Strictly Come Dancing is about to cast a spell on its audience, with Wicked star Cynthia Erivo stepping into the spotlight as the show’s first-ever special guest mentor for its iconic Movie Week on October 11. The 38-year-old British actress, who captivated audiences as the green-skinned witch Elphaba in the 2024 Wizard of Oz prequel Wicked, is set to bring a touch of Hollywood magic to the BBC’s beloved dancefloor.
A source close to the show revealed: “Strictly is pulling out all the stops to make Movie Week unforgettable, and Cynthia Erivo is the perfect choice to sprinkle some star-studded sparkle. She’ll be rolling up her sleeves in the rehearsal studios, working closely with the celebrities to polish their performances, before joining the live show to share her expert feedback on their cinematic routines.”
Erivo, no stranger to the Strictly stage, previously dazzled as a stand-in judge in 2021. Her return as a mentor marks a bold new chapter for the show, with producers hoping her involvement will open the door for more A-list stars to take on guest mentor roles in the future. “If this goes as well as expected, it could set the stage for more big names to join the Strictly family,” the source added.
Adding to the excitement, Strictly’s professional dancers will pay homage to Wicked with a show-stopping group routine inspired by the hit musical. The performance comes just weeks before the highly anticipated release of Wicked: For Good, the sequel to the 2024 blockbuster, which hits cinemas on November 21. Starring Erivo alongside pop sensation Ariana Grande, the first Wicked film took the world by storm, grossing over £565 million globally and claiming the title of the highest-grossing musical film adaptation of all time. It also ranked as the fifth highest-grossing movie of 2024, with Erivo and Grande’s emotional rendition of Defying Gravity leaving Oscars audiences in tears during a show-stopping opening medley.
Meanwhile, Strictly’s leaderboard is already heating up. Last Saturday, former footballer Karen Carney, 38, made history as the first footballer in 18 years to top the charts, earning an impressive 31 points for her electrifying jive to Blondie’s One Way Or Another with professional partner Carlos Gu, 32.
With Cynthia Erivo’s star power, a Wicked-inspired spectacle, and fierce competition on the dancefloor, Strictly’s Movie Week is shaping up to be a cinematic extravaganza that fans won’t want to miss.