Quick Read
- Danny Mac returns to Blackpool Tower Ballroom for Strictly Come Dancing’s 2025 group performance.
- He describes his emotions as a mix of excitement, gratitude, and intense nerves.
- Danny’s most cherished Blackpool memory is achieving his first perfect score of 40.
- He advises 2025 contestants to ‘soak in every beat’ and balance technical mastery with showmanship.
- Danny’s original Strictly run was marked by intense rehearsals and a focus on learning, not sightseeing.
When Danny Mac steps back into Blackpool Tower Ballroom, the energy in the air is electric—but beneath the sequins and spotlights, it’s a tapestry woven with nerves, nostalgia, and the kind of excitement that only Strictly Come Dancing can conjure.
On November 23, 2025, Danny Mac—joined by fellow Strictly legends Ashley Roberts, Jay McGuiness, and Layton Williams—returned to the iconic sprung floor for a show-stopping group performance during the Sunday night results show. For fans and dancers alike, Blackpool is more than just a venue: it’s a touchstone, a place where memories are forged, dreams are chased, and every step echoes with the legacy of ballroom greats.
Danny Mac: A Journey from Runner-Up to Returning Icon
Back in 2016, Danny Mac partnered with the dynamic Oti Mabuse, dazzling judges and audiences week after week before finishing as runner-up to Ore Oduba. But the glitz of the final couldn’t prepare him for the emotional rush of revisiting Blackpool almost a decade later.
“It’s a big mixture of emotions. The most prevalent one is probably feeling quite physically sick!” Mac confided, speaking to BBC, Daily Star, and Devon Live. “I’ve been back to Elstree Studios to the show and it’s just pure excitement, gratitude and joy because they are all the things you get from just being in the place. But as soon as you attach the idea of performing again it just gets quite terrifying!”
For Danny, Blackpool represents a milestone: the place where he achieved his first perfect score of 40. “It’d been a long time coming and we were very excited. It was a magical place and a really exciting point in the season as well. We even met Peter Kay!” he reminisced, the thrill still palpable in his words.
The Blackpool Ballroom: More Than Just a Stage
For Strictly contestants, the journey to Blackpool is a rite of passage. The Tower Ballroom, with its sprung floor and gilded history, is both a proving ground and a sanctuary. Danny admits that during his original run, he barely saw anything of Blackpool beyond the inside of a taxi and his hotel room. “We genuinely just rehearsed all of the time. I needed to train that much and I just wanted to learn as much as I could, and Oti wanted to get the best out of me. It was amazing, but there were no Pleasure Beach trips for me!”
For many, Blackpool is synonymous with high stakes and unforgettable moments. Ashley Roberts describes it as “legendary and iconic,” recalling her thrill at finally earning top marks. Jay McGuiness, winner of the 2015 series, speaks of the “pre-show anxiety” and the out-of-body experience of performing a dance that would live on in YouTube replays for years to come.
Advice for the Next Generation: Danny Mac’s Playbook
When asked what advice he would give to the 2025 contestants, Danny’s words ring with experience and empathy. “This piece of advice would be for the whole series, not just Blackpool, but just soak in every beat. Strictly is like nothing you will ever experience in your life. And utilise all of that and put that into your routine every week, because it’s all about putting on a show and having the time of your life.”
He emphasizes the balance between technical mastery and sheer enjoyment: “You put in the work on the technicals for the judges and put on a show for the audience. And if all the energy and all of the joy of what Strictly is gets pushed into that performance on the Saturday, that’s when you’re on to a winner!”
Other returning finalists echo similar sentiments. Ashley Roberts reminds new dancers that the schedule is tough and the physical demands are real—”so you’ve got to just enjoy it and soak it up.” Layton Williams adds, “Just enjoy the ride and book yourself a holiday in January—because you’ll have earned it!”
The Emotional Toll and the Power of Performance
Returning to the ballroom isn’t just a physical challenge—it’s a psychological one. Danny admits to feeling “quite physically sick” at the prospect of performing again, a sensation echoed by Jay McGuiness’s “anxiety flashbacks.” Yet, this vulnerability is part of the magic. It’s a reminder that even seasoned performers are human, and that the act of stepping onto the ballroom floor—whether for the first time or the fiftieth—never loses its edge.
For Danny, the Strictly experience is as much about gratitude as it is about achievement. “Strictly is like nothing you will ever experience in your life,” he says, underscoring the uniqueness of the show’s blend of challenge, camaraderie, and creative expression.
While many imagine returning contestants indulging in the sights and sounds of Blackpool, Danny confesses that his time there was spent in intense preparation. “Honestly when I was there with Strictly I don’t think I saw outside of a taxi or the hotel room… We genuinely just rehearsed all of the time. I needed to train that much and I just wanted to learn as much as I could, and Oti wanted to get the best out of me.” It’s a testament to the dedication demanded by the show—and the rewards that come with it.
The Legacy Lives On: Why Blackpool Matters
As the group performance unfolds, each returning finalist revisits one of their most iconic Strictly moments, before coming together in a joyful celebration of dance. It’s a spectacle, yes—but it’s also a homecoming. For Danny Mac and his peers, Blackpool is where the journey crystallizes, where personal victories and communal triumphs are celebrated under the golden lights.
So, what does it mean for Danny to return? It’s more than nostalgia. It’s a chance to reconnect with a part of himself forged in the pressure and passion of live performance, to share the stage with old friends and new stars, and to remind audiences that, win or lose, the real victory is in showing up, giving your all, and making memories that last.
Assessment: Danny Mac’s return to Blackpool Tower Ballroom stands as both a personal milestone and a reflection of Strictly’s enduring allure. His candidness about nerves and gratitude is a powerful reminder that even the most accomplished performers remain grounded by their humanity. By embracing both the exhilaration and anxiety, Danny reaffirms that the journey matters as much as the destination—and that in dance, as in life, it’s the moments we share that leave the deepest impression.