Strictly’s new judge Cynthia Erivo given ‘extensive’ cheat sheet as she doesn’t know any of celebrity’s names

STRICTLY’S judging crisis has been averted thanks to a multi-award-winning star who has quick-stepped in to take the place of Covid-hit Craig Revel Horwood.

And while she might not be that well known in her home country, British-born Cynthia Erivo has proved she is a major talent by dazzling in the US.

Nominated for a Best Actress Oscar in 2019, she is one of the few stars to have an Emmy, Grammy and Tony on her shelf.

The musical theatre star’s powerful vocals, which enabled her to play soul legend Aretha Franklin in a US TV true-life drama, will soon grace a big-screen adaptation of the hit stage show Wicked, which also stars pop ­sensation Ariana Grande.

The daughter of a nurse, 34-year-old Londoner Cynthia is now pals with showbiz titans Oprah Winfrey and Whoopi Goldberg.

Following the announcement of her arrival yesterday, she said: “I’m so delighted to be joining the Strictly judging panel for Musicals Week.

“Musicals have a unique place in my heart. It’s such a special way of connecting all art and making it one.

“I’m excited to bring my experience to the show and I can’t wait to see what the couples have in store.”

Panelist Anton Du Beke joked that the arrival of the Broadway star on tonight’s show should worry his fellow judge Craig.

He said: “It’s a bit of gold. Craig will be nervous. He’ll be on the phone saying, ‘I feel much better’. ”

Beeb producers have given Cynthia a crash course in how the show ­operates and handed her crib sheets.

A source said: “They are giving her in-depth notes about the dancers and how they have performed previously.

“She is a professional but judging a dancing competition is pretty left-field for her.”

Joining the judges of the popular dance competition should be a waltz for Cynthia following her tough rise to the top.

Abandoned by her father when she was aged 16, she was brought up in Stockwell, South London, by her mum Edith, who raised her as a single parent.

Edith predicted Cynthia would be a star, writing in a baby book that her daughter would become a singer and actress.

She developed her vocals by ­singing hymns in Catholic church and honed her acting skills from the age of 11 in a local theatre group.

At 15, Cynthia made her first pitch at fame with Channel 4 reality show Trust Me, I’m A Teenager.

It was around that same time she was left heartbroken when all hopes of a reconciliation with her father were dashed.

During a meeting at a London Underground station, he told her he did not want to see her or her ­younger sister Stephanie again.

Cynthia said: “He had had enough, I guess. He just didn’t want to be a part of it any more.”

Stage director Rae McKen realised she lacked self-belief but persuaded her to apply for the acclaimed Royal Academy of Dramatic Art.

Not long after graduating from RADA she was in demand for West End musicals, appearing in The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg, Sister Act and The Color Purple.

A lead role in Harry Hill’s comedy X Factor musical I Can’t Sing, which was backed by the TV show’s music mogul Simon Cowell, should have turned her into a star — but it closed after only six weeks, losing a reported £4million.

After that, Cynthia found it hard to land any big parts in the UK — so she tried her luck Stateside and never looked back.

Stepdad Samuel Uregbula, who married Edith when Cynthia was five, said: “She hasn’t let anything get her down. She has just worked hard.”

Five years ago her Broadway performance in The Color Purple won her a Tony — the most important award in theatre — for Best Leading Actress in a Musical.

That was followed by an Emmy for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Programme, which came after her appearance on a US talk show, while a cast recording of The Color Purple earned her a Grammy for Best Musical Theatre Album.

Hollywood came knocking — and her first leading role, as slave abolitionist Harriet Tubman in the biopic Harriet, secured an Academy Award nomination.

She has also appeared in Bad Times At The El Royale alongside Chris ­Hemsworth, Widows with Liam Neeson and Tom Holland’s Chaos Walking.

She said in Harper’s Bazaar magazine: “Sometimes I’m in disbelief that it is all happening.” In September, Cynthia branched out further by releasing her debut solo album titled Ch 1 Vs 1.

Romantically, she has previously been linked to actors Dean John-Wilson and Mario Martinez.

But earlier this year, Cynthia revealed that she prefers to date women — and is rumoured to be in a relationship with US movie producer Lena Waithe.

Speaking about her sexuality, Cynthia said: “I don’t think anyone thinks of me as a person that has relationships that aren’t platonic.”

One of her relationships that is platonic is with Oprah.

Cynthia said: “The best piece of career advice I’ve ever been given is that I’m allowed to say ‘No’ from time to time. That came from Oprah Winfrey.”

Thankfully, she didn’t say no to tonight’s Strictly.