Sir Ian McKellen to make surprise cameo for Strictly's Halloween week

Entertainment
31 Oct 2026 • 3:00 AM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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Sir Ian McKellen to make surprise cameo for Strictly's Halloween week

Sir Ian McKellen is set to make a surprise cameo appearance during the Halloween special of Strictly Come Dancing.

The 87-year-old’s voice will feature in the BBC programme’s group performance on Sunday’s results show.

Accompanied by Tame Impala’s track Dracula, the routine culminates with the actor reading an extract from Bram Stoker’s horror novel.

Filmed earlier this year, the sequence portrays Strictly professionals Alexis Warr and Nikita Kuzmin on a first date.

After it is revealed that Kuzmin is a vampire, the rest of the professional dancers step in to join the dance.

Accompanied by Tame Impala’s track Dracula, the routine culminates with the actor reading an extract from Bram Stoker’s horror novel (PA)

Saturday’s dances have also been revealed with Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu performing the jive to I’m In Love With A Monster by Fifth Harmony, and Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin performing the Viennese Waltz to My Favourite Things by Rogers and Hammerstein.

Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu will salsa to Filthy/Gorgeous by Scissor Sisters, Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola will perform the Charleston to Crazy Stupid Love by Cheryl and Tinie Tempah, and Tabby Stoecker and Mark Karmalita will quickstep to Black Magic by Little Mix.

Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby will perform the Argentine tango to Pas De Deux by Michael Abels, Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley will samba to Coconut by Harry Nilsson and John Nellis and Katya Jones will perform the tango to Dance… by Slayyyter.

Filmed earlier this year, the sequence portrays Strictly professionals Alexis Warr and Nikita Kuzmin on a first date (PA)

Lawrence Robb and Jowita Przystal will perform the tango to Ghostbusters by Ray Parker Jr, Will Best and Dianne Buswell will perform their Couple’s Choice dance to Nu Flow by Big Brovaz, and Delta Goodrem and Kai Widdrington will perform the Viennese Waltz to Unchained Melody by The Righteous Brothers.

Sunday’s show will also feature music from Becky Hill, as well as Strictly’s first ever dance off featuring three couples, where one pair will be sent home from the competition by the judges, who will vote to eliminate a couple rather than save one.

McKellen paid an emotional tribute to his longtime friend Patrick Stewart, who died at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday, aged 86.

In a statement shared on Instagram after Stewart’s death, McKellen described him as “the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic”, adding that he was “a man to rely on, to admire and in my case, love”.

Strictly’s live show will air on Saturday at 6.30pm and the results show will air on Sunday at 7.10pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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