The singer is swapping her cargo pants for something more glam

Melanie Blatt has been unveiled as the second star taking to the dancefloor in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2025.

The All Saints favourite, 50, will be one of six celebrities swapping turkey for tango when the festive edition lands on Christmas Day.

Fresh from appearing in BBC Two’s Girlbands Forever, Melanie has been teamed up with Kai Widdrington – and they’re already tipped to be a seriously charming pairing.

Speaking about her Strictly signing, Mel said this morning: “If you can’t have a dance at Christmas, when can you?! I’m so excited to meet Kai and start training to make this a dance to remember.”
Melanie Blatt has signed up to the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2025 (Credit: Brett D. Cove)

Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2025: Melanie Blatt

Melanie Blatt is the second famous face to join the 2025 line-up for the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special.

She is best know for starring in the 90s girlband All Saints with Shaznay Lewis, and Natalie and Nicole Appleton. Earlier this month, Mel chatted about her pop career during Girlbands Forever and admitted all the girls had a huge bust up when they split.

The group are friends again now, so will we spot one of them in the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special audience cheering Mel on?!

These days, Mel owns her own gourmet burger restaurant in London. Fans will also remember she previously made it to the final on Celebrity MasterChef and competed on Celebrity Race Across the World.

Fans are reacting to the news, with many happy to hear Mel has signed up.

“Awesome stuff,” wrote one, and “Love Melanie” echoed a second.

But others have been left scratching their heads as they’re not familiar with the singer.

“Really don’t know her and the All Saints,” penned one fan on Facebook.

“No idea who she is,” wrote another. “Don’t know who she is,” added a third.

Who else is in the line-up?

Last week, the BBC confirmed that former Gogglebox star Scarlett Moffatt is the first celebrity to be taking part. Scarlett will be partnered on the show with Vito Coppola.

Scarlett, 35, was revealed on Strictly Come Dancing’s companion show. Strictly: It Takes Two. The star described it as ‘top of her bucket list’.

“Honestly, I just keep crying all the time,” Scarlett admitted, when sharing her news with Janette Manrara. “I can say it out loud (her involvement in the show). I’m so excited.”

However, some critics have questioned the fairness of Scarlett’s signing for the show.

Scarlett competed as a ballroom dancer for years in her youth. She even previously admitted she “probably couldn’t do Strictly”  because she would be at an “unfair advantage.”
Scarlett Moffatt was the first Strictly Christmas Special celebrity to be announced by the BBC (Credit: BBC)

When is the Strictly Christmas Special?

In classic festive fashion, the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special will once again land on Christmas Day – December 25, 2025. As always, it’s pre-recorded, so there’s no public vote influencing the results.

Six celebrities will be taking to the floor with their pro partners, while Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman return to host. It’ll be an emotional one, too, as this marks their final Strictly outing before they step away from the show for good.

The Christmas Glitterball champions will be chosen by Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse.

The BBC has also teased that the final four celebrities will be announced this week, with the full line-up set to be revealed on Strictly: It Takes Two.

Strictly’s spin-off airs every week night at 6.30pm on BBC Two.

Read more: Strictly Come Dancing Blackpool week: La Voix’s sad goodbye, celeb guests, and dazzling dances!

Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Christmas Day, Thursday December 25, 2025.