Strictly Come Dancing 2020 FINAL: Bruno Tonioli vows to be ‘back in the ballroom next year’ as he makes surprise appearance from LA
Strictly Come Dancing’s Bruno Tonioli made a surprise cameo during the show’s star-studded final on Saturday.
The judge, 65, who was forced to miss this series due to being unable to travel from his home in LA during the COVID-19 pandemic, vowed he’d be ‘back in the ballroom next year,’ after appearing on the current series via video link.
Bruno praised the final four couples for their incredible performances in a tense finale, which saw comedian Bill Bailey and his professional partner Oti Mabuse crowned champions.
Here he is! Strictly Come Dancing’s Bruno Tonioli made a surprise cameo during the show’s star-studded final on Saturday
In the pre-recorded message filmed from his home in Los Angeles, Bruno said: ‘Hello everyone what a final!
‘I can feel the tension and the excitement from here and all those showdances, the standard was simply incredible.
‘All four couples really deserve to be in the final, and all four would be deserving of the Glitterball, I couldn’t call it! What a fantastic series. I hope to be back in the ballroom next year! Good luck and bye bye!’
Surprise! The judge, 65, vowed he’d be ‘back in the ballroom next year,’ after appearing on the current series via. video link
Bruno, who has starred on Strictly since it began in 2004, also appears on the American version of the programme, Dancing With The Stars, but the pandemic meant he couldn’t fly between the two countries.
He chose to remain in LA, where his salary is understood to be around £1 million per series, making brief appearances on the UK show via video link.
Saturday’s Strictly final saw comedian Bill, 55, become the oldest champion in the show’s history as he scooped the Glitterball trophy with pro Oti.
Choose: Bruno usually travels between the UK and LA to judge Strictly and US version Dancing With The Stars, but that wasn’t possible this year due to the pandemic (pictured last year)
The victory also made the South African beauty, 30, Strictly’s first ever back-to-back champion in the show’s history, and the dancer praised her celebrity partner for being ‘a friend, father figure and brother.’
As they prepared to lift the Glitterball trophy, funnyman Bill said: ‘It feels surreal, it feels extraordinary, it feels wonderful.
‘I never thought we’d get to the final but I had the most extraordinary teacher, the most extraordinary dancer, who believed in me right from the beginning and she found something in me and turned me into a dancer.’
Oti fought back tears as she said: ‘I think you are amazing, remarkable Bill Bailey, you just put your heart into everything.
‘You’re in your world but I love your world and I always want to be a part of you, thank you for being a friend, thank you for being a father figure and a brother and for this!’ as she gestured to the sparkling trophy.
Sensational! Saturday’s Strictly final saw comedian Bill Bailey, 55, become the oldest champion in the show’s history as he scooped the Glitterball trophy with pro Oti Mabuse