Who won the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special? Tayce Szura-Radix makes history as first drag...

Tayce Szura-Radix, the first drag queen to compete on Strictly Come Dancing, was named the champion of the Christmas special on Wednesday.

The 30-year-old Welsh artist and her dance partner Kai Widdrington wowed the judges with their fiery Cha-Cha, set to the Minogue sisters' popular track "100 Degrees." Their impressive performance earned them the shining star-shaped trophy for Strictly Christmas.

The drag queen made a dazzling entrance, descending from a shimmering moon that hung high over the ballroom before gracefully dropping onto the dance floor.

Her lively routine, featuring an array of remarkable lifts, earned her a flawless score of four 10s from judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse, and Craig Revel Horwood.

They encountered tough rivalry from their fellow competitors, including comedian Josh Widdicombe, Irish host Vogue Williams, EastEnders star Tamzin Outhwaite, Formula 1 driver Billy Monger, and Gladiator champion Harry Aikines-Aryeetey.

Tayce, sporting a blonde wig and a sparkly gold dress, shared that she applied her own makeup for her appearance on the show.

Tayce Szura-Radix was awarded the title of champion in this year's Strictly Christmas special on Wednesday, following her performance alongside Kai Widdrington.

The 30-year-old Welsh artist and her dance partner, Kai Widdrington, wowed the judges with an energetic Cha-Cha set to the Minogue sisters' popular song "100 Degrees." Their impressive performance earned them the sparkling star-shaped trophy from Strictly Christmas.

She is the first drag performer to ever participate in the dance competition in its 20-year history, having gained popularity on the BBC talent show Ru Paul’s Drag Race.

When the duo was declared the winners, Tayce was absolutely stunned and exclaimed, "Is this really happening to me?"

When asked about her feelings, she said, "Honestly, it feels surreal. It seems like a dream, and I can't believe it went so well! I'm incredibly happy and still in shock. Thank you very much!"

The artist had mentioned earlier that she faced online harassment after her 'contentious' placement in the cast of Strictly's upcoming Christmas special.

She expressed, "I've encountered hatred and witnessed controversy; it's challenging and thought-provoking. But those are all parts of who I am, and I wouldn't alter that for anything."

I believe there was a significant amount of criticism from individuals who said things like, "It's a guy, or they are occupying a space that should belong to women," and similar sentiments.

"I believe that some individuals might feel insecure because they see me as attractive, and it makes them uncomfortable. It's a fact."

When asked about her experience as the first drag contestant on Strictly, she expressed, "It feels right; I'm all about breaking barriers and taking things to the next level!"

This year, the special featured a lineup that included Josh Widdicombe, Tayce, Vogue Williams, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, Tamzi Outhwaite, and Billy Monger.

Her dynamic display, featuring a string of remarkable lifts, earned her a flawless score of four 10s from the judges.

Josh Widdicombe, 41, put on a penguin costume to perform a Charleston to "Let It Snow" alongside professional dancer Karen Hauer, 42. Their performance earned them a total score of 36, which included a perfect 10 from Anton.

She is the first drag performer to take part in the dance show in its two-decade history, having gained recognition on the BBC talent series Ru Paul’s Drag Race.

"I want to be upfront about this. I believe I will feel quite a bit of pressure because of it. However, I actually enjoy pressure; it motivates me to put in even more effort."

In the meantime, partner Kai mentioned, "Dance is all about the act of dancing."

"I’m not concerned about whether someone identifies as male, female, or anything else. It doesn’t impact me at all."

Tayce will say that we really hit it off. I think it’s wonderful that Tayce represents the drag community so proudly.

Josh Widdicombe, 41, donned a penguin costume to perform a Charleston to "Let It Snow" alongside professional dancer Karen Hauer, 42. Their entertaining routine earned them an impressive score of 36, which included a perfect 10 from Anton.

As he glided across the floor on a skateboard, lying flat with a fish in his mouth, Anton remarked, "I need to share something important: it has finally happened. The moment has arrived—Karen has become just like me."

She is the longest-tenured professional on Strictly, and I want to congratulate you with a Widdicombe—you truly deserve it! I'm stunned; that performance was simply outstanding!

As part of the holiday festivities, Vogue and Gorka danced to "Rockin' Robin" by Bobby Day, impressing the judges and earning a score of 33 for their performance.

In another segment, former EastEnders actress Tamzin and Nikita performed a Viennese waltz to KD Lang's rendition of Hallelujah.

Billy Monger, a former race car driver, teamed up with Nadiya Bychkova to perform the American smooth dance to “Merry Christmas” by Ed Sheeran and Sir Elton John.

In the meantime, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, a star from Gladiators, and his dance partner Nancy Xu performed a street commercial dance to the Glee cast's rendition of "Christmas Wrapping."

In addition to the holiday celebrations, Vogue and Gorka danced to "Rockin’ Robin" by Bobby Day, earning a score of 33 from the judges for their performance.

In the meantime, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, known for his role in Gladiators, and his dance partner Nancy Xu performed a street commercial dance to the Glee cast's rendition of "Christmas Wrapping."

In another location, former EastEnders actress Tamzin and Nikita performed a Viennese waltz to KD Lang's rendition of "Hallelujah."

Ex-race car driver Billy Monger and Nadiya Bychkova performed the American smooth to "Merry Christmas," a collaboration by Ed Sheeran and Sir Elton John.

The stars appeared to be brimming with holiday spirit for the beloved annual special.

The Christmas special also included a performance by Emma Bunton, the vocalist from the Spice Girls, who delighted the audience with her 1996 hit song "2 Become 1."

Josh recently shared with The Mail on Sunday, “There’s a lot of happiness in this. We’re portrayed as penguins, there’s a skateboard and a slide, and I even have a fish in my mouth. It’s a meaningful work, and if you examine it closely, it reflects the condition of the world in 2024.”

Before the pre-recording, the TV host expressed concern that there might be some mistakes during his humorous performance.

He mentioned, "It won't be simple since your mind tends to focus on the worst-case scenario, such as crashing into Karen while soaring through the air during a live broadcast on Christmas Day."

"Or taking a tumble. At that point, you need to face those fears head-on. It’s not a walk in the park. Anyone who claims it’s simple isn’t fully acknowledging all the potential physical challenges that could arise."

The Last Leg host mentioned that he joined the dance contest because his seven-year-old daughter, Pearl, really enjoys it, and they plan to watch the show together as a family.

He mentioned that he introduced her to Karen, saying, "She was really excited about it. She couldn’t stop raving about her. She even made a Christmas card with four dogs on it since Karen has four dogs."

Josh also honored comedian Chris McCausland, who triumphed in the series earlier this month.

He remarked, "What an amazing person! Let's not just label him as a hero; he's also an outstanding dancer, and we shouldn't overlook that talent just because he's achieving something remarkable despite being blind."

"He truly has impressive dancing talent, and that shouldn't go unnoticed."

The Christmas special also included a performance by Emma Bunton, one of the Spice Girls, who sang their popular 1996 hit, "2 Become 1."