Strictly Come Dancing: the final – live

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Will we get our first two-time male pro champ?

A male professional has never lifted the glitterball trophy twice but both Aljaž Škorjanec and Vito Coppola are bidding to do just that tonight, having previously triumphed with Abbey Clancy and Ellie Leach respectively.

Meanwhile, Lauren Oakley or Dianne Buswell would become first-time winners. Who’ll get pro bragging rights? Five minutes and counting down…

The Wrong Trousers

And for once, we don’t mean Pete Wicks’ pink ones from Blackpool. A rerun of Wallace & Gromit’s Oscar-winning 1993 animation is on BBC One now, warming us up for their comeback on Christmas Day. Just me or does Feathers McGraw look a bit like Anton du Beke?

Mere minutes to wait now, my hoofing hombres…

Can Sarah notch a perfect 40 at last?

Sarah Hadland has scored between 36 and 39 points on seven occasions this series. Can she score her first maximum when it really counts? Tasha Ghouri has scored two perfect 40s and JB Gill one. They’ll be trying to tempt out those precious paddles again tonight.

It’s 10 minutes until glittery go-time…

One of the biggest TV nights of the year

Strictly’s Saturday night audience has been pretty steady at around the 9million mark this series. That’s expected to rise to 11million-plus for tonight’s final.

Proof that despite rumours of its demise, terrestrial TV remains unbeatable at creating communal, nation-uniting events like tonight. Expect even more whopping ratings for Gavin & Stacey on Christmas Day, for example.

It’s 10 minutes until the glitterball starts spinning…

On your dance cards tonight

We’ll see a typically Strictly mix of styles in tonight’s final. There’s two ballroom routines (a waltz and a Viennese), a pair of Latin numbers (a samba and a cha-cha), plus two American smooths, two Couple’s Choices and, of course, those four eagerly awaited showdances.

Hold tight. Scream if you want to go faster. It’s 15 minutes until ballroom blast-off…

Let’s play Strictly final bingo!

Eyes down for one last game. Tick them off when you see them on screen! Take a drink for each! Wake up wrapped in tinsel under the Christmas tree with a mystery Bailey’s stain on your novelty jumper! Here’s your last 10-point spotter’s guide of the series…

• Craig declares a dance as “one word: a-may-zing” or “one word: fab-u-lous”

• Miranda Hart or a member of JLS cheers on their friend from the studio audience

• Heartstring-tugging messages from loved ones designed to make the finalists cry

• Vito amuses Claudia with a tortuous food or animal analogy

• Paul Merson rides a horse, kicks a football or both during the reunion routine

• A finalist unconvincingly insists they don’t mind the result because “I’m already a winner”

• Someone describes their “journey” as a “rollercoaster”

• A celebrity describes their pro partner as “part of the family” or “a friend for life”

• Ginger Neil, Katya Jones and Carlos Gu elbow their way to the front of Clauditorium and hog the camera

• Tess tells a celebrity “the crowd are on their feet” or “look at your little face”

Pete Wicks makes a rapid return

In last weekend’s semi-final, it was lion-maned, otter-damp reality star Pete Wicks and his pro partner Jowita Przystal who departed the dancefloor. Pete went from novice to semi-finalist, scored everything from a three to a 10, and wore everything from a loincloth to those infamous pink pleather slacks.

After a surprise 12-week run, he rightly went home - but he’ll be back tonight for that climactic reunion routine. Will those trousers reappear too?

Chris McCausland is hot bookies’ favourite

The much-loved Liverpudlian comedian is the overwhelming odds-on favourite with bookmakers to lift the trophy tonight. JB Gill is their second-placed tip, with Sarah Hadland in third and Tasha Ghouri as the rank outsider. But we’ve had upsets in finals before and it’s all to dance for.

We’ll get our first clues in 20 minutes…

A commenter writes

Email just in from regular reader Peter Gibbs, who says:

All the finalists have said how much dance will continue to be part of their life from now on, no matter what. Which is exactly what I said about making my own bread after a weekend sourdough course. And no, I didn’t.

Thank you, livebloggers and commenters, for a wonderful ride. You’re all so knowledgeable, kind, patient and positive.

For any polling, I would prefer the winner to be Chris or JB (very patriarchal, though it’s so influenced by JB’s partner for me). Maybe Tasha third but she will come last of the finalists, I guess. I’m a dreadful cynic, but you and your blog community is making me a better person. Or trying to be one. Enjoy the show everyone!

Four couples with three chances to wow us

Our final four will perform three routines apiece tonight: their own favourite from the series, one chosen by the judges and, of course, the only dance us viewers haven’t seen before – their showdance. It’s a chance to show us what they’ve learned over the last 13 weeks and for their pro partners to flex their choreography muscles.

There are no rules. No limits on how many styles they can combine. Tricks and lifts aren’t just allowed, they’re positively encouraged. Expect our pairings to throw everything (including the kitsch in-sync) at their last chance to impress. Can’t wait but I’m afraid we have to. It’s still 25 minutes until the sparkly curtain comes up…

Who will take the glittery bauble home for Christmas?

Somebody’s mantelpiece is about to acquire some extra festive sparkle. Good evening and welcome to the big one. The huge one. It’s the grand glitterball final of Strictly Come Dancing 2024.

I’m Michael, your cyber dance partner. I’d love you to watch along with me as our four finalists launch their valiant last bid to lift that coveted mirrored trophy.

If they thought learning two full routines for last week’s semi-final was tough, their sore feet ain’t seen nothing yet. Tonight they will tackle three dances apiece. Two they’ve performed earlier in the contest. The third, of course, is the anything-goes showdance - always a series highlight and a keenly awaited treat for the showpiece occasion.

Tonight’s epic live show also sees the brilliant Rae back in the ballroom and the Strictly class of 2024 return for one last razzle-dazzle group routine. It promises to be a spectacular two-and-a-half hour climax to a memorable series. The judges’ scores are for guidance only and the result is solely down to the public vote, so anything can happen on the night.

An early start means it’s showtime at 6pm on BBC One. I’ll be liveblogging from 5.30pm, providing build-up, rolling coverage, analysis, insta-reaction, slightly nerdy stats and ballroom backchat. So for the last Saturday night of the year, pour a pre-festive libation, stock up on snacks and I’ll see you on the sofa.

As always, I’d absolutely love to hear from you too. You can tweet me @michaelhogan, email me [email protected] and the comments section below is open for glitterball business. I’ll keep a Shirley Ballas-style beady eye on it all (but without the tiny shoes) and quote a selection of your comments up top.

In Strictly’s landmark 20th year, will our champion be Sarah Hadland, JB Gill, Tasha Ghouri or Chris McCausland? It’s nearly time to staaaaart glitterball-winning!