Strictly Come Dancing has announced the professional dancers and judges for its 2026 series, following a dramatic shake-up that saw several long-standing pros leave the show. The new season will air this autumn on BBC.
Returning professionals include Dianne Buswell, Julian Caillon, Amy Dowden, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Jowita Przystał, Johannes Radebe, Aljaž Škorjanec, Alexis Warr, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley and Vito Coppola. New professional dancers will be announced closer to the show's return in September.
The judging panel remains unchanged, with Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and head judge Shirley Ballas all returning. Themed weeks such as Movies, Icons, Halloween and Musicals will also return, along with the Instant Dance challenge and the traditional visit to Blackpool Tower Ballroom.
The show will feature new hosts following the departures of Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, with replacements expected to be announced soon. The professional line-up has seen several high-profile exits, including Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Michelle Tsiakkas, Karen Hauer and Nadiya Bychkova. Karen Hauer, the longest-serving female pro, announced her departure after 14 years, saying she felt it was the right time to move on to new projects.
Last year's final was watched by 8.6 million viewers, with Karen Carney and Carlos Gu winning the Glitterball Trophy.
