‘It's got everything you could want!'

As Strictly returns for four specials, head judge Shirley Ballas tells TV Times why she loves the show’s Movie Week...

- Hannah Davies

STRICTLY: THE BEST OF MOVIES

NEW SAT / BBC1 / 7.30PM / EP 1 of 4 / ENTERTAINMENT

Sequins at the ready! Before Strictly Come Dancing waltzes back on to BBC1 later this autumn, fans are in for a treat with not one, but four special themed episodes that celebrate the most memorable moments from the past 15 years. First up is Movies, followed by Blackpool, Musicals and the Finals.

‘I think people are going to be in awe at the way these shows have been put together,’ says head judge Shirley Ballas, 60, as she joins TV Times for a video chat from her London home.

‘I’ve watched three of them and I sat on my bed and I just sobbed, I really did, because they’re just so uplifting!’

Here, Shirley – who joined the show in 2017 – tells us more, plus reveals her four all-time favourite Movie Week dances...

Do you think the Best of… shows are a good way to get us excited about the new series?

Absolutely! We only have nine shows for Strictly this year, so having these four specials is amazing and all the numbers that we get to relive are ridiculously fantastic. Although we did them via Zoom, all these specials feel like real live shows because the way they’ve been put together is so incredible. It’s exciting!

This week’s show celebrates all things Hollywood – what makes Movie Week so special?