The Strictly Come Dancing class of 2026 have come together for the first time at their first dance rehearsals.
Despite fans branding the lineup the ‘worst ever’ in the show’s 22-year run, the contestants still looked in great spirits as they arrived at the studio in London on Thursday.
Ready to give Strictly another go after an injury forced her out of last year’s lineup was Dani Dyer, who flashed a smile as she walked in.
Dani – who was paired with Nikita Kuzmin last year but fractured her ankle before the first show – looked stylish in a black top, leopard-print skirt and nude sandals.
Also looking chic was Delta Goodrem, who paired a white top with a brown leather skirt and towering heels.
Meanwhile Jaime Winstone embraced the UK heatwave in a pair of denim hotpants and brown cowboy boots.
The Strictly Come Dancing class of 2026 came together for the first time on Thursday as they headed to their first dance rehearsals (pictured: Dani Dyer)
The contestants still looked in great spirits as they arrived at the studio in London (pictured: Delta Goodrem, left, and Jaime Winstone)
Gavin & Stacey actress Melanie Walters, who was announced as the final star to join the line up this week, couldn’t stop beaming as she met up with her fellow contestants.
Also in this year’s lineup is EastEnders’ Lacey Turner, celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton, Love Island star Cach Mercer, Big Brother host Will Best and Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey.
They are joined by House Of The Dragon’s Bethany Antonia, footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips, presenter Graeme ‘The Dogfather’ Hall, Emmerdale’s Lawrence Robb, YouTuber John Nellis and Olympian Tabby Stoecker.
Strictly is one of the BBC’s most popular shows, with millions tuning in every weekend and the professional dancers quickly becoming household names.
This year, however, there’s been one big problem – that the dancers are better known than the ‘stars’ they’re set to partner up with.
YouTuber John, for example, doesn’t even have a Wikipedia page.
But that doesn’t seem to matter to producers, who are said to have specifically selected stars who have large social media followings.
Stars such as Kim Kardashian’s hair stylist Chris might not be a household name, but he does boast a huge social media following with 4million fans on Instagram.
John has an even bigger fanbase, with 15.7million YouTube subscribers.
Ready to give Strictly another go after an injury forced her out of last year’s lineup was Dani, who flashed a smile as she walked in
Dani – who was paired with Nikita Kuzmin last year but fractured her ankle before the first show – looked stylish in a black top and leopard print skirt
Dani also shared a selfie on her way to the studios
Also looking chic was Delta, who paired a white top with a brown leather skirt and towering heels. She accessorised with a small snake print handbag
Jaime Winstone embraced the UK heatwave in a pair of denim hotpants and cowboy boots
Gavin & Stacey actress Melanie Walters, who was announced as the final star to join the line up this week, couldn’t stop beaming as she met up with her fellow contestants
EastEnders star Lacey Turner looked summery in a pastel striped midi dress
Love Island’s Cache Mercer sported a grey vest and baggy jeans
Celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton opted for double denim in a shirt and jeans
Chris was spotted giving fellow Strictly star Lawrence Robb a hug
Lawrence was casually clad in a navy vest paired with white trousers and sandals
Former footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips opted for a black T-shirt and white trousers
Graeme ‘The Dogfather’ Hill kept things casual in a paisley shirt and shorts
Olympian Tabby Stoecker paired a white vest with linen trousers and flip flops
Tabby also shared a throwback from when she met last year’s Strictly contestant Montell Douglas who taught her how to waltz
However, loyal fans have been left scratching their heads over the lineup, with many of the comments on the Strictly social posts asking who the celebrity is, rather than expressing any excitement.
Indeed, while bosses may be keen to attract Gen Z (14 to 29 years old), the majority of Strictly viewers are currently Gen X (46 to 61 years old) and Baby Boomers (62 to 80 years old).
Audience demographic data indicates that around 60 per cent of the audience is aged 55 or older, putting the average viewer age firmly in the mid-50s and above.
Yet this year, it’s time for an overhaul, with suggestions Strictly is following a similar, hugely successful social media strategy employed by its US counterpart Dancing With The Stars.
Dancing With The Stars has used their celebrity contestants’ followings to their advantage, introducing a TikTok Night last year – an episode which saw the contestants perform viral dance routines, sparking an uptick in interaction from younger viewers.
The Dancing With The Stars TikTok account now has more than 5million followers, in comparison to Strictly’s 670,000.
‘Although your traditional Strictly audience might not know who some of the signings are, that’s not as important as bringing in new viewers who are more than familiar with them,’ a source told The Sun.
‘Their followers are vast in numbers, enthusiastic and, by sharing content on Strictly, raise the profile of the show massively.
‘And, in time, the viewers who don’t know these people get to know them. If anything they end up going on much more of a “Strictly Journey” than the stars you’d describe as “household names.”‘
The following day the celebrities were back to meet the professional dancers for the first time and for their first rehearsal
Delta looked great in a plunging black top paired with flared leggings and blue trainers
Dani opted for a skintight co-ord and trainers for the rehearsals
Chris donned a plaid shirt and jeans while Cache opted for a vest and shorts
Jaime rocked a pair of oversized shades as she headed into the studio
Graeme and Shaun flashed thumbs up for the cameras as they headed inside
Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey was seen arriving in all black
House Of The Dragon’s Bethany Antonia arrived in shorts while Melanie carried a sunhat
Tabby seemed in great spirits on the outing
Big Brother host Will Best (left) and Sports YouTuber John Nellis looked in great spirits
Also spotted at the studio was new dancer Lethabo Monamets
This year has seen a number of changes to the show – which was previously known for its formulaic regime in its 22 years on air.
Perhaps most pertinent is the change in presenters, after longtime hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman quit the show.
There are now a trio of new hosts – all of whom have a strong online presence.
Comedian Josh Widdicombe has more than half a million Instagram followers on his personal account whilst the Insta page for his hugely popular podcast Parenting Hell has 250,000.
Emma Willis has two million Instagram followers and fan-favourite dancer Johannes Radebe, who will act as a co-presenter this year, has 458,000 followers.
The celeb lineup was also announced on social media this year rather than on radio and TV.
And before the celeb reveals, there was a big reshuffle with the professional dancers.
In recent months popular dancers Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Michelle Tsiakkas, Luba Mushtuk and Gorka Marquez have all been given the boot.
It’s understood pros with bigger online followings have been chosen over dancers who are not so TikTok friendly as the series tries desperately to attract a younger audience.
One example appears to be axed Nadiya, who has 214,000 Insta followers, while Dianne Buswell, with 1.2 million Instagram followers and 973,000 on TikTok, has kept her place in the line-up.
Meanwhile five new young pros have been recruited with ballroom champ Maddie Ingoldsby boasting 364,000 TikTok followers.
Former Strictly judge and renowned choreographer Arlene Phillips recently criticised the pro hirings, telling Good Morning Britain last month: ‘The new pros, as long as they can dance. I mean, most of them are sort of influencers and they talk an awful lot. As long as those pros can dance.’
The trio of new hosts also have a strong online presence. Comedian Josh Widdicombe has over half a million Instagram followers (pictured with Johannes Radebe and Emma Willis)
Five new young pros have been recruited. From left, Maddie Ingoldsby, Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori, Lethabo Monametsi and Mark Karmalita
Yet while there is clearly a pull for stars with a large online presence, an insider claimed that part of the problem with booking celebrity shows now is that the landscape has changed.
The source continued: ‘Crucially the pipeline that used to feed these big shows has changed.
‘Boyband and girlband stars aren’t as prevalent any more and, once upon a time, getting someone from a soap or a big drama was a massive deal, but now even that has diminished somewhat.
‘Now, though, social media is continuing to boom and big stars from the world of TikTok, YouTube and Instagram are known to a vast section of society.’
Strictly is set to return for its 24th season next month, when loyal viewers will finally be able to give their say on all the changes.
STRICTLY COME DANCING 2026: MEET THE CONTESTANTS
LACEY TURNER
AGE: 38
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Playing Stacey Slater on BBC’s EastEnders
WHY STRICTLY?: ‘I’m so excited and terrified at the same time but I’ve had so many friends do Strictly and I thought it was about time that I plunked up the courage and made my way onto that dance floor.’
DELTA GOODREM
AGE: 41
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Played Nina Tucker in Neighbours and has released eight music albums
WHY STRICTLY?: ‘I’ve been incredibly honoured to perform on many different stages throughout my career – from tv, theatre, film sets, to touring my own shows around the world, there is however one stage I’ve never stepped onto and that is the ballroom floor!’
CACH MERCER
AGE: 25
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Won Love Island 2025 and is a TikTok influencer
WHY STRICTLY?: ‘I have grown up watching the show with my family and am so excited to now be part of the cast. Dancing is a huge passion of mine and I can’t wait to learn Ballroom and do the Foxtrot for the first time!’
DAME SARAH STOREY
AGE: 48
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Britain’s most successful Paralympian
WHY STRICTLY?: ‘Embarking on a new challenge so soon after stepping down as an athlete is hugely exciting.’
BETHANY ANTONIA
AGE: 28
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Plays Lady Baela Targaryen in House of the Dragon
WHY STRICTLY?: ‘I have grown up watching Strictly, and I am so excited to take the challenge on and (hopefully!) learn a new skill.’
GRAEME ‘THE DOGFATHER’ HALL
AGE: 59
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Hosts Channel 5 series Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly
WHY STRICTLY?: ‘I have watched the show for years, so to be a part of it feels like a very exciting challenge, albeit more than a bit nerve-wracking!’
TABBY STOECKER
AGE: 25
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Olympic champion skeleton racer
WHY STRICTLY?: ‘I’ve had the wildest year of my life so far, so to be rounding it off with a childhood dream of dancing in the Strictly ballroom is surreal and I can’t wait to get stuck in!’
MELANIE WALTERS
AGE: 64
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Playing Gwen West in BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey
WHY STRICTLY?: ‘Performing in Pantomime for the last 15 years, my Strictly ‘fix’ has always been watching in a dressing room rather than my front room.’
DANI DYER
AGE: 30
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Winning Love Island and being the daughter of actor Danny Dyer
WHY STRICTLY?: ‘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!’
CHRIS APPLETON
AGE: 43
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Hairdresser to the stars – including Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez
WHY STRICTLY?: ‘I’m thrilled to be joining Strictly and coming home to the UK for this incredible experience. I’ve always believed that the best things happen when you take a chance and try something new.’
WILL BEST
AGE: 41
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Hosts Big Brother and previously TV
WHY STRICTLY?: ‘I’ve been lucky to do lots of live telly before, but absolutely nothing like this. And I cannot wait!’
JAIME WINSTONE
AGE: 41
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Starring in films such as Kidulthood and Tomb Raider
WHY STRICTLY?: ‘I am no stranger to a dance floor, but the ballroom is a whole new world for me.’
SHAUN WRIGHT-PHILLIPS
AGE: 44
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Footballer who played for the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City
WHY STRICTLY?: ‘Strictly is definitely outside my comfort zone, but I’m super excited to get started and really looking forward to the challenge!’
LAWRENCE ROBB
AGE: 34
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Plays Mackenzie Boyd on ITV’s Emmerdale
WHY STRICTLY?: ‘I can’t quite believe that I am going to be getting my dancing shoes on this September on one of my favourite shows of all time!’
JOHN NELLIS
AGE: 33
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Face of a popular football-focused YouTube channel
WHY STRICTLY?: ‘I can’t wait to meet everyone, learn a new skill and, hopefully, be much better at family parties by the end of it!’
Leave a Reply