Strictly 2020: Bill Bailey crowned oldest-ever winner
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Bill Bailey and his partner Oti Mabuse have won Strictly Come Dancing 2020, after an electric final show.
Bill becomes the oldest-ever winner, at 55-years-old, while Oti is the first professional to win back-to-back titles - and only the second pro to win twice.
The comedian beat EastEnders' Maisie Smith and singer HRVY at the end of Saturday's grand final.
"It feel surreal, it feels extraordinary, it feels wonderful," Bailey said as he was named the winner.
"I never thought we'd get this far, never thought we'd get to the final."
Was Bill your favourite? Should Maisie have won it? Let us know in the comments.
Bill thanks Oti, Oti thanks Bill
"I have had the most extraordinary teacher and the most extraordinary dancer," gushed Bill.
He paid tribute to Oti, saying she was, "someone who believed in me right from the beginning, and she found something in me and turned me into this, into a dancer."
In response Oti told him: "I think you are amazing, remarkable. You just put your heart and soul into everything.
"Thank you for being a friend, a father figure to me, a brother, and for this [the glitterball trophy]!"
Strictly 2020... a bit different
The final show marked the end of a shortened Strictly, with cast and crew dealing with coronavirus controls as well as the usual aches and pains caused by all the dancing!
The Duchess of Cornwall paid tribute to the cast and crew of Strictly for "lifting the whole country's spirits".
"I'd like to, on the behalf of everybody who watches Strictly, to say an enormous thank you to everybody," she said.
"Everybody who has been involved in this production, in this particularity difficult year, you have given everybody so much pleasure and you've uplifted the nation."
It was a shorter series this years due to the coronavirus pandemic, and even with everyone following restrictions the virus still had an impact.
HRVY tested positive for coronavirus 10 days before the launch show was filmed, while boxer Nicola Adams was forced to withdraw when her partner Katya Jones tested positive.
Nicola and Katya did, however, get to return for a special performance on Saturday's show.
Got a favourite moment from this year's show? Tell everyone about it in the comments.
- Published19 December 2020
- Published19 December 2020
- Published19 December 2020