Shirley Ballas to read CBeebies Bedtime Story ahead of Strictly final

Strictly Come Dancing head judge Shirley Ballas is to read a CBeebies Bedtime Story ahead of the BBC One show’s grand final this weekend.

Filmed at Elstree Studios, the home of Strictly’s ballroom, Ballas, 64, will read Big Dance by Aoife Greenham about a girl called Pippa, who is encouraged to dance after watching her friends express themselves through movement.

Ballas said: “I hope I can help children watching at home to find the special dance inside themselves.

“I’m delighted to read a CBeebies Bedtime Story. When I was preparing for it, I practised by reading Big Dance over video call to my one-year-old grandson, Banksi, and it was fabulous to see his delighted reaction.”

Strictly Come Dancing judge Shirley Ballas will read Big Dance by Aoife Greenham (Rob Parfitt/BBC/PA)PA Media - Rob Parfitt/BBC

The Strictly final is taking place this Saturday and will see the final four contestants perform three dances in a bid to impress both the judges and voters at home, who will ultimately decide who is awarded the glitterball trophy.

This year the finalists are comedian Chris McCausland, Love Island star Tasha Ghouri, Miranda actress Sarah Hadland and JLS singer JB Gill.

Next week, CBeebies is set to reveal a line-up of stars who will read stories over Christmas and the new year.

Among the celebrities who have read stories on the programme before are actors Olivia Colman, Tom Hardy, Kate Winslet and Jack Black, as well as singers Billie Eilish, Harry Styles and Abba’s Bjorn Ulvaeus.

Ballas’s CBeebies Bedtime Story airs on CBeebies and BBC iPlayer on Friday December 13 at 6.50pm.

The Strictly Come Dancing grand final airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Saturday December 14 from 6pm.