In an exciting development for fans of British television, Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood has publicly endorsed two potential contestants for the show's 2026 line-up, and they're familiar faces from the nation's sofas.
A Glitzy Blackpool Night Sparks Speculation
The speculation began after the Strictly Come Dancing live show from the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom on Saturday, 22nd November. The glitzy special saw the remaining celebrities and their professional partners dazzling the audience in one of the competition's most anticipated episodes of the year.
Following the broadcast, Judge Craig Revel Horwood enjoyed a late-night drink with a group that included comedy legend Paul Chuckle, this year's contestant Lewis Cope from Emmerdale, and Gogglebox favourites Pete and Sophie Sandiford. The group had watched the show from the audience before joining Craig for a celebratory catch-up.
"Perfect Candidates for 2026"
It was the Sandiford siblings, however, who made a particularly strong impression on the notoriously hard-to-please judge. Taking to Instagram to share a group photo from their evening, Craig didn't hold back his enthusiasm for the brother and sister duo.
He captioned the post, calling them part of the "growing Chuckle TV Dynasty" and, crucially, stating they were "perfect candidates for 2026 if you ask me." This explicit endorsement has sent waves of excitement through both sets of fans.
The Blackpool-based siblings, both 30, have been beloved fixtures on Channel 4's Gogglebox since 2017, offering their witty and relatable commentary on the week's television from their homes every Friday night for nearly a decade.
Fan Reaction and Show Update
The public response to Craig's suggestion has been overwhelmingly positive. Fans quickly flooded the comments, with one writing, "Love Sophie and Pete! Defo great candidates for next year," while another declared, "They would be epic on SCD." The connection to British TV heritage is also strong, as Paul Chuckle is the duo's uncle, a fact noted fondly by supporters.
In other Strictly news, the competition saw an unexpected turn as drag queen La Voix was forced to leave the show entirely due to an injury picked up ahead of week nine. This meant there was no elimination, and all scores will roll over to the next live show on Saturday, 29th November.
The remaining couples fighting for the Glitterball trophy are Alex and Johannes, Amber and Nikita, Balvinder and Julian, George and Alexis, Karen and Carlos, and Lewis and Katya. Meanwhile, Gogglebox continues to air every Friday at 9pm on Channel 4.
