Big Brother presenter Will Best has opened up about his fears after being announced as the sixth celebrity contestant for the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing. The 2026 season, which will be the first to feature host Emma Willis alongside comedian Josh Widdicombe and professional dancer Johannes Radebe, is set to premiere in September.
Will Best's Statement on Joining Strictly
In a statement released on Tuesday, July 14, Best expressed his mixed emotions. “I can’t quite believe it…I’m doing Strictly! What an absolute dream. Albeit a pretty terrifying one. I’ve been lucky to do lots of live telly before, but absolutely nothing like this,” he said. “And I cannot wait! I have no idea if I can actually dance, but bring on the sequins, bring on the quicksteps, bring on the dance floor! I’m going to try to enjoy every minute of it.”
Career Background and Radio Duties
Best, who co-hosts Big Brother with AJ Odudu, first gained fame as a presenter on T4. He has also worked on This Morning, BBC Three, and Viva. In addition to his television work, he hosts the Hits Radio Breakfast Show with Fleur East and James Barr. Fleur East, a former Strictly finalist in 2022 and host of spin-off series It Takes Two for four years, joined Best on air on Wednesday morning, July 15, just hours after his announcement.
Nerves and Lighthearted Banter
Discussing his nerves on the radio show, Best admitted, “It's very surreal and I'm scared. Is that normal to be this nervous? I have no idea if I can dance. I feel like I can groove.” Fleur East teased him, saying, “I've seen your hips on a night out, and I personally am very excited for you to do a samba.” The trio speculated on which professional dancer Best might be paired with, noting that Lauren Oakley had commented with clapping hands on his announcement post. Best mentioned a fan who said Oakley was 'too tall' for him, and added, “There were a lot of people who were tagging Jowita [Przystał], saying, 'You're a pocket rocket, he's a pocket rocket.'” Best joked that he had never been called a 'pocket rocket' before and mused about potentially dancing in front of Kim Kardashian if she came to support her hairdresser Chris Appleton, who is also competing. He revealed he had DM'd Kardashian in 2013 but was left on read.
Other Confirmed Contestants
Other celebrities confirmed for this year's Strictly include EastEnders star Lacey Turner, Neighbours actress and Australia's Eurovision entry Delta Goodrem, Danny Dyer's daughter Dani Dyer, and Love Island winner Cach Merce. More names are expected to be announced in the coming months as the competition for the glitterball trophy heats up.
