TV presenter and dog trainer Graeme Hall has been announced as the 11th contestant for the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing. The 59-year-old, nicknamed “the Dog Father”, said: “I can’t wait to get started.”
From dog training to dance floor
Hall is best known for hosting Channel 5’s hit programme Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly and regularly appears on ITV’s This Morning and BBC Radio. He is also an author of several books on dog training and canine behaviour.
In a statement, Hall said: “I can’t believe I am joining the cast of Strictly for 2026. I have always loved dancing, so to have the opportunity to learn from the best in the business is a dream come true. I have watched the show for years, so to be a part of it feels like a very exciting challenge, albeit more than a bit nerve-wracking! I can’t wait to get started. Bring it on!”
Excitement and nerves
In a video posted on the Strictly Come Dancing Instagram page, Hall described himself as “that dog fella off the telly” and said: “Come September, you’re going to see quite a bit of me on the dance floor. Because you guessed it – I’m doing Strictly! How exciting is that? Well, very to me. And how nervous am I? Also, very. In fact, all of the emotions are ‘very’ at the moment.”
Star-studded line-up
Hall joins previously announced contestants Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer, Will Best, Jaime Winstone, Dame Sarah Storey, Bethany Antonia and Shaun Wright-Phillips, all competing for the Glitterball trophy.
Strictly recently revealed five new professional dancers joining this year: Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori, Lethabo Monametsi, Maddie Ingoldsby and Mark Karmalita. The upcoming series will be hosted by Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe, replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who announced their departure late last year.
Further celebrity names will be announced throughout the summer, ahead of the new series airing on BBC One and iPlayer this September.
