By Basant El-Faramawy
Sir Ian McKellen will make a surprise voice cameo during the Halloween week of Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC announced. The 87-year-old actor will read an extract from Bram Stoker’s Dracula during a group performance on Sunday’s results show, accompanied by Tame Impala’s track “Dracula.”
Halloween routine details
The pre-recorded sequence features professional dancers Alexis Warr and Nikita Kuzmin on a first date that takes a vampiric turn, prompting the rest of the professional troupe to join the dance. The segment was filmed earlier this year.
Saturday’s dance lineup revealed
Saturday’s live show will include jive, Viennese waltz, salsa, Charleston, quickstep, Argentine tango, samba, and tango performances from the celebrity contestants and their professional partners. Musical acts include Becky Hill.
First three-couple dance-off
Sunday’s results show will feature Strictly’s first ever dance-off involving three couples, with the judges voting to eliminate one pair rather than save one.
McKellen honors Patrick Stewart
McKellen recently paid tribute to his longtime friend Patrick Stewart, who died at his home in Los Angeles on Wednesday at age 86. In an Instagram statement, McKellen described Stewart as “the most respected and beloved actor of his generation on either side of the Atlantic.”
The live show airs Saturday at 6:30pm and the results show Sunday at 7:10pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
