Nine of the 15 celebrities in this year's Strictly Come Dancing line-up reportedly have previous dance or performance experience, sparking fresh controversy over fairness. The full line-up leaked last night, with YouTube star John Nellis, Gavin and Stacey's Melanie Walters, and Olympic gold medallist Tabby Stoecker reportedly completing the list.
Experience Advantage?
Around 60 per cent of the cast have previously danced, attended stage school, studied performing arts, or taken part in stage productions. However, there are no rules preventing celebrities with prior dance experience from taking part.
An insider said: "There is no rule that celebrities cannot have dance experience before taking part and it would be near impossible to find a cast of celebrities who have no previous dance experience as many people in the entertainment industry go to stage school."
Who Has Experience?
Among the experienced stars, Love Island winner Dani Dyer attended O'Farrell's Stage School in East London for 12 years as a child. EastEnders' Lacey Turner attended the Sylvia Young Theatre School. Australian singer Delta Goodrem had lessons in dancing, singing, and acting as a child.
Actress Jaime Winstone studied for a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts at Harlow College, covering dance, musical theatre, and production. House of the Dragon's Bethany Antonia studied musical theatre at Birmingham's BOA Creative, Digital and Performing Arts Academy.
Melanie Walters, not yet officially announced, starred as the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella at Bournemouth Pavilion last year. Presenter Graeme Hall took part in a dance competition called Strictly Northampton in 2012.
Official Announcements
So far, 12 of the reported 15 celebrities have been officially announced, including Emmerdale's Lawrence Robb, Lacey, Dani, Delta, celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton, musician Cach, presenter Will Best, Paralympic champion Dame Sarah Storey, Jaime, Bethany, former footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips, and Graeme.
The line-up has sparked discussion among fans, with some struggling to recognise several contestants. Preparations are underway, with professional dancers returning to rehearsals. Amy Dowden, Dianne Buswell, and Jowita Przystal are among the familiar faces, alongside reigning champion Carlos Gu, who lifted the Glitterball Trophy with Karen Carney.
Katya Jones, Kai Widdrington, Aljaž Škorjanec, Lauren Oakley, Nancy Xu, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Alexis Warr, Julian Caillon, and Vito Coppola will also return. Five new professional dancers will debut this autumn: Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori, Lethabo Monametsi, Mark Karmalita, and Maddie Ingoldsby.
