SABC 2 plans to celebrate New Year’s Eve in true ballroom style with the Strictly Come Dancing New Year Special, which will be screened on SABC 2 on Wednesday 31 December from 21:30.

Four celebrity/professional dancer couples will be competing across various ballroom/Latin American styles for a once-off dancing spectacle to lead in 2009. Morning Live (SABC 2) presenter Leanne Manas, SABC TV weather presenter JC Engelbrecht, Isidingo (SABC 3) star Meshack Mavuso and Ingrid Paulus from SABC 2’s 7de Laan will be the celebrities trying to impress the judges with their steps.

The show will run for an hour and a half, with Ian von Memerty and Sandy Ngema returning as the show’s hosts. Judges Lilian Phororo, Dave Campbell, Tyrone Watkins and Salome Sechele also return to point out which steps are done with skill, and which couple really shouldn’t be dancing. The winner will be determined by votes from judges (50%) and the studio audience (50%) at the end of the show.

Each couple will be doing two dances:
Leanne Manas partnered with Marcel Vilonel (Tango & Cha Cha)
Ingrid Paulus partnered with Grant Esterhuizen (Quickstep & Paso)
JC Engelbrecht partnered with Hayley Bennett (Waltz & Samba)
Meshack Mavuso partnered with Robynn Soules (Foxtrot & Jive)

The Strictly Come Dancing New Year Special will be broadcast on SABC 2 on Wednesday 31 December 2008 from 21:30 to 23:00.