BBC Strictly Come Dancing's JB Gill and Lauren Oakley given Blackpool boost due to key detail

JB Gill and Lauren Oakley have seemingly been given a boost as details about Strictly Come Dancing's upcoming Blackpool special were revealed. The pair will be among the eight couples performing in the iconic Tower Ballroom this weekend.

The JLS star and his professional dance partner made it through to week nine of the BBC One dance contest after performing a samba last weekend that "stunned" the judges - Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke - and left them joint top of the leaderboard.

It was later confirmed they'll be heading to Blackpool as Strictly relocates to the seaside town for its annual special and that they'll perform a Quickstep to Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley.

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The move sees Lauren making her competitive Strictly debut in the town with JB after his previous partner Amy Dowden had to unexpectedly pull out the hit dance show due to a foot injury.

And in Blackpool, the quickstep has been the most successful Strictly dance, scoring 22 10s in the BBC dancing show’s 20-year history. It is followed by the American smooth, with 15 10s, and the Charleston, with 13 10s.

That means it could also be good news for Chris McCausland and his partner Dianne Buswell who will take on the American smooth to Paul Anka’s Jump and also opera singer Wynne Evans and Katya Jones will perform a Charleston to Carmen Suite No 1: 5 Les Toreadors by Georges Bizet.

There have been 107 10s awarded by nine Strictly judges at the ballroom throughout the years, across a total of 99 celebrities and 52 professional dancers. Former judge Bruno Tonioli, who left the show permanently in 2022, has awarded the most 10s at the venue with 31.

Just five couples have scored a perfect 40 at Blackpool – actor Danny Mac and Oti Mabuse, Pussycat Dolls singer Ashley Roberts and Pasha Kovalev, singer Fleur East and Vito Coppola, McFly’s Harry Judd and Aliona Vilani – who achieved the feat twice – and singer Jason Donovan and Krishna Rihanoff.

Strictly Come Dancing: Blackpool Special airs at 6.45pm on Saturday, November 16, on BBC One and iPlayer, with the results show on Sunday, November 17, at 7.20pm on the same channel.