BBC Strictly Come Dancing star branded 'baby' by show judge after emotional 'thank you' to co-stars

Strictly Come Dancing star Motsi Mabuse branded one of her co-stars 'my baby' after he shared an emotional 'thank you' to the team. Professional dancer Neil Jones took to social media with his own message following the end of the BBC One dance contest over the weekend.

The final saw more brilliant group routines, a Eurovision announcement and a performance from Cher while in between, Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola, Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin and Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell battled it out to be crowned this year's champions.

And after three dances each, it was former Coro nation Street star Ellie and her professional dance partner Vito who were announced as this year's winners and triumphantly lifted the coveted Glitterball trophy. History was also made as Ellie is now the youngest-ever winner of the hit dance show.

READ MORE: BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Layton Williams in plea after referencing 'what everyone did' to him during series

READ MORE: Read more of today's top stories from the Manchester Evening News

Following the end of the series, Neil Jones took to Instagram with a string of photos, with one showing winners Ellie and Vito lifting the Glitterball while others were ones he had taken throughout the weeks on both the main show and on spin-off It Takes Two and moments he performed in group numbers and musical performances over the 13-week series.

"And just like that another @bbcstrictly series is over," he started the caption of his post. "Always mixed emotions on the Monday after the finals because finally our bodies can get some rest but also a feeling of missing a part of you because strictly really is a family and the greatest show in the world and that because of everyone involved not just in