The glittering climax of Strictly Come Dancing 2025 will take place without one of its most talked-about contestants. The BBC has confirmed that Thomas Skinner, the first celebrity eliminated this series, will not return for the traditional group dance in the Grand Finale this Saturday.
Final Three Confirmed After Tense Semi-Final
Following a dramatic semi-final dance-off, the competition said goodbye to Balvinder Sopal and Julian Caillon. This leaves three couples battling for the Glitterball Trophy: Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin; George Clarke and Alexis Warr; and Karen Carney and Carlos Gu. Karen has already made history as the first footballer to reach the Strictly final.
The season has been emotionally charged, marked by the announcement that hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will be departing. While the entire 'Class of 2025' is set to reunite for a spectacular opening routine, Skinner will be conspicuously absent due to a prior commitment.
Skinner's Turbulent Strictly Journey
Partnered with professional dancer Amy Dowden, the Apprentice star's time on the show was brief and contentious. He faced significant backlash from viewers, both for his dancing abilities and his political associations with figures like US Vice President JD Vance. His stint was also clouded by a cheating scandal prior to his first dance.
Online criticism was fierce, with one fan on Reddit labelling him one of the 'worst contestants on this show', suggesting he didn't seem to care. After his elimination, Skinner hit back at his critics in a lengthy social media post, expressing regret about joining the series. "I wish I never done Strictly, I never fitted the bill for that show let’s be honest. And it’s caused me nothing but agg. Constant abuse," he wrote.
Despite his Strictly exit, Skinner will be back on screens over Christmas as part of the Celebrity Apprentice line-up, returning to the show that launched his TV career in 2019.
Finalists Face the Music Amid Their Own Challenges
As the final approaches on Saturday 20th December, the remaining celebrities are preparing to perform three dances each. For West End star Amber Davies, the journey has been particularly challenging. She stepped in as a last-minute replacement for the injured Dani Dyer and has faced criticism over her prior dance experience, surviving a dance-off against Lewis Cope and accusations of copying a routine.
At a recent press conference, Davies addressed the online hate she has received. "I have a lot of young women who follow me, and I didn’t know what my purpose was on Strictly until I realised that I was getting a lot of negative comments for being good," she said. She passionately defended her ambition and work ethic, stating, "being ambitious as a woman, being confident, having dreams and working hard does not mean you’re stuck up."
The Strictly Come Dancing 2025 finale airs on BBC One at 7pm, where one of the three couples will be crowned champion.
