How to watch Strictly Come Dancing 2021 online for free and from anywhere

It's been a record-breaking season with some of the earliest ten paddles handed out than we've seen in previous years. Now with just three dances a piece for each couple, make sure you know exactly how to watch Strictly Come Dancing 2021 online as the live final waltzes onto our TV screens on Saturday night.

Watch Strictly Come Dancing online

When: Saturday nights

Channel: BBC One

Free UK stream: watch BBC iPlayer for FREE

Watch anywhere: try the top VPN around 100% risk-free

It was an incredibly close call in last weekend's Strictly semi-finals, with Rhys and Nancy and John and Johannese busting a move in a dance-off to compete for their place in the final. Sadly, it was goodbye to children's TV presenter, Rhys Stephenson, as we said hello to our three final couples: Rose and Giovanni, AJ and Kai, and John and Johannese.

Sadly this week there's been further development, with AJ Odudu sustaining an injury to her ankle that has meant she has had to bow out at the final hurdle.

That leaves bookie's favourite and actress, Rose Ayling-Ellis and partner Giovanni Pernice to go head-to-head with TV chef John Waite and Strictly pro Johannese Radebe.

Both have wowed the judges across the last twelve weeks and have sign-posted this year's Strictly as one of the most inclusive yet, with Rose taking part as the first deaf contestants on the show and John being one half of its first male same-sex couple.

With just three dances a piece between our couples and the Strictly Glitterball, it's certainly going to be a night to remember. But who will your winner be? Make sure you're tuned in and know how to watch Strictly Come Dancing 2021 online to find out.

How to watch Strictly Come Dancing online FREE in the UK

Tune in to the Strictly Come Dancing final, airing live on BBC One at 7pm GMT on Saturday, December 18. BBC is free-to-air with a valid TV licence.

You can also watch live online through BBC iPlayer, with the on-demand streaming platform available on a number of devices including on desktop, on dedicated iOS and Android apps, on streaming devices like Fire TV, Apple TV, and Roku, as well as on most smart TVs.

If you're not in the UK, use a VPN to stream your favourite BBC shows online from anywhere as if you were at home.

How to watch Strictly Come Dancing online when abroad

For anyone abroad right now who still wants to experience the glitz and glam of Strictly, you might struggle from outside of the UK. But don't let geo-restrictions come between you and your weekly fix of ballroom dancing.

Simply downloading and installing a VPN to your device will let you watch Strictly Come Dancing on the BBC iPlayer from anywhere. A VPN effectively tricks your device into thinking it's in another location by changing the IP address to elsewhere in the world.

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Three simple steps to using a VPN to watch Strictly Come Dancing

1. Download and install a VPN - we recommend ExpressVPN

2. Connect to the relevant server location - launch the VPN app, click on 'choose location' and select the right location i.e. UK for iPlayer

3. Head to the chosen broadcaster's live stream - in this case, head to the BBC iPlayer

Who are the Strictly Come Dancing 2021 couples?

Adam Peaty and Katya Jones
AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington
Dan Walk and Nadiya Bychkova
Greg Wise and Karen Hauer
John Whaite and Johannes Radebe
Judie Love and Graziano Di Prima
Katie McGlynn and Gorka Marquez
Nina Wadia and Neil Jones
Rhys Stephenson and Nancy Xu
Robert Webb and Dianne Buswell
Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice
Sara Davies and Alijaž Škorjanec
Tilly Ramsay and Nikita Kuzmin
Tom Fletcher and Amy Dowden
Ugo Monye and Oti Mabuse

Strictly Come Dancing contestants 2021

Ugo Monye (former rugby player and broadcaster)
Judie Love (comedian and TV presenter)
Adam Peaty (Olympic swimmer)
Rose Ayling-Ellis (actress)
Nina Wadia (actress and comedienne)
Greg Wise (actor)
Tilly Ramsay (chef and social media star)
Dan Walker (presenter)
Katie McGlynn (actress)
Sara Davies (business entrepreneur and TV personality)
Rhys Stephenson (actor and children's TV presenter)
John Whaite (chef)
AJ Odudu (TV presenter)
Robert Webb (comedian)
Tom Fletcher (musician and author)

Strictly Come Dancing professionals 2021

Jowita Przystal
Kai Widdrington
Nikita Kuzmin
Cameron Lombard
Aljaz Skorjanec
Giovanni Pernice
Gorka Marquez
Graziano Di Prima
Johannes Radebe
Neil Jones
Amy Dowden
Dianne Buswell
Karen Hauer
Katya Jones
Luba Mustuk
Nadiya Bychkova
Oti Mabuse
Nancu Xu

Strictly Come Dancing judges 2021

Anton Du Beke
Shirley Ballas
Motsi Mabuse
Craig Revel Horwood

Covid rules for Strictly Come Dancing 2021

Although the country is well on its way back to normality (touch wood), the Strictly producers aren't taking any risks and have Covid-19 measures in place again in 2021.

This time around anyone working on the show will be tested weekly and professional dancers will bubble up with their celebrities like last year.

The group numbers for the series have already been filmed and there will be no group chats with Claudia and Tess, with couples sat in the audience instead, which will also be of limited numbers.

The shortened isolation period after a positive test from fourteen days to ten should help the show to run smoother. Last year a positive test meant that the first same-sex couple on the show, Nicola Adams and Katya Jones, had to leave the competition early. However, the new rules should allow anyone that does test positive to miss a single week of live shows rather than end their time in the ballroom entirely.

How to watch Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two

The Strcitly Come Dancing spin off show, It Takes Two, will return this month to curb that Strictly fever between live shows. The show will be back every weeknight to give you all of the behind the scenes exclusives.

You can tune in to Strictly: It Takes Two on BBC Two at 6.30pm BST Monday to Friday. The half an hour show kicks off on Monday September 27 and will air for the duration of Strictly Come Dancing 2021. Remember, you can watch free on the iPlayer live or on demand.

After a ten year stint on the show, Zoe Ball won't be returning in 2021. But fear not, the tea time show is in safe hands, with Ball's co-presenter, Rylan Clark-Neal, and long established professional dancer, Janette Marara, taking over presenting duties on It Takes Two this year.

The sideshow is usually packed with training footage, interviews, opinions from the judges and much more, so for unseen behind the scenes extras, it's worth tuning in.