STRICTLY Come Dancing viewers were confused when they spotted a problem with Jamie Borthwick’s professional pairing.

This isn’t the first time the EastEnders actor has appeared on the show, as he previously participated in the Christmas Special last year.

Jamie, known for his role as Jay Brown on EastEnders, participated in the 2023 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special.

He was partnered with professional dancer Nancy Xu, and their festive performance earned them the Christmas champion title.

Fans found it unusual that Jamie, who had previously been paired with Nancy, was instead paired with Michelle Tsiakkas for the main series.

Viewers took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to point out how odd it seemed.

One user wrote: “I have no idea why they didn’t put Nancy and Jamie together!!”

Another added: “Not going to lie, I really wanted Nancy to be with Jamie again! But, I’m 100% sure Jamie and Michelle will be amazing.”

Just the series began, a third fan penned: “He was brilliant with Nancy on the Christmas special last year. I hope he gets paired with her again for the main series. He’ll definitely be one to watch.”

A fourth fan who was supportive of Jamie’s new pairing wrote: “I love that Michelle is getting a decent partner on her first year with a celeb. I’m glad that the producers didn’t do the obvious by putting Nancy & Jamie together.”

Jamie received several playful digs and was accused of cheating by his fellow celebs during the launch show due to his previous participation in the Christmas Special.

When host Claudia Winkleman turned to Jamie to talk to him at one point, Wynne Evans called out “cheat!”

Moments later, Claudia spoke to Pete Wicks about his decision to take part on the show, and if he was going to fully embrace the process and the bright, glittery costumes.

Pete said he was, as “you’re only here once” before adding with perfect timing: “Unless you’re Jamie”.

But as everyone laughed, Strictly viewers were quick to take to X about the jibes, and point out Jamie isn’t the only 2024 star who has been on the show before.

One wrote: “Everyone’s going on about Jamie doing the Christmas special last year but JB also did it in 2012.”

Another added: “So two of the celebrities this year have already won the Christmas special are we running out of celebs now.”

A third also pointed out that everyone seems to be forgetting JB did the Christmas Special in 2012 with former pro Ola Jordan.

They wrote: “Is nobody going to address the Christmas JB shaped elephant in the room #Strictly.”

In fact, JB also won the festive glitterball trophy during the 2012 Christmas Special after dancing a Jive.

Strictly Come Dancing fans were in for a surprise when they tuned in to see Jamie Borthwick’s professional pairing for the main series.

After his successful run with Nancy Xu in the Christmas special, viewers were puzzled to see him paired with Michelle Tsiakkas instead.

While some were disappointed that Jamie and Nancy weren’t reunited, others were excited to see how Jamie and Michelle would fare on the dancefloor.

Despite the playful jibes from his fellow celebs about his previous participation in the Christmas special, Jamie remained focused on giving it his all in the main series.

Viewers took to social media to share their thoughts on Jamie’s new pairing, with some expressing their support for Michelle and her chance to shine with a strong partner like Jamie.

As the competition heated up, Jamie’s past success on the show was brought up once again, with fans pointing out that he wasn’t the only contestant who had appeared on a previous season or special.

It seems that Strictly Come Dancing has a knack for bringing back familiar faces, much to the amusement of the audience.

Despite the initial confusion and playful banter, Jamie and Michelle proved to be a formidable pair on the dancefloor, wowing both the judges and viewers alike with their performances.

Whether they make it to the finals or not, one thing is for sure – Jamie’s journey on Strictly Come Dancing is far from over.

Stay tuned for more updates on Jamie’s progress on the show, as well as all the latest news and insights on Strictly Come Dancing. Your go-to source for all things dance and entertainment awaits!