A NEW Strictly fix has ignited because Scarlett Moffat, who is set to star in the Christmas special, has already been trained by one of the judges.
The popular TV star, 35, was the first celeb to be announced for this year’s festive special after years of being linked to the BBC show.
However, show insiders are angry at her for taking part because she was trained by Anton Du Beke as a child.
And it is alleged she is now the favourite to win the Christmas glitterball due to her vast dancing history.
A Strictly insider told The Mail: “Scarlett is a trained dancer, she is so good at it and spent much of her childhood doing ballroom and Latin dancing.
“Anton even helped her and now he will be judging her against others. It all feels very unfair.
“She will surely be the runaway winner and then the BBC will be desperate to sign her for the 2026 series.
“How would you feel if you were one of the others?”
Scarlett competed in national dance competitions as a child but stopped when she went to university in York, with boozy nights out replacing the ballroom.
Despite being an early favourite, Scarlett insists she hasn’t picked up where she left off all those years ago.
Speaking exclusively to The Sun this week, she said: “It’s funny because I think in my brain, ‘oh yeah, that’s what I’m doing’. But then I catch a glimpse of myself in the mirror and I’m like, ‘oh, something’s not connected’.
“Because in my head I’m doing the moves that he’s saying. But then I look in the mirror and I’m like, ‘oh, that isn’t what I thought I would look like doing that’.
“I’m just having fun, and I think that’s the main thing, especially for the Strictly Christmas special. It’s the sheer joy of it.”
Last October, Scarlett returned to a competitive ballroom for the first time in 15 years at Blackpool‘s Winter Gardens, achieving two 2nd places and two 3rd places with her dance partner Craig Andrew.
The I’m A Celeb legend gave birth to son Jude by C-section in 2023 and Scarlett told fans she’d “never been so nervous but so proud of myself” after returning to her childhood hobby.
If anyone can rebuild that youthful talent to its former glory, it’s Italian dancer Vito Coppola.
The Strictly star, 33, has won the Glitterball with Ellie Leach and made the Strictly final on two other occasions. He also won the Italian version of the show in his only series on the show.
Scarlett admits she was desperately hoping to be paired with him, and she was ecstatic when she got her wish, telling us “there’s something about the way that he dances and his energy“.
She’s currently balancing her Strictly stint with rehearsing for panto in Northwich as the Spirit of the Ring in Aladdin.
Though she’s three hours from home, her fiancé Scott and son Jude will be watching her on stage.
