The BBC series has become renowned for its flash sets and sparkly costumes.
However, some Strictly Come Dancing fans may be surprised to learn that the stars aren’t allowed to keep their costumes after the programme finishes.
Now, one past competitor has revealed the reason why.
Former contestant Russell Grant left a lasting impression on fans with his fabulous costumes and memorable routines, including being shot out of a canon.
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Russell said of his costumes: “I bought some of them, not all of them. You can’t keep them because they are paid for by the public, the license payer.
“So I bought a couple of them.”
Russell dazzled viewers of the dance competition when he partnered up with Flavia Cacace in the 2011 edition of the series.
The pair gave their performances their all before they were eliminated in week eight.
Strictly icon Russell is now using his dance experience to launch a new charity, Dance for Your Life, in Scotland on Friday 22 March in conjunction with Brain Awareness week.
He is leading a “A Day in the Life of a Strictly Celebrity” workshop which aims to learn how exercise can help with reducing the risk of dementia.
The event is taking place at the University of Edinburgh and Russell will be working alongside Professor Tara Spires-Jones who is Professor of Neurodegeneration and Deputy Director of the Centre for Discovery Brain Sciences at the university.
Dementia and Alzheimer’s research has a personal importance for Russell who cared for both of his grandmothers who suffered from Alzheimer’s.
Speaking about the event, Russell explained: “It’s all part of a programme to bring music and dance, not just into the life of the person who is suffering with Alzheimer’s but the carers too.
“Because having been a carer, I coined the old mantra ’who takes care of the carer?’”
Reflecting on the power of music and dance, Russell said: “Dementia is connected to short-term memory loss, someone can’t remember what they’ve done five minutes ago. But long-term memory can be evoked very often through music or photographs or singing.”
The astrologer has also said how it is important to address that it isn’t just the elderly who have the disease.
He said: “I saw what happened to my grandmothers and I regularly see it happening to others.
“The myth is that you have to be over 80 to get it but I have met a 19-year-old with dementia.
“So my aim is keep active and bring music and dance to the masses.”
Strictly Come Dancing is expected to return to BBC One later this year.
