Gear up, folks – it’s time to put your dancing shoes on. With new presenters and contestants, ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ will soon turn the weekends magical with theatrical and high-energy dance performances. Along with the annual visit to the iconic Blackpool Tower Ballroom, the stage awaits instant challenges and numerous themes, including movies, icons, musicals, and Halloween. As the beloved reality show nears the premiere day, let’s take a look at the confirmed contestants who are ready to light up the dance platform and aspire to win the Glitterball Trophy!
Lacey Turner
Introducing the first contestant, Lacey Turner is a renowned award-winning actress who caught attention as Stacey Slater in ‘EastEnders.’ She had an incredible eight-episode podcast series in 2025, ‘We Started Here,’ where she invited actors from the industry who launched their careers through soap operas.
“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! I look forward to meeting everyone and learning a new skill,” the 38-year-old said in a statement to the BBC about joining the dance reality show.
Dani Dyer
Dani Dyer marks her name as the second contestant for the 24th season of ‘Strictly Come Dancing.’ The TV personality recently bagged the win in ‘Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins,’ and acted alongside her dad in ‘The Dyers Caravan Park.’ With a competitive spirit, Dyer also won ‘Love Island UK Season 4’ in 2018.
Sharing her excitement to join the upcoming reality show, the 29-year-old said, “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! I’m just over the moon and cannot wait to find out who else is doing it!” Dani Dyer was supposed to join ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ in the last season, but she had to back out due to an unexpected injury before the show commenced.
Delta Goodrem
Delta Goodrem, Australia’s proficient singer-songwriter, will be joining as the third contestant in the British show. With her record-breaking debut album and topping the charts consistently, she even donned the role as the Coach in ‘The Voice Australia.’
While she became adept at various skills and explored artistic avenues, the 41-year-old revealed that she had never danced. Goodrem stated, “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! I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Strictly and can’t wait to get started!”
Chris Appleton
Chris Appleton, the celebrity hair stylist, will take the stage as the fourth confirmed contestant. From the New York breeze to the Paris chic, the 43-year-old has taken the fashion cities by storm. He has worked with Kim Kardashian, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, and many more.
“I’m thrilled to be joining Strictly Come Dancing 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. I may know my way around a salon floor, but the dance floor is a whole different story - and I can’t wait to get started,” he said in the official statement.
Cach Mercer
Cach Mercer, the star who rose to fame after being crowned as the 2025 male champion in ‘Love Island UK,’ joins the team as the fifth confirmed contestant for the show. The model from London has garnered millions of likes for his Afrobeat, hip hop, and street-style dance videos on social media.
“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,” the 25-year-old expressed his enthusiasm for the show.
Will Best
The another confirmed contestants stands to be the renowned host Will Best, with over 15 years of broadcasting experience. From covering morning shows to writing articles, the presenter has done it all – and now, he is set to explore dancing.
“I can’t quite believe it…I’m doing Strictly! What an absolute dream. Albeit a pretty terrifying one. I’ve been lucky to do lots of live telly before, but absolutely nothing like this. And I cannot wait! I have no idea if I can actually dance, but bring on the sequins, bring on the quicksteps, bring on the dance floor! I’m going to try to enjoy every minute of it,” he said in the statement to the BBC.
More about the new season of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’
From the upcoming season, three new hosts, Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe, will take over the responsibilities following the departure of long-time hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, per the BBC. To review performances and share their opinions, the esteemed panel of judges includes Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke, along with the Head Judge, Shirley Ballas.
There will be new professional dancers joining the team; however, the old masters who return to the stage include Dianne Buswell, Julian Caillon, Amy Dowden, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Jowita Przystał, Aljaž Škorjanec, Alexis Warr, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, and Vito Coppola, adding to the thrill in the experienced mix.
‘Strictly Come Dancing Season 24’ is set to premiere in September 2026.
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