Strictly Come Dancing 2023: who will win the final?

The 2023 edition has been one of the most gripping seasons of Strictly in years. We’ve had everything from the drama of Amanda Abbington’s mysterious exit to the heartbreak of Nigel Harman’s injury, via a true TV icon in Angela Rippon and a moving dark horse “journey” from Annabel Croft. All of that, plus a fierce battle for the title among a seriously talented group of celebrities.

Now, we’re down to just three contenders – and what a youthful bunch they are. You’d have to go right the way back to series five’s Alesha Dixon and Matt Di Angelo to find a Strictly final compromised solely of twentysomethings. In recent years, the dial has swung the other way, with older celebrities such as the brilliant Bill Bailey lifting the glitterball trophy.

But tonight we’ll see one of these fresh-faced season 21 contestants triumph: Ellie Leach, Layton Williams or Bobby Brazier. Who looks most like a champion-in-waiting? Here’s the lowdown on our fab-u-lous finalists.

Ellie Leach: The full package

We soon realised that the 22-year-old Coronation Street actress was a talented mover, but, crucially, she lacked self-belief. Fast-forward 13 weeks and she’s now a fierce performer, equally at home in ballroom and Latin, hurling herself into daredevil lifts and ambitious routines.

Professional partner: Leach’s success is in large part due to her fan-favourite pro, the excitably voluble Italian Vito Coppola. He has taught her confidence as well as instilling excellent ballroom technique – and, rumour has it, their perfect partnership has blossomed into romance too. This is Coppola’s second final: his first was with Fleur East in 2022.

Highs and lows: Far more of the former. Leach has been remarkably consistent across the season, averaging 35.2 points out of 40, scoring strongly in ballroom, Latin and the specialist dances. She’s yet to receive that perfect score (unfairly), but she got 39 for both her Charleston and her American Smooth. Her lowest score was back in week four – a still respectable 28 for her Samba.

What the judges think: The panel can’t get enough of her. Even Craig Revel Horwood snapped out of his season-long grump to gush over Leach’s “showbiz glamour” in her American Smooth. Following their semi-final Couple’s Choice, Anton Du Beke lauded Leach for becoming a “versatile dancer”, adding “I’m a huge fan”. Motsi Mabuse proclaimed that Leach had gone “from girl to woman”.

My favourite moments: So many! Leach and Coppola strike the ideal balance, in my view, between properly delivered basic steps and thrilling artistic innovation. I loved seeing Leach find her power in her Paso Doble, embrace Hollywood pizzazz in her Smooth, and show real vulnerability in her beautiful Rumba. Hallowe’en zombie make-up aside, her Salsa to Murder on the Dancefloor is probably my favourite dance of the season.

Dances in the final: Leach is reprising her week seven American Smooth and her week five Paso Doble. She’s doing her showdance to a Jennifer Lopez megamix.

Layton Williams: The flashy entertainer

The 29-year-old stage and screen actor instantly looked at home on the Strictly dance floor – but that’s been both a blessing and a curse. Many viewers have grumbled that Williams, who starred in musicals such as Billy Elliot, is essentially a professional dancer. Overcoming that perception has really been Williams’s biggest challenge, plus adapting to partner-dancing instead of grabbing the spotlight.

Professional partner: The Ukraine-born Nikita Kuzmin has clearly been inspired by Williams’s impressive skillset, turning out jaw-dropping routines week after week. He’s also experimented with lead-swapping and has been a stalwart support to his partner throughout. Kuzmin’s reward: making his first ever Strictly final.

Highs and lows: Like Leach, Williams has had a blistering run. His dance average is slightly higher, at 36.1. He’s hit that perfect 40 twice, for his semi-final Charleston and quarter-final Paso Doble, but he’s generally stronger in the freer dances; he’s yet to score a 10 for a ballroom number, and his lowest mark was for his week 3 Viennese Waltz – a 28.

What the judges think: Williams has picked up criticism for technical issues such as his turned-in feet, but the panel adore his big, bold, boundary-pushing performances. Praising his Tango, Mabuse gasped “My heart is beating so fast”. Shirley Ballas called his Couple’s Choice “creative genius on every level”, while Revel Horwood gave his Charleston a rare standing ovation.

My favourite moments: While I would have liked to see Williams adapting his delivery more to each specific dance, instead of making them all look like showdances, I was also blown away by that Singin’ in the Rain-inspired Charleston. I thoroughly enjoyed Williams’s theatrical Paso Doble too, and his Argentine Tango, danced to the Eurovision winner Tattoo, was a bombastic triumph.

Dances in the final: Williams is reprising his week eight Argentine Tango and his week two Quickstep. He’s doing his showdance to Ne-Yo’s cover of Friend Like Me from Disney’s Aladdin.

Bobby Brazier: The Boy Wonder

Aged just 20, the model and EastEnders actor has grown from sweet kid to a real Bobby dazzler. He has a curious ability to make every dance look entirely natural on him – and even quite cool. At times he’s almost been too laidback, but in these latter weeks he’s discovered some competitive fire too; he really fought for his place in the final.

Professional partner: Brazier was well paired with the similarly calm Australian professional Dianne Buswell, who has cleverly encouraged him to take charge of their dances and become a real leader. Their only issue is a massive height difference, which has affected their ballroom hold. This is Buswell’s second final following her 2018 runner-up finish with Joe Sugg.

Highs and lows: Brazier isn’t far off his rivals, with a 32.5 scoring average across the season – although he’s had a much slower build. His first two dances, Foxtrot and Charleston, earned his lowest score (29), and he hovered around the 30 mark for several weeks. But he found his form at exactly the right time: his recent dances have all been 34 and above, peaking in the semi-final with 38 for his Quickstep.

What the judges think: Brazier has delighted the panel, first with his cheeky boyish charm (and what Du Beke termed his “double-joined trick pelvis”), latterly with his maturity. Following his Quickstep, Ballas quipped: “I strip Anton of his King of Ballroom title and give it to Bobby”. His Couple’s Choice – dedicated to his late mother, Jade Goody – reduced the head judge to tears; she said he had “danced from the heart”.

My favourite moments: I first really took notice of Brazier when he danced his Movie Week Samba with such joyful abandon. I’ve been less keen on their contemporary-styled numbers, but I adored seeing Brazier in a proper tail suit for his sublime Quickstep: an old-school number infused with infectious youthful energy. Plus his Couple’s Choice demonstrated that emotional openness is a whole other kind of strength.

Dances in the final: Brazier is reprising his week 10 Couple’s Choice and his week three Samba. He’s doing his showdance to a medley from movie La La Land.

Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month, then enjoy 1 year for just $9 with our US-exclusive offer.