Strictly Come Dancing has confirmed that Dani Dyer will return to the dancefloor for the 2026 series. The reality TV star, daughter of actor Danny Dyer, was forced to withdraw from the competition last year due to an injury.
Official Announcement
The official Strictly Come Dancing account shared a post online, stating that Dani is "back where she belongs." The post read: "She’s back where she belongs – on the #strictly dance floor. Welcome back @danidyerxx."
Dani expressed her excitement about returning to the ballroom this year. She said: "I am so excited to be back in the ballroom this September! I just cannot wait to get my dancing shoes back on and hopefully this time around I can actually make it to week one! I’m just over the moon and cannot wait to find out who else is doing it!"
Support from Judges and Dancers
Judge Motsi Mabuse commented: "Let’s she is back we love @danidyerxx." Professional dancer Jowita Przystal added: "Sheeees baaaack !!! Yes."
Dani was originally part of the Strictly 2025 cast but had to withdraw before the competition began due to an injury. The 29-year-old was partnered with Nikita Kuzmin, who then went on to reach the final with Amber Davies, a last-minute replacement for Dani.
A similar situation occurred for Jamie Laing in 2019. He was forced to leave the show due to injury but returned in 2020 and reached the final with Karen Hauer.
Second Celebrity Announcement
Dani Dyer is the second celebrity to be announced for this year's series. The BBC recently revealed actress Lacey Turner as the first celebrity contestant.
The EastEnders actress, known for her role as Stacey Slater, will make her debut on the ballroom floor in September. Speaking about taking part, Lacey said: "I am so excited to be making my way to the dance floor this year to be a part of Strictly Come Dancing! I am a huge fan and can’t quite believe I will be taking part and not watching at home this year!" She added: "I look forward to meeting everyone and learning a new skill!"
New Hosts and Return Date
The popular BBC programme will return to screens this autumn with a fresh batch of famous faces. The BBC recently announced three new hosts for this year: Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe. This is the first time the show has had three permanent presenters since Sir Bruce Forsyth shared hosting duties with Claudia Winkleman during his later years on the programme.
Strictly Come Dancing returns in September.
