Strictly Come Dancing 2026 contestant Graeme Hall has opened up about a sudden health ordeal that made him realise just how precious life is. The 59-year-old, best known as The Dogfather, suffered a stroke in 2019 and had to stop dancing after falling ill.
Speaking to Heat Magazine, Graeme said: "It was all good fun but I stopped because I had a stroke in 2019. I recovered fully, but had to have an operation as they discovered I had a hole in my heart that caused it. They patched that up and I'm back to fitness."
'A Heck of a Shock'
Describing his stroke as "a heck of a shock", he said the ordeal made him realise how precious life is. He added: "There is life after things like strokes and life-changing events. You pick yourself up and off you go."
Graeme, who is from Yorkshire, makes sure fitness is prioritised in his busy schedule. He told the publication that he has lost 11 kilograms since February by hitting the gym, mixing his workouts with weights and compound exercises.
Strictly Journey
"Little did I know that was going to be important," he added, referencing Strictly. "Those lifts seem scary to me. I've never done anything like that before."
Last week, Graeme and his partner Lauren Oakley performed a Cha Cha Cha to Hound Dog (Smokey Joe’s Café version), earning 24 out of 40 points and placing them fifth on the leaderboard.
Judges' Praise
Following the routine, host Emma Willis pointed out that all four judges — Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke — had smiles on their faces. Motsi told Graeme: "We've got a smile because we love your vibe," adding that she "loved" the routine and praised the contestant for his efforts.
Anton also described the dance as "super", while Craig Revel Horwood said he enjoyed the routine and praised Graeme for paying close attention to the technique. Shirley echoed Craig and Motsi's love for the routine, adding: "That was full of Cha Cha content, that is exactly what we're talking about."
She went on to say he was "a master of his craft" in his career, while also calling him "an amazing student", claiming she could tell that he had really listened to Lauren's directions.
Graeme is competing for the Glitterball trophy alongside 14 other famous faces: Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer, Melanie Walters, Dame Sarah Storey, Will Best, Jaime Winstone, Bethany Antonia, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Tabby Stoecker, Lawrence Robb and John Nellis.
This week, all 15 dancing duos will take to the dance floor again for Movie Week. Strictly Come Dancing continues Saturday at 6.15pm on BBC One.
