he’s not singing his Cursed Covid Christmas song, but something else from his festive album. Graziano and Nadiya and Neil and Nancy are wafting gorgeously.

It’s a bit of a non-song from Robbie, but let’s just be grateful it’s not ‘Santa’s on his sleigh, but now he’s two metres away’. My boyfriend has just said ‘He’s starting to look a bit like Gary Barlow.’ Absolutely savage.

It’s a plug for the Christmas Special! DRINK! We will definitely be opening a blog on Christmas Day so you can all join in.

Nicola and Katya are back! They’re doing the dance we hoped we’d see and never got the chance, to what sounds like the Muse version of ‘Feeling Good’. Great partnering skills and lovely to see a sexier routine than we ever saw them perform on their short time on the show. LOVED that, what a shame Nicola had to go.

Time for another recap! DRINK!

It’s really hard one to call this year, you could make an argument for any of them to win this year – Jamie for sheer enthusiasm (and Karen), Maisie for quality and footwork, HRVY for consistency and Janette being brilliant, Bill for going on the biggest Journey. Who will it be? My heart says Bill, but I really can’t call it.

I’ll tell you what though, this has been one hell of a final against ALL the odds.

So that’s it for tonight’s dancing! HRVY, Bill and Maisie all have the same score. Ooh a Bruno sighting! Did I put that in the bingo? Drink anyway.

Paul McCartney and Idris Elba are doing the final Terms & Conditions of the series. Man, this is been a weird year.

Scores: 9,10,10 - a total of 29 for Maisie and Gorka.

Craig doesn’t want the dancing to end, he absolutely loved it. Shirley is going to nickname Maisie ‘Little Happy Feet’, which presumably now replaces ‘Amazing Maisie.’ Motsi thinks Maisie is a shining diamond. The judges give all the contestants a standing ovation. Even Craig gets up.

This is a lovely finale for this year’s show, it’s a gorgeous Quickstep with fabulous footwork from Maisie and another feathery flamingo dress. She and Gorka make a gorgeous couple and have been so great to watch. Loved that.

It’s the last dance of the night! My back is hurting and my hands are like claws.

But I’ll keep going because it’s MAISIE AND GORKA! Their favourite dance is the Quickstep to ‘When You’re Smiling’ by Andy Williams. This was from Week Six and featured a great deal of CGI public transport, as I recall.

Scores: 9,10,10 - a total of 29 for Bill and Oti.

Motsi thought it had swag and class, and Bill has incredible ease of movement and star quality. Craig thought Bill popped, locked and rocked. Shirley thought Bill was a dancer extraordinaire, his rhythm is sensational.

I mean, how good was this? Oti can do no wrong, but she brought something pretty special out in Bill. This is actually an incredibly complex routine with hats and newspapers and briefcases, but Bill absolutely nails it. A Strictly classic.

It’s time for BILL AND OTI! Their favourite dance is their Couple’s Choice to ‘Rapper’s Delight’ by The Sugarhill Gang. This was definitely the point that everyone realised that Bill was a real contender in this competition, and it’s my favourite of the 783 street/commercial routines we’ve seen this year. But I still think Couple’s Choice needs to be fired into the sun, so there.

Scores: 9,10,10 - a total of 29 for Jamie and Karen.

I’m deducting 28 of those points for Jamie calling Karen ‘this one’.

Shirley will carry Jamie’s joy of dance with her forever, presumably along with a bumper pack of chocolate digestives. Motsi thought it was Jamie’s dance of the series, and it had incredible energy. Craig thought it was the dance Jamie will be remembered for, it was absolutely brilliant.

Argh I’d forgotten about the hip thrusting at the beginning. I love this song and this dance was right up Jamie’s street. He’s doing a great job of it and I can’t stop smiling. The uptempo section at the end is brilliant.

Next up it’s JAMIE AND KAREN. Their favourite dance is their Couple’s Choice to ‘Gonna Make You Sweat (Everybody Dance Now)’ by C+C Music Factory. This scored Jamie a couple of tens back in week Five, but it’s Couple’s Choice so they’re like Donny Osmond tens. Still, at least we get to admire Karen’s abs again.

By the way, I hope you’re drinking during all these flashback montages.

Scores: 10,10,10. Remember when tens used to rare and treasured things?

Craig got goosebumps, it was FAB U LUSS. Shirley wheels out the 7 Ps, which I already can’t remember, and HRVY has given it his all. Motsi though it was the dance of the decade, which is a VERY late showing since the decade is over in a fortnight. Or is 2020 the start of a new decade? Depends how you count, I guess?

This is still all kinds of fabulous, albeit arguably more Jazz Dance than American Smooth, according to dance people I know. But they’ve both been giftwrapped and HRVY’s clearly having a lovely time, so count me in.

It’s time for the final round! Stick with me, everyone.

First up it’s HRVY and JANETTE! Their favourite dance is their American Smooth to ‘One (Singular Sensation)’ from A Chorus Line, as seen in Musicals Week. He got two tens but only a 9 from Craig, who spotted a couple of timing issues. Can he go one better this evening?

I’m transfixed by Liz Hurley’s cleavage, which wasn’t a sentence I imagined typing this evening. Another recap! DRINK!

Scores: 10,10,10 - a full house for Maisie and Gorka. Can we also talk about how extraordinarily fit Gorka is?

Motsi loved the quality of the content, she is Amazing Maisie. Craig was annoyed because he couldn’t find anything wrong with it. Shirley thought Maisie was shining like the angel on top of the tree, everything about it was exceptional.

Well this is just the tonic on a day when Christmas has been cancelled for a large chunk of the population. Maisie is living her best life and I love the tap section and the lifts. Really enjoyed that, just fabulous.

And finally in this round, it’s MAISIE AND GORKA! Their Showdance music choice is ‘We Need a Little Christmas’ by Idina Menzel, which would be the lead song on an album called ‘Festive Showtunes’. I have very high hopes for this dance leaving us all feeling a bit warm and fuzzy and craving a pint of Baileys.

Scores: 10,10,10 - full marks for Shirley and Motsi. I have to say that was my favourite Showdance in years. Bill’s getting emotional, and it’s a bit dusty in here.

I love that Bill’s message of support comes from Brian May and Roger Taylor from actual QUEEN.

Shirley loved the intensity of the dance, and Bill is a sensation. Motsi stopped breathing and Bill became the dance. Craig thought it reeked of desperation and Bill should be committed, which is making me laugh. Obviously he absolutely loved it.

I already love the drama of this, a nice contrast to tonight’s high energy routines. Nice bit of Argentine into some great Paso. This is by no means perfect from a technique perspective, but it’s pure Bill Bailey rock ‘n’ roll and I love it, right down to the pyrotechnic guitar at the end. What a showman.

It’s time for BILL AND OTI! Their Showdance music choice is ‘The Show Must Go On’ by Queen, which suggests high drama and a great deal of camptastic emoting. It’s kind of hard to imagine what a Bill Bailey Showdance might look like, but I’m here for it.

Scores: 9,10,10 - a total of 29 for Jamie and Karen. I mean, really?

Loving Jamie’s sister asking for Giovanni’s number. Carpe diem.

Craig thought it was aerobic workout, and Jamie danced up a storm with bags of infectious energy. Shirley has never doubted Jamie, he dances from his heart. Motsi thought Jamie attacked the dance, he’s an incredible role model.

Jamie flies in on wires into the fog, which pretty much sets the tone for the camptastic mayhem of this dance. It’s mostly running and jumping, that’s Jamie’s thing and he’s really really good at it. There’s enough gymnastics to get him his BAGA 4 badge too, he might want to sew that to those white trousers.

Next up it’s JAMIE AND KAREN! Their Showdance music choice is to ‘I’m Still Standing’ by Elton John, but it’s the Taron Egerton version from Rocket Man. Jamie is still standing, through a combination of enthusiasm, personality and Shirley. I think it’s reasonable to assume she’ll never pay for a chocolate hobnob again.

Scores: 9,10,10 - a total of 29 for HRVY and JNTT.

HRVY is planning to give the glitterball to his grandparents if he wins. It’s the ultimate nan card, and HRVY has played it SHAMELESSLY.

Motsi loved the spirit of the dance, it’s the greatest final she’s ever been in. Craig was definitely taken to Boogie Wonderland even though it needed more hip in the Salsa section. Shirley though Janette squeezed every last drop out of HRVY, which apparently is a dance reference.

As you would expect from HRVY, this is high energy glittery joy with a Latin flavour. There are a LOT of lifts which makes if feel a bit stop-start in places, and it’s quite busy for my tastes. Lovely pot-stirrer at the end, and I’ll never say no to a bit of disco. Good work, HRV.

Showdance time! First up it’s HRVY and JANETTE! They’ve chosen ‘Boogie Wonderland’ by the late Brittany Murphy for their Showdance, which is the arrangement from the movie Happy Feet, so hopefully this will feature tap dancing penguins.

They have chosen a music festival theme, which presumably means it will be set in a queue for a Portaloo, dressed in the same outfit they’ve been wearing since Thursday.

The vote is open! I think you get six votes each on the website, so use them wisely. Time for our first recap of the evening, so DRINK. Bill and Maisie getting my theoretical early votes, although I don’t have time to do actual voting.

Scores: 9,10,10 - a total of 29 for Maisieand Gorka. Craig’s saving that ten for something.

Shirley thought it was scintillating and sensual, and Maisie danced to expressed herself rather than to impress anyone. Maisie killed Motsi - she could see her intention and it was amazing. Craig rather liked it, Maisie had dealt with a lot of stuff and danced that in a ‘very smashing way’. Tens all round?

I love the pink feathery madness of this, and it’s very clear how badly Maisie wants a win tonight. Unfortunately she’s been too consistently good since she first danced this in Week One, and history tells us that rarely results in a win. I might be wrong, and there’s no denying she’s a phenomenal dancer.

And finally in this round, it’s MAISIE AND GORKA! Their Judges’ Pick is their Week One Samba to ‘Samba (Conga)’ by Gloria Estefan. I loved this Samba, it was a proper flamingo knickers party routine. It scored eights for Maisie and Gorka at the time, so still scope to elevate it to Strictly Samba Legend.

Scores: 9,10,10 - a total of 29 for Bill and Oti.

Craig thought it was wonderful to see again - light, bright, and Bill maintained his frame throughout. Shirley loved Bill’s beautiful soft knees and everything was absolutely spot on. Motsi loved the ease and control Bill had throughout the dance and it was clear that Bill enjoyed it even more.

Motsi’s dress is fabulous, I want it.

This was probably my favourite Quickstep of this year’s Strictly, it had enormous charm and musicality. Bill’s doing a much better job this time round, he’s got more confidence and better detailing. Really enjoyed seeing that again.

Next up it’s BILL AND OTI! Their Judges’ Pick is the Quickstep to ‘Talk To The Animals’ by Bobby Darin. This was from Week Two, and I remember rather enjoying it until that massive CGI elephant came on at the end and did a terrifying trumpety thing. It got eights at the time, so definitely room for improvement.

Scores: 8,9,9 - a total of 26 for Jamie and Karen. No 10 from Motsi! DRINK.

Motsi though it was a huge improvement, and Craig agrees - it was freer and looser, and it’s lovely to see the wig again. Shirley loves how Jamie comes back stronger every time, and he executed the dance really well.

Jamie says he’ll propose to his girlfriend if he wins. Not going to buy a hat any time soon.

Jamie’s timing has undoubtedly improved, but this is still mostly flexing and running about and not nearly enough Charleston, and some of the transitions are kind of shambolic. Great fun and you can’t fault Jamie’s energy, however. If Craig can be nice so can I.

Next up it’s JAMIE AND KAREN! Their Judges’ pick is the Charleston to ‘Zero To Hero’ from the movie Hercules, as previously seen in Movie Week. Craig wants to see him loosen up a bit. Craig, if he was any looser he’d have his own entry on the Bristol Stool Chart.

I’m a bit disappointed that the judges have given Jamie a Running and Bouncing Dance to go alongside the two other Running and Bouncing Dances he’ll perform this evening. Call me crazy, but I like to mix things up a bit.

Scores: 9,10,10 - a total of 29 for HRVY and JNTT. Worth nothing the judges’ scores are entirely irrelevant this evening.

Shirley thought HRVY skyrocketed them into the atmosphere, and HRVY is like a bottle of champagne. Motsi still thinks it was one of the best opening dances she’s ever seen, which does beg the question of how much HRVY has improved since Week One. Craig has decided to be positive this evening - it was cleaner and more precise this evening.

This is another great Jive from HRVY, although there are definitely a few tiny timing issues. But probably the best kicks/flicks/retraction we saw in the Jive this year, and he maintains the energy right to the end.

Tonight’s first routine is Judge’s Choice! First up it’s HRVY AND JANETTE! The judges have chosen their Jive to ‘Faith’ by Stevie Wonder feat. Ariana Grande. This was from Week One and set the standard for HRVY’s consistently decent performance throughout the series. Can’t remember anything about any of this dances, mind, other than they’ve all been really good.

The Judges are in the Gherkin for no apparent reason, like it’s the beginning of The Apprentice.

Out come the stars! God, I’d forgotten about Jamie’s pleather Hercules outfit. Ugh.

Out come the judges! Shirley’s definitely a Quality Street, so DRINK.

TESS AND CLAUDIA DRESS WATCH – GRAND FINAL EDITION: Tess in turkey bacofoil, Claudia in a voluminous sparkly prom dress. They both look SPECTACULAR.

Time for our final opening pro dance, featuring chinos, tight white shirts and turquoise fringing. All the male dancers look like mid-level marketing managers, and yet it still manages to be vaguely arousing.

Out come the stars! There are a lot of silver sparkles going on.

And we’re off! Each of the celebs is on the dancefloor watching a video of their journey. it’s kind of emotional, and we definitely won’t forget this year in a hurry. What a phenomenal job the Strictly team have done, they should be rightly proud of such a massive achievement.

It’s nearly time! Is everyone ready?

ALSO please post a picture of your Grand Final get-up on Twitter/Insta using the #strictlyfinalsparkle hashtag so I can look at your glorious outfits later. I’ve gone for silver sequins and ALL the red lipstick, but have left off the killer heels in the interests of health & safety. If I need an emergency loo break I might turn an ankle, and then where would we be?

My annual non-scientific Strictly poll thinks HRVY is going to win this evening, but I’m not so sure, I think it might be Bill. It’s still open on Twitter if you want to take part, I set it for a day too long because I can’t count. At least it closes before the winner is crowned, so that’s something.

Time for this year’s FINAL Strictly Come Bingo – have a sip of something sparkly for any occurrence of the following:

• Recaps and montages
• Motsi scoring anything other than a ten
• Mentions of bubbles
• Plugs for the Christmas Special
• Dresses that look like Quality Streets

You may wish to pace yourselves, it’s going to be a very long night.

Evening all, and welcome to this year’s Strictly Grand Final liveblog! It’s been a strange old year in Strictly’s history, and a pretty torrid day even by 2020 standards, but it’s definitely cause for celebration that the production team (and the rest of us, for that matter) have managed to get through the series without the wheels entirely falling off the glitterbus. Don’t know about you, but for me it’s been much needed comfort and joy in the madness. And tonight, particularly, it’s a welcome escape. Who’s in?

Tonight our final four couples battle it out with three final dances, and right now it’s hard to know who is going to be this year’s winner. For dance excellence it should be Maisie, but HRVY has a unique style. The people’s favourite is Bill, and the only thing I’m reasonably certain of is that it won’t be Jamie. It might all come down to the showdance, which is rather exciting.

The running order for tonight’s show is as follows: all three couples will dance three routines back-to-back – the one the judges want to see again, a no-rules Showdance, and then finally each couple’s favourite dance of the series. It’s a 140 non-stop marathon of a show, heavily padded with pro dances, montages, recaps and musical interludes, so buckle your dancing trousers for a final spin around the Strictly dancefloor. This has been a nightmare of a year for many, so let’s envelop ourselves in a final warm hug of Strictly sparkle and joy.

Kick off is at 6pm – bring an adequate supply of snacks and booze, and I’ll see you in a bit!