Strictly professionals to transform into Despicable Me minions for movie week
Kai Widdrington will dress as the grouchy former supervillain Gru.
The Strictly Come Dancing professionals will transform into minions from the Despicable Me franchise during the show’s movie week special.
Kai Widdrington will dress as Gru, the grouchy former supervillain and protagonist of the film series, while the other professionals don yellow bodysuits to mimic the tiny henchmen.
This year’s movie week will see Welsh dancer Amy Dowden and JLS member JB Gill dance the American smooth to the song Pure Imagination from Wonka while comedian Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell jive to the Wayne’s World Theme.
Speaking about the performance, McCausland, the show’s first blind contestant, said: “We are hoping to incorporate a lot of the feel and comedy of the film into our dance.
“We’re hoping to get away with a few easter eggs for people of a certain age to recognise.”
Elsewhere, Olympian Montell Douglas will tango with Johannes Radebe to One Night Only from Dreamgirls with Morning Live’s Dr Punam Krishan and Gorka Marquez performing their couple’s choice to Bole Chudiyan from Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham.
Former hockey player Sam Queck and Nikita Kuzmin will perform the paso doble to Elevation from Lara Croft: Tomb Raider while Miranda star Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola Viennese waltz to Hedwig’s Theme from the Harry Potter series.
Singer Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones will samba to Poor Unfortunate Souls from The Little Mermaid with Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec performing a rumba to What Was I Made For? by Billie Eilish from the Barbie movie.
Ghouri said of the performance: “I’m going to channel my inner Marilyn Monroe, she’s such a strong character and, as a woman, she’s someone we look up to.
“I want to bring that independence and boss woman energy to the routine. I think it’s going to be amazing.”
EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas will quickstep to I’m Still Standing by Sir Elton John from the biopic Rocketman while former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson and Karen Hauer will cha cha to The Magnificent Seven theme.
Reality star Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal will samba to the George Of The Jungle theme while singer Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu Viennese waltz to If I Can Dream from Elvis.
Also performing is Welsh opera singer Wynne Evans and Katya Jones, who will dance the cha cha to Papa’s Got A Brand New Bag from Mrs Doubtfire, a film about a man who disguises himself as an elderly female housekeeper.
Speaking about the performance, Evans said: “It’s new boundaries, shall we say.
“It’s totally new for me, although I did once sing in an opera – Venetian opera, actually.
“Years ago, they used to put men into women’s roles, so I’ve done that once before in an opera. But we’re talking 30 years ago.
“It’s been a long time. A long time since I had heels on. Let’s put it like that.”
DIY SOS star Nick Knowles and his dance partner Luba Mushtuk were due to perform the Charleston to Rain On The Roof from Paddington 2 before Knowles pulled out on Friday due to an injury.
During Sunday’s results show there will be a rom-com themed dance plus a performance from British musician Alexis Ffrench, accompanied by some of the professionals.
Last weekend Olympian Tom Dean and his dance partner Nadiya Bychkova became the first pair to leave the competition.
Strictly Come Dancing airs on BBC One, Saturday at 6.25pm.
