The first night of Strictly Come Dancing was full of surprises, but no-one threw a bigger curveball than former Lioness Karen Carney.

Personally, my favourite Strictly contestants are the ones who slip completely under the radar in the lead-up to the first dance and end up being absolutely spectacular.

Bill Bailey was a wild outsider going into Strictly in 2020, but he was unstoppable once he took to the dancefloor, delivering some of the most memorable performances in the show’s 21-year history.

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Chris McCausland wasn’t on any bookmakers’ lists to win, but every week – from his first dance to his last – he had me bawling, with impeccable precision, timing, and care that would be impressive in any dancer, let alone a blind comedian.

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