Actress Jamie Winstone has officially been announced as the eighth celebrity to take part in the new series of Strictly Come Dancing. The daughter of actor Ray Winstone will compete for the glitterball trophy alongside a string of stars, including EastEnders' Lacey Turner and Love Island winner Dani Dyer.
Jamie Winstone's Excitement
Announcing the news, Jamie said: "I am so excited to announce that I will be joining the Strictly Come Dancing cast this year." She added: "I am no stranger to a dance floor, but the ballroom is a whole new world for me. 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!"
Acting Career
Jamie has made a name for herself as an actress, starring in films such as Made in Dagenham and Tomb Raider, as well as playing Barbara Windsor in BBC biopic Babs and taking on the role of Peggy Mitchell in EastEnders' flashback specials.
Other Confirmed Contestants
The news comes shortly after sports legend Dame Sarah Storey was confirmed for the show. Dame Sarah, 48, has a total of 30 Paralympic medals, including 19 gold medals. 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!"
TV presenter Will Best also signed up, describing it as a "dream". "I can’t quite believe it…I’m doing Strictly," the former Big Brother host said. "What an absolute dream. Albeit a pretty terrifying one."
New Presenters
It’s all change for Strictly this time around, as Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe were announced as presenters, replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman after the duo stepped back from the show last year.
Early Announcements
Bosses have been confirming celebrity contestants since mid-June, much earlier than their usual line-up announcement. Fans were delighted when Lacey Turner became the first star to be confirmed for this year’s competition. The Stacey Slater actress said: "I am so excited to being 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!"
Dani Dyer, who was due to take part last year but withdrew due to injury, shared her excitement: "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!"
Other confirmed contestants include Love Islander Cach Mercer, singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem, and celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton.
