Later this evening (December 14), the next Strictly Come Dancing winner will be crowned and the 2024 champion will finally lift the famous glitterball trophy.

Comedian Chris McCausland will compete against fellow finalists Miranda actress Sarah Hadland, Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and JLS singer JB Gill (along with their professional dance partners).

But with just hours to go before the 2024 cast takes to the ballroom floor for one last time in front of judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Mosti Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood (and of course, the audience at home), you might be wondering who won last year.

All the winners over the years

As Strictly is now in its 22nd season, you might also be thinking about which celebrities have won the BBC dance competition over the years, so we’ve rounded them up for you.

Let’s take a look.

Who won Strictly in 2023?

Last year’s winner, Ellie Leach, best known for playing Faye Windass in Coronation Street, was a favourite with viewers throughout the 21st season, for which she was paired with professional dancer Vito Coppola.

She saved her most memorable performance for last, scoring a perfect 40 for an American smooth dance to Ain’t That A Kick In The Head by Robbie Williams.

Coppola tearfully described Leach, the show’s youngest winner, as a “diamond” after their win.

All Strictly Come Dancing winners through the years

Before Leach, how many of these Strictly winners do you remember? Here’s the full list of champions throughout the years:

  • Season 20 - Hamza Yassin (2022)
  • Series 19 - Rose Ayling-Ellis (2021)
  • Series 18 – Bill Bailey (2020)
  • Series 17 - Kelvin Fletcher (2019)
  • Series 16 - Stacey Dooley (2018)
  • Series 15 - Joe McFadden (2017)
  • Series 14 - Ore Oduba (2016)
  • Series 13 - Jay McGuiness (2015)
  • Series 12 - Caroline Flack (2014)
  • Series 11 - Abbey Clancy (2013)
  • Series 10 - Louis Smith (2012)
  • Series 9 - Harry Judd (2011)
  • Series 8 - Kara Tointon (2010)
  • Series 7 - Chris Hollins (2009)
  • Series 6 - Tom Chambers (2008)
  • Series 5 - Alesha Dixon (2007)
  • Series 4 - Mark Ramprakash (2006)
  • Series 3 - Darren Gough (2005)
  • Series 2 - Jill Halfpenny (December 2004)

Recommended reading:

Natasha Kaplinsky

Newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky, partnered with professional Brendan Cole, became Strictly’s first winner in the summer of 2004.

She went on to co-present the first half of the second series in the same year with the late Sir Bruce Forsyth when regular presenter Tess Daly was on maternity leave, and later returned for the 2012 Christmas special and a 2018 Bafta tribute to Sir Bruce.

Kaplinsky is best known for presenting the news on the BBC, ITV and Channel 5, and in 2022 she became president of the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC).

The final of Strictly Come Dancing will air live on Saturday from 6pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.