“I’m living the dream!” Dance Floor Heroes finalist looks forward to peforming at Empress Ballroom.

A business woman from South Shore is about to take on an exciting new challenge as one of 12 lucky finalists competing in this year's Dance Floor Heroes live show at the Empress Ballroom on Friday 14 June.

Jackie Speight, a director of Women Rockin' Harmony Choirs in Blackpool will take to the floor with professional dancer Emma Gill, competing for the Glitterball trophy in the dance competition which 'makes real people the stars'.

Although she attended classes as a child, Jackie hadn’t danced for over 40 years until she joined her local Silver Swans ballet class in 2023, and realised that she still loved to dance. “Going back to classes made me realised how good dancing made me feel, both physically and mentally” says Jackie. “They were also great for building my confidence – so much so that, when I saw the notice about Dance Floor Heroes I decided to have a go. I still can’t believe I’m actually a finalist – I’m living the dream!”

The star-studded show will be hosted by former Strictly Come Dancing stars Ian Waite and Vincent Simone, along with Coastal Radio presenter Hayley Kay. The judging panel is a 'who's who' of dance champions, namely Strictly champions Joanne Clifton, Pasha Kovalev and current title-holder Vito Coppola, along with 'Dancing with the Stars' champion Pasquale La Rocca.

In addition to giving Strictly fans the experience of a lifetime, Dance Floor Heroes raises money for Tia's Crown, a local charity set up to support mental and physical wellbeing through dance. Jackie has set up a JustGiving page for anyone who would like to make a donation to the charity.

Tickets for the live show are available here and there will be a live stream from Dance TV Ltd. VIP packages are available by emailing [email protected].