Strictly star is unrecognisable almost 20 years after winning huge award at 17-Robert Oliver-Entertainment – Metro

The star will appear on this year’s Strictly Come Dancing special (Picture: Ian Walton/Getty Images)

We’re just days away from the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special for 2024 – one of the big TV events of Christmas Day on the BBC.

One of its upcoming stars has shared an incredible throwback picture from 2005 where he looks almost unrecognisable while attending the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards as a teenager.

Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, 36, will be hoping to impress the four Strictly judges on December 25 in a very different environment to the one he’s used to.

Viewers know him best as fan-favourite Nitro from Gladiators, but Harry was on the Sports Personality of the Year red carpet for a different reason almost 20 years ago.

That’s because he won the award for Young Sports Personality in 2005, aged just 17, back when his main interest and profession was athletics.

After being given the award – which was only a few years old at the time – he won three gold medals at the European Athletics Championships and two golds at the 2018 and 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Harry looked dapper at the 2024 Sports Personality awards (Picture: Karwai Tang/WireImage)

Harry was a fresh-faced teenager when he was being hailed for his athletic achievements in 2005 (Picture: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)

He was given the award in December 2005 after becoming the ‘first sprinter in the six-year history of the IAAF World Youth Championships to win gold in both the 100m and 200m’.

Looking back on that time in his life, he wrote in a new Instagram caption alongside pictures from the latest awards ceremony and from two decades ago: ‘Sports Personality of the Year 2024 – What a full-circle moment! From winning Young Sports Personality of the Year in 2005!

‘A life changing achievement and the making of “Harry AA”, to now presenting this award with @jodieounsley to the incredible @lukethenukelittler . 💪🏾 A moment I’m grateful for!’

On Tuesday, Harry looked as dapper as ever, opting for a dark green suit jacket and bowtie alongside his Gladiators co-star Jodie Ounsley (aka Fury) as they attended the Sports Personality of the Year Awards.

The co-stars presented darts player Luke Littler, 17, with the award that Harry himself was once given in front of a strong crowd at Salford’s MediaCityUK studios.

The Gladiators star will be dancing with Nancy Xu on the Strictly Christmas special (Picture: BBC)

He attended the ceremony with fellow Gladiator Jodie Ounsley(Picture: Matt McNulty/Getty)

Other winners of Young Sports Personality of the Year include Formula 1 driver Jenson Button, ex-England footballer Wayne Rooney, and Wimbledon champion Andy Murray.

The award has also been won by Olympic diver Tom Daley on three occasions, as well as Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, and Manchester City football player Phil Foden.

Harry will be dancing with Strictly Come Dancing professional Nancy Xu on the Christmas Special, who made it to week eight with X Factor winner Shayne Ward this year.

Athlete Harry will be trading the track for the ballroom (Picture: Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Gladiators returned with Harry as Nitro in 2023 (Picture: BBC)

They’ll be competing against comedian and presenter Josh Widdicombe, and his partner Karen Hauer, while RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star Tayce will be partnered with Kai Widdrington.

Presenter Vogue Williams will be with Gorka Márquez, actress Tamzin Outhwaite will be with Nikita Kuzman, and racing driver Billy Monger will be partnered with Nadiya Bychkova.

Speaking ahead of his appearance on the Christmas Special, Harry said: ‘Strictly, are you ready? Nitro’s blasting onto the ballroom floor this Christmas! I’m swapping my trainers for dancing shoes.

‘And trust me, I’m bringing the power, the energy and the moves! This December I’m gonna light up that dancefloor and crank the Christmas spirit all the way up. Let’s do this!’

Harry will be hoping to better his performance on this year’s Celebrity MasterChef, which was one by Strictly professional Vito Coppola.

Watch the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special 2024, Christmas Day, BBC One at 3.55pm.

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