Social media star John Nellis has been announced as the latest contestant to join the new series of Strictly Come Dancing.
Originally from Newcastle in Co Down, Northern Ireland, Nellis is one of the UK and Ireland’s biggest football content creators, with a combined audience of more than 15 million followers on YouTube. His videos have featured some of the biggest names in world sport, including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo and, more recently, Norwegian footballer Erling Haaland – which amassed more than 13 million views on YouTube.
Never danced before
He is the 14th celebrity to be announced for the upcoming 2026 series of the BBC One dancing programme. He said: “I’m still in disbelief that I’ve been selected for Strictly and, if I’m honest, I’m a little nervous as I’ve never danced before.
“It’s such an incredible opportunity and I’m going to throw myself into every moment. I can’t wait to meet everyone, learn a new skill and, hopefully, be much better at family parties by the end of it.”
Career change and fellow contestants
Nellis left his job as an air traffic controller to pursue content creation full-time and has become one of the leading creators in sport, winning the sport creator of the year gong at the 2024 TikTok Awards for the UK and Ireland.
He will join actress Lacey Turner, TV personality Dani Dyer, Australian singer Delta Goodrem, hairstylist Chris Appleton, Love Island star Cach Mercer and TV presenter Will Best in the Strictly ballroom.
A post on the Strictly Come Dancing Instagram account announced the news on Tuesday and said: “Social media star @johnnellis has kept his eye on the ball, now all eyes are on his fancy footwork. Welcome to #Strictly, John!”
Other celebrities in the 2026 series include Paralympic athlete Dame Sarah Storey, actress Jaime Winstone, House Of The Dragon star Bethany Antonia, former footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips, TV dog trainer Graeme Hall, Emmerdale’s Lawrence Robb and Olympian Tabby Stoecker.
Strictly Come Dancing will return to screens on BBC One and iPlayer in September.
