STRICTLY Come Dancing fans have been left furious after spotting one star “went missing” during the BBC show special.
A variety of famous faces and their professional partners returned to the sequin-studded programme to celebrate its 20th anniversary.
The one-off Strictly celebration featured archive footage from some of the programme’s most memorable routines – both good and bad – as well as interviews with hosts, judges, pro dancers and celebrities.
The show aired for an hour and 25 minutes and during that time, Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman revealed there had been over 300 celebrities who had taken part during its run.
Yet eagle-eyed fans were quick to note Danny Mac’s omission – after the actor lost out on the title to Ore Oduba in series 14.
They flooded forum site Reddit with comments about the 36-year-old, with one who ranted: “Everyone is slating rose for not featuring in last nights special… but where the hell was Danny Mac?!?”
One said: “He has to be the honest to god best ever strictly contestant.. definitely the best that didn’t win (robbed!!!), so does he feel salty about it?”
They added: “I missed me some Kelvin [Fletcher] too while we’re at it..!!”
One diplomatic viewer then put: “You’ve got to consider that not everyone might have been available for the filming etc.”
Another added: “I imagine it’s just who was free at the time, rose is so busy with her career.”
One then flagged that Danny had featured – just not in a direct piece to camera – and shared: “Rose and Danny Mac were shown in archival footage and talked about so positively by others, surely that’s enough.”
Danny was paired with Oti Mabuse in 2016, with the pair coming runners up.
Ore, meanwhile, picked up the Glitterball trophy with Joanne Clifton.
Danny has since returned to Hollyoaks – the soap that made him famous – as character Dodger Savage.
He, alongside the likes of Harry Judd, Jay McGuinness and Jill Halfpenny also shared their memories, on the show, alongside the very first winner Natasha Kaplinsky to last year’s victor, Ellie Leach.
Yet another famous face who didn’t make the cut was series 11 winner Abbey Clancy, who didn’t appear at all.
STRICTLY Come Dancing's Christmas Special is rolling back around for 2024. Yet who has already scooped the festive Glitterball Trophy?
2005 Darren Gough & Lilia Kopylova
2006 Colin Jackson & Erin Boag
2007 Darren Gough & Lilia Kopylova
2008 Jill Halfpenny & Darren Bennett
2009 Ali Bastian & Brian Fortuna
2010 John Barrowman & Kristina Rihanoff
2011 Charlie Brooks & Vincent Simone
2012 J.B. Gill & Ola Jordan
2013 Rufus Hound & Flavia Cacace
2014 Louis Smith & Aliona Vilani
2015 Harry Judd & Joanne Clifton
2016 Melvin Odoom & Janette Manrara
2017 Katie Derham & Brendan Cole
2018 Aston Merrygold & Janette Manrara
2019 Debbie McGee & Kevin Clifton
2020 —
2021 Anne-Marie & Graziano Di Prima
2022 Alexandra Mardell & Kai Widdrington
2023 Jamie Borthwick & Nancy Xu
Abbey took part in 2013 and won alongside Aljaz Skorjanec, who did appear on the special.
Unfortunately Abbey was nowhere to be seen, either alongside him or in the archive clips, prompting one viewer to rage on X: “has abbey clancy been erased from Strictly history or?”
Another winner who was missing was former pro-dancer Aliona Vilani, who won the show twice; once with Harry Judd and again with Jay McGuinness.
Other pros were sorely missed too, with another viewer raging: “The lack of Natalie Lowe/Erin /Flavia & Vincent /Matthew Cutler / Camilla
in this #strictly programme is a TRAVESTY!”
