Strictly Come Dancing has left fans bewildered after the BBC announced its first contestant for the 2026 series much earlier than usual. EastEnders star Lacey Turner, 38, who plays Stacey Slater, was revealed as the first celebrity to join the upcoming season, which is set to undergo a complete transformation.
The announcement, made in June, is significantly earlier than previous years, where the first name was typically revealed in mid-August. Fans took to social media to express their surprise, with one commenting: "Is it that time of year already!? Better start putting Mariah on a slow defrost!" Another wrote: "Gosh you know the year has gone by so fast if they are already revealing the celebs."
Despite the early timing, there was excitement for Turner, with her EastEnders co-star Alice Haig calling it "so exciting" and last year's contestant Balvinder Sopal cheering: "Yes, yes, yessss! Come on Lace." Strictly professionals Lauren Oakley, Dianne Buswell, and Amy Dowden also welcomed her, while head judge Shirley Ballas simply wrote: "Welcome."
Turner expressed her enthusiasm, saying: "I am so excited to be making my way to the dance floor this year... I am a huge fan and can't quite believe I will be taking part." The rest of the line-up, rumoured to include Delta Goodrem, Jeff Brazier, Dani Dyer, and Josie Gibson, is expected to be announced in the coming weeks on BBC shows like Breakfast and The One Show.
Amid the shake-up, sources claim the show will have a fresh new look, with the iconic backdrop potentially replaced by larger screens for visual displays. A source told The Sun: "It was natural that bosses look at giving the show a whole new look as it enters a new era... It's going to get a more sleek, impressive set, but it will still be all about fun, glitz and sparkles."
