Strictly Come Dancing has now announced all of the stars who will take part in the 2026 season.
Here is a rundown of who will be putting their best feet forward on the dancefloor in the BBC One competition.
First Announced Stars
EastEnders star Lacey Turner was announced as the first contestant taking part this year. The 38-year-old, best known for her long-running role as Stacey Slater on the BBC soap, said: “I am so excited to be making my way to the dancefloor 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. I look forward to meeting everyone and learning a new skill.”
She later said in a video message: “I am so excited and so terrified at the same time, but I’ve had so many friends do Strictly and I thought it was about time that I plucked up the courage and made my way onto that dancefloor.” The Edgware-born actress is also known for appearing on the BBC One drama True Love and Call The Midwife, and she starred as Molly Dawes in the military drama Our Girl.
Former Love Island star Dani Dyer has been given a second chance after she had to withdraw from last year’s competition because of an injury before the series began. The 29-year-old is best known for appearing on and winning the ITV reality dating show Love Island in 2018, for winning this year’s Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, and co-starring alongside her father, Rivals actor Danny Dyer, on their series The Dyers’ Caravan Park. She has also featured on Celebrity MasterChef, Celebrity Gogglebox and EastEnders. 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.”
Music and Entertainment Stars
After representing her home country of Australia at Eurovision, Delta Goodrem is now taking part in Strictly. The singer and actress, 41, said: “I’ve been incredibly honoured to perform on many different stages throughout my career – from TV, theatre, film sets, to touring my own shows around the world. There is, however, one stage I’ve never stepped onto and that is the ballroom floor. I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Strictly and can’t wait to get started.” She rose to fame in Neighbours as shy teenager Nina Tucker from 2002 to 2003. Goodrem has also featured as a coach on The Voice Australia and has achieved massive chart success in the country, landing five Australian number one albums.
Chris Appleton is a hair stylist best known for working with stars including Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez. He said of signing up to Strictly: “I’m thrilled to be joining Strictly Come Dancing and coming home to the UK for this incredible experience. I’ve always believed that the best things happen when you take a chance and try something new. I may know my way around a salon floor but the dancefloor is a whole different story – and I can’t wait to get started.” Appleton’s other celebrity clients include Sofia Vergara, Ariana Grande and Katy Perry.
After winning Love Island last year, reality star Cach Mercer is hitting the dancefloor on Strictly. When he was announced as part of the line-up, he said: “I have grown up watching the show with my family and am so excited to now be part of the cast. Dancing is a huge passion of mine and I can’t wait to learn ballroom and do the foxtrot for the first time!” Mercer won Love Island alongside Toni Laites, with the couple splitting the £50,000 prize pot. They have since broken up.
Big Brother co-host Will Best said joining Strictly was “an absolute dream”. The TV and radio presenter, 41, is best known for fronting the ITV reality series alongside AJ Odudu as well as hosting the Hits Radio Breakfast Show. “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. And I cannot wait!” he said. He added: “I have no idea if I can actually dance, but bring on the sequins, bring on the quicksteps, bring on the dancefloor! I’m going to try to enjoy every minute of it.”
Sports and Acting Legends
Dame Sarah Storey, who recently announced her retirement from sport, has also signed up for Strictly. The cyclist and swimmer, 48, has 19 Paralympic gold medals to her name, making her the most successful British Paralympian of all time. She said: “Embarking on a new challenge so soon after stepping down as an athlete is hugely exciting. I have always loved watching Strictly and my daughter Louisa is a very talented dancer, so to be able to learn from the best and hopefully understand even more about her world is incredibly motivating. I can’t wait to get started.” The athlete was born without a functioning left hand after her arm became entangled in the umbilical cord in the womb, meaning her hand did not develop as normal.
Actress Jaime Winstone, 41, said that while she was “no stranger to a dancefloor…the ballroom is a whole new world”. At the time of her casting being revealed, she added: “I love a challenge though, so can’t wait to enter my showgirl era and get super sparkly! Let’s get physical – see you on the dance floor!” Winstone is known for appearing in films including Made In Dagenham, Bullet Boy and Tomb Raider. She also appeared in several shows including Dead Set, Poirot and the BBC TV movie Babs, where she played the late Dame Barbara Windsor.
House Of The Dragon star Bethany Antonia said she was “so excited” to be joining the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 cast. The 28-year-old is best known for her starring role as dragon-rider Lady Baela Targaryen in the HBO fantasy prequel series, appearing in shows such as Doctors, Stath Lets Flats, Nolly and Doctor Who, as well as the West End production of Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown. She said: “I have grown up watching Strictly, and I am so excited to take the challenge on and (hopefully) learn a new skill. See you on the dancefloor!” Antonia also said the show has been “such a big part of my life” and added: “I just can’t quite believe that I’m going to get the chance to hopefully learn how to ballroom and Latin dance.”
Final Additions to the Line-up
Former England footballer turned pundit Shaun Wright-Phillips has also signed up for Strictly Come Dancing. The 44-year-old said: “Dancing is in my blood – but mainly at family events! Strictly is definitely outside my comfort zone, but I’m super excited to get started and really looking forward to the challenge!” Wright-Phillips – who is the son of Ian Wright – is also a former footballer with 36 caps for England, across a professional career that also saw him play for Manchester City, Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers, and the USA’s New York Red Bulls and Phoenix Rising FC. Now a football pundit and broadcaster, he has worked with the likes of the BBC, Sky Sports, ITV, and the Premier League.
TV presenter and dog trainer Graeme Hall said he “can’t wait to get started” when announced as part of the Strictly line-up. The 59-year-old canine professional, nicknamed “the Dog Father”, is famed for hosting hit Channel 5 programme Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly and regularly showcases his expert knowledge on ITV’s This Morning and BBC Radio. He is also an author who has penned several popular books focusing on dog training, canine behaviour and understanding pets. 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!”
Emmerdale star Lawrence Robb said joining Strictly was a “dream come true”. The Scottish actor plays Mackenzie “Mack” Boyd on the ITV soap, a member of the well-known Dingle family. Before joining Emmerdale, he appeared in the Sky series I Hate Suzie with Billie Piper and starred in Legally Blonde: The Musical on the West End. Speaking about joining Strictly Come Dancing, Robb said: “I don’t know who’s more excited about this, me or my mother. I can’t quite believe that I am going to be getting my dancing shoes on this September on one of my favourite shows of all time! It’s a dream come true, and I can’t wait to bring my all to ballroom. Wish me luck, and any advice is very welcome – trust me I’ll need it!”
Skeleton racer Tabitha “Tabby” Stoecker most famously won gold at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. She is also a World Cup race winner, a double World Championship medallist and a European Championship medallist. Speaking about joining the BBC show, she said: “I am over the moon to be joining the cast of Strictly 2026. I’ve had the wildest year of my life so far, so to be rounding it off with a childhood dream of dancing in the Strictly ballroom is surreal and I can’t wait to get stuck in!”
Social media star John 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. He said of competing on Strictly: “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.”
Completing the line-up is Gavin & Stacey actress Melanie Walters – best known for playing Gwen West in the BBC comedy. The 64-year-old has also appeared on Coronation Street, Beyond Paradise, Being Human, Hollyoaks, Doc Martin and Death Valley. Speaking of joining Strictly, she said: “Performing in pantomime for the last 15 years, my Strictly ‘fix’ has always been watching in a dressing room rather than my front room. This year I am completely thrilled and happy to swap my fairy wand for sequinned dance shoes. I just hope I don’t follow Cinderella and leave one on the ballroom stairs. I cannot wait to take part in this absolutely iconic show, it’s so exciting. See you in September.”
Strictly Come Dancing will return to screens on BBC One and iPlayer in September.
