Winners of Strictly Come Hospice 2026 crowned in a star-studded finale!
Rachael Janson, a visual effects technician from Berkhamsted, and her dance partner, Maria Hernandez-Humm, a senior project manager from Harefield, have been named the winners of our 2026 Strictly Come Hospice competition.
The evening was attended by special guest judge Kellie Bright, who is best known for her role as Linda Carter in EastEnders and kindly gave her time to support the event.
Each couple performed either a Charleston or a Cha Cha routine. Performances were scored by the judging panel, which included Kellie Bright, Karen Pawlowska and Yvonne Taylor Hill, alongside votes from the audience.
Rachael and Maria were announced as the winners for their Cha Cha to Boogie Wonderland. Their final score combined the judges’ marks with votes from the 500 people watching the show on the night.
The pair were matched as dance partners before their first rehearsal after signing up for the hospice fundraising challenge last autumn. Alongside 20 other local pairs, they attended weekly dance lessons to learn a full routine for the final performance.
A word from our winners
“Winning Strictly Come Hospice is an incredible feeling. It’s the result of ten weeks of hard work, all wrapped in joy. We couldn’t quite believe it when it was announced.
“I’ve enjoyed every minute of the experience, but most of all I’ve loved learning something new with such a fantastic group of people. Dancing every week with Maria and learning from our teachers, Scott and Lauren, couldn’t have been more special.
“The highlight of the night, aside from the glitter ball trophy, was hearing how much money we’d raised for Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care. Their work is so important in our community, and I’m proud to have been part of something that will help make a difference.”
“We didn’t stop smiling and laughing for the whole journey. Everyone from friends and family, the other contestants, and staff from Rennie Grove Peace have been so supportive and encouraging.“
“Before this started, I would never have thought I could have danced on stage in front of an audience and judges. The whole experience has given me more self-belief and courage to go on an try different things and get out of my comfort zone.”
£43,000 raised!
Each dancer took on the challenge of raising £800 in sponsorship. Together, the event raised £43,000 through sponsorship, ticket sales and donations on the night.
Our Events Manager, Emma Stewart, says:
“It was amazing to see everybody’s hard work come together on the night of the Strictly Come Hospice grand finale. This event wouldn’t have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our dancers, our professional dance teachers and everybody who made the grand finale event happen – including our judges, compere and volunteers on the night.
“I’d also like to say a huge thank you to our headline sponsor, Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden, for their support throughout the whole process.
“Every penny raised by this event will be used to fund hospice care in our community. We need to raise over £19,000 every single day just to keep our patient services running, so events like this are really important in ensuring we can continue to provide extraordinary care for the people in our community who need it.”
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