Jodie Ounsley has been confirmed as the third celebrity contestant for this year’s Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special.
The 24-year-old athlete, who stars as Fury in the BBC’s rebooted Gladiators, was announced during Monday night’s edition of Strictly: It Takes Two.
Born in Yorkshire, Jodie will partner with professional dancer Neil Jones for the festive episode airing on Christmas Day. She joins previously confirmed contestants Scarlett Moffatt and Melanie Blatt, with three more celebrity participants yet to be revealed.
This year’s Christmas Special will feature six couples competing for the glitterball trophy and carries extra significance, as it will be the final Strictly appearance for long-standing hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who recently announced their departures.
Jodie brings an impressive sporting background to the ballroom. She made history in 2019 as the first deaf woman to represent England in rugby and the world’s first deaf female international rugby sevens player.
Jodie Ounsley is also a British Brazilian jiu-jitsu champion, a multiple-time World Coal Carrying Champion, and holds a Guinness World Record for the fastest 50-metre sprint while carrying a 20kg coal bag.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be taking part in the Strictly Christmas Special. Being the first female rugby player means so much to me,” Ms Ounsley said.
“I genuinely can’t wait to dive in — I’m used to smashing into people, so this is definitely going to be a whole new kind of challenge!”
Source: jodieounsley/instagram
The choice to cast Jodie Ounsley continues a trend of Strictly recruiting former Gladiators stars for their competitiveness and athletic ability.
A television insider told The Sun: “Strictly love bringing in Gladiators stars because they’re fit, highly competitive, and give everything they’ve got.
“Viewers usually only see them in their aggressive, high-energy roles, but the dance competition gives them a chance to reveal a completely different side of their personality.”
The source added that producers often treat the Christmas Special as a “testing ground” for potential main-series contestants — a strategy that worked well with Nitro (Harry Aikines-Aryeetey), who appeared in last year’s Christmas Special before joining the 2025 main series alongside Karen Hauer.
Former Olympian Montell Douglas, who appeared as Fire on Gladiators, also made the leap from the festive Strictly special to the main series last year, ultimately reaching week ten alongside professional dancer Johannes Radebe.
During her It Takes Two appearance, Jodie Ounsley spoke enthusiastically about partnering with Neil Jones. “I’m thrilled — he really gets into character, which is exactly what I need. I think together, we’ll be flying,” she said.
Jodie explained that she joined the show for the challenge, telling host Fleur East that she wanted “a bit of a challenge” after seeing other Gladiators stars take part.
“If you’ve seen me on Gladiators or playing rugby, you know I’m focused and serious — but with this, I can really let go and have fun,” she added.
In a playful nod to competition, Jodie teased fellow contestant Scarlett Moffatt: “Watch out, Scarlett, I’m coming after you, love.”
Profoundly deaf, Jodie wears a cochlear implant and has no natural hearing. Born prematurely, she lost her hearing in both ears due to antibiotic treatment as a baby.
She received a cochlear implant at just 14 months old, making her one of the youngest recipients in the UK at the time. The implant converts sound into electrical signals sent to her auditory nerve, which her brain interprets as sound, though she still relies heavily on lip-reading, body language, and facial cues.
Jodie wears her cochlear implant during rugby matches, protected by a scrum cap or foam helmet.
Jodie Ounsley’s announcement sparked an outpouring of support online.
“YESSS!!! Let’s go Jodie! Making all of the cochlear implant community proud,” wrote It Takes Two reporter Tasha Amber Ghouri, who also wears a cochlear implant. A fan added: “Absolutely — as a hearing aid user, this makes me so proud.”
Fellow Gladiator Emilly Steel commented: “YESSSS THIS IS EXCITING!” while weightlifter and influencer Lystus Ebosele posted: “WOW I CAN’T WAIT.”
Support also came from the Strictly team. Professional partner Neil Jones wrote: “Let’s go, partner,” and last year’s Nitro, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, added: “Let’s go Fury!”
Not everyone was impressed, however. “Nope, no idea who this is,” one viewer wrote, while another insisted: “We need some male celebs announced next.”
This year’s Christmas Special carries extra significance for fans, as Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will be hosting for the final time. Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke will return as judges, with the studio audience deciding the winner.