Who is Cynthia Erivo? Meet Strictly’s new guest judge for musicals week

Cynthia Erivo is to guest judge Strictly Come Dancing for musicals week tonight.

The multi-award winning singer and actor will join the Strictly judging panel on Saturday and Sunday night.

Cynthia will be stepping in to Craig Revel Horwood’s shoes, who will have to miss the episode as he self-isolates. She will join Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke, and Head Judge Shirley Ballas on Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st November.

Cynthia said: “I’m so delighted to be joining the Strictly judging panel for Musicals Week. Musicals have a unique place in my heart, it’s such a special way of connecting all art and making it one.

“I’m excited to bring my experience to the show and I can’t wait to see what the couples have in store this weekend.”

Meet Cynthia Erivo

Cynthia is a star of stage and screen with no shortage of incredible credits to her name from the Broadway revival of The Colour Purple to the Sister Act UK Tour. On screen, the Grammy and Tony award winner has played the lead role of Aretha Franklin in the third series of Genius and the title role in acclaimed biopic Harriet.

More recently it was revealed that Cynthia wills star in the upcoming movie adaptation of hit musical Wicked.

Strictly Come Dancing Musicals Week will see the remaining couples perform routines live to showtunes from some of the most loved musicals of all time.

Telly host AJ Odudu will perform a Waltz to Edelweiss from The Sound Of Music and social media star Tilly Ramsay will perform to Revolting Children from West End hit Matilda.

BBC Breakfast host Dan Walker will dance a Charleston to Good Morning from Singin’ In The Rain, TV chef John Whaite will perform Viennese Waltz to Chim Chim Cher-ee from Mary Poppins and actor Rhys Stephenson will Jive to Footloose from Footloose.

Finally, Rose Ayling-Ellis will dance a Quickstep to Love Is An Open Door from Frozen and McFly star Tom Fletcher will perform a Couple’s Choice routine to On My Own from Les Misérables.

Strictly Come Dancing returns on Saturday, 20 November at 6:35PM, with the results show on Sunday, 21 November at 7:15PM on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

All being well, Craig will return to Strictly the following week.

Picture: Courtesy of BBC