Christmas 2022: South Shields podcaster Rosie Ramsey announced for Strictly Come Dancing's Christmas special 2022

The show’s announcements for the celebrity line-up began on Wednesday, November 30. Rosie, who hosts acclaimed podcast S*****d Married Annoyed with comedian husband Chris Ramsey, was the first contestant to be announced.

Chris took part in 2019’s series of Strictly and, partnered with long-serving professional Karen Hauer, made it to the semi-final. South Tyneside and the wider North East united behind comedian Chris during his stint on the show, and we’re sure families across the region will be flying the flag for Rosie, too!

The podcaster will be partnered with professional dancer Neil Jones as she joins five other celebrity couples to compete to win the festive version of the popular dance show.

Her participation was revealed on BBC Morning Live on Wednesday. She said: “I watched Chris do it in 2019. I was insanely jealous. So as soon as I got asked to do this, I just grabbed it with both hands.”

She went on: “(Chris is) giving me tips and he’s just kind of understanding that it is difficult, but he could not dance at all when he started and he did so so well. (The training is) really hard. I have got so much more respect for anyone who’s ever taken part in the show over all of the years. It’s a lot. It’s a lot of cardio, let’s put it that way.”

Over the summer, Chris and Rosie hosted the first series their own chat show on BBC Two, on which Strictly judge Craig Revel Horwood was a guest. She’s hoping their past acquaintance might work in her favour.

She added: “You never know with Craig, do you? You just never, ever know how he’s going judge it or whether he’s going like it or not.

“I watch the show with my seven-year-old, Robin, and he loves Craig, but he’s also terrified that he’s going to give (me) a really bad score.”

It was also announced this week that Rosie will take part in The Great British Sewing Bee Celebrity Christmas Special, hosted by comedian Sara Pascoe.

The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Christmas Day.