Last Updated: September 22, 2026
The strictly come dancing contestants 2026 have finally been confirmed, and the launch show on Saturday night gave fans their first proper look at the new celebrity line-up. This year’s cast of 15 famous faces was unveiled on 19 September 2026 during a 105-minute launch special on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, and it is already shaping up to be one of the most talked-about series in the show’s history.
From soap legends and Olympians to a record-breaking Paralympian and one of the world’s most famous hairstylists, the strictly come dancing contestants 2026 mix genuine household names with a few surprises. Here is everything you need to know about who is taking part, when the live shows begin, and what to expect as the race for the Glitterball trophy gets underway. Whether you are a lifelong viewer or tuning in for the first time, this guide covers every confirmed name, the brand-new presenting team, and the key dates to put in your diary — all in one place.
The strictly come dancing contestants 2026 are the 15 celebrities competing in the BBC’s 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing. Announced over the summer and revealed in full at the launch show on 19 September 2026, they include soap stars, Olympians, singers and TV presenters, each paired with a professional dancer to compete for the Glitterball trophy.
Meet the Strictly Come Dancing Contestants 2026: The Full Line-Up
Strictly Come Dancing is the BBC’s flagship Saturday-night entertainment programme, pairing celebrities with professional dancers for weekly live performances. Judges’ scores and public votes combine to decide who lifts the Glitterball trophy each series.
The strictly come dancing contestants 2026 line-up was announced gradually from 10 June, when EastEnders star Lacey Turner was revealed first. All 15 names were confirmed in time for the launch show, giving Britain one of the most diverse casts the series has ever seen.
What makes this year’s group so compelling is the range of backgrounds on show. There are soap icons and reality stars, elite athletes and chart-topping singers, a world-famous hairstylist and one of Britain’s best-loved dog trainers. Some arrive with stage experience and natural rhythm, while others — like Melanie Walters and Graeme Hall — have openly admitted they are complete beginners.
That mix is exactly what Strictly fans love: the journey from first wobbly steps to (hopefully) a polished final routine. Below is the complete table of confirmed celebrities, what they are known for, and why each one is worth watching this series. It is a line-up that gives the strictly come dancing contestants 2026 genuine star power from the very first dance.
| Contestant | Best known for | Why fans are excited |
|---|---|---|
| Lacey Turner | EastEnders’ Stacey Slater | First celebrity announced, on 10 June |
| Dani Dyer | TV personality and author | Back after a week-one injury exit in 2025 |
| Delta Goodrem | Australian singer-songwriter | Fresh from Eurovision 2026, where she placed fourth |
| Chris Appleton | Celebrity hairstylist | Kim Kardashian’s go-to stylist steps out from behind the chair |
| Cach Mercer | Love Island 2025 winner | Reality star with almost 50 million TikTok likes |
| Will Best | Big Brother co-host | Called it “dream come true” for the Hits Radio presenter |
| Dame Sarah Storey | Britain’s most successful Paralympian | 30 Paralympic medals, including 19 golds |
| Jaime Winstone | Actress (Babs, Made in Dagenham) | Acclaimed screen star and proud performer |
| Bethany Antonia | House of the Dragon actress | Baela Targaryen trades dragons for dance shoes |
| Shaun Wright-Phillips | Former England footballer | 36 caps and son of football legend Ian Wright |
| Graeme Hall | The Dogfather | Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly star swaps pups for the paso doble |
| Lawrence Robb | Emmerdale’s Mackenzie Boyd | Soap favourite taking on a brand-new challenge |
| Tabby Stoecker | Team GB skeleton athlete | Olympic gold medallist from the 2026 Winter Games |
| John Nellis | Sports content creator | More than 20 million followers across his channels |
| Melanie Walters | Gavin & Stacey’s Gwen West | Called it “now or never” at the age of 64 |
How the Launch Show Revealed This Year’s Pairings
The 2026 launch show aired at 7.25pm on Saturday 19 September on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, running for one hour and 45 minutes. It featured more dancing than any previous launch episode.
In a brand-new format twist, the celebrities and professionals discovered their partners live in front of the studio audience. The strictly come dancing contestants 2026 learned who they would dance with through three specially choreographed group routines — a first in the show’s history.
The launch also opened with a full-cast routine filmed on a studio backlot, featuring the new hosts, judges, professionals and all 15 celebrities dancing together. It set an upbeat tone for the series and gave fans a first glimpse of the group chemistry.
Viewers also got a behind-the-scenes look as the strictly come dancing contestants 2026 began their very first rehearsals. There was a nostalgic moment too, as 2025 champion Karen Carney returned to dance her iconic football jive with Carlos Gu. You can read the full confirmed cast list for more detail on every name.
Meet the New Presenting Team
One of the biggest changes this year is behind the microphone. Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down at the end of 2025, and three brand-new presenters have taken over the ballroom.
Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and professional dancer Johannes Radebe now front the main series together. It is the first time Strictly has ever been presented by a three-person hosting team.
The trio opened the launch show with a spectacular group routine alongside the judges, professionals and celebrity cast on a studio backlot. They will guide the strictly come dancing contestants 2026 through every live show, and early reactions suggest they have brought fresh energy to Saturday nights.
Judges and Professional Dancers for 2026
The judging panel remains reassuringly familiar. Head judge Shirley Ballas returns alongside Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke.
There is plenty of fresh talent among the professionals, though. Five new dancers join the 2026 series: Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori, Lethabo Monametsi, Maddie Ingoldsby and Mark Karmalita.
They join returning favourites including Dianne Buswell, Amy Dowden, Katya Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Jowita Przystał, Aljaž Škorjanec, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley and Vito Coppola. Several familiar faces have departed, making this one of the biggest professional line-up shake-ups in years — and giving the strictly come dancing contestants 2026 exciting new partnerships to explore.
For the new professionals, 2026 is a career-defining opportunity. Joining Strictly’s pro troupe puts them on one of the biggest stages in British television, and their first partnerships will be watched closely by fans and judges alike.
Sporting Stars Among the Strictly Come Dancing Contestants 2026
Dame Sarah Storey is arguably the most decorated athlete ever to take part in the show. Britain’s most successful Paralympian has won 30 Paralympic medals — including 19 golds — across a career that began as a swimmer at Barcelona 1992, when she was just 14.
She later switched to cycling and dominated on both road and track. Storey has always wanted to do Strictly but was usually competing in autumn — until now, and fans cannot wait to see what she brings to the ballroom.
Tabby Stoecker brings Olympic pedigree of a different kind. The 25-year-old Team GB skeleton athlete won gold at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, just five years after her international debut in the sport.
She told the BBC she wanted “a new challenge” and a chance to find out who she is outside her sport. Completing the sporting trio, Shaun Wright-Phillips — 36 England caps, formerly of Manchester City and Chelsea, and son of Ian Wright — is swapping the pitch for the dancefloor. With three genuine sporting greats, the strictly come dancing contestants 2026 could deliver a thrilling athlete-versus-artist storyline.
Soap Favourites and Household Names
Soap fans are spoilt for choice this year. Lacey Turner, beloved as EastEnders’ Stacey Slater, was the first celebrity announced, while Emmerdale’s Lawrence Robb (Mackenzie Boyd) plans to use “the eight hours every day to learn” his routines.
Melanie Walters, forever Gwen West from Gavin & Stacey, called the show “now or never” at 64. She has no formal dance training but has always loved to dance — “disco, not clubbing” — and wants to push her boundaries on live television.
Dani Dyer returns after a heartbreaking week-one injury forced her out of the 2025 series. The TV personality and author is back to finish what she started, and viewers will be rooting for her.
Elsewhere, Jaime Winstone — acclaimed for playing Barbara Windsor in the BBC biopic Babs — wants to show “how much I love performing”, while Bethany Antonia, Baela Targaryen in House of the Dragon and currently starring in the West End’s Hadestown, called it “the call I didn’t ever think would come”. Chris Appleton, the celebrity hairstylist behind some of Kim Kardashian’s most famous looks, is swapping the salon for sequins, and Big Brother host Will Best described Strictly as a “dream come true”.
The strictly come dancing contestants 2026 also include some brilliant wildcard picks. Delta Goodrem, the Australian singer-songwriter with more than 25 years in the music industry, recently represented Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, finishing fourth with 287 points — so she knows how to handle live-television pressure.
Graeme Hall, TV’s Dogfather, is most looking forward to wearing a tail suit and told the BBC: “I’m known for my tweed and cravats, but Strictly takes ‘dapper’ to a new level, doesn’t it?” Cach Mercer, the Love Island 2025 winner, said he is “always dancing” and wants to feel what it is like to perform under pressure. And John Nellis — one of the UK’s biggest sports content creators, with billions of video views — called Strictly “part of UK culture for more than 20 years” and said saying yes was a no-brainer.
When Do the Strictly Come Dancing Contestants 2026 Take to the Floor?
The first live competition show airs on Saturday 26 September. Each couple will perform a full routine for the judges for the first time, setting the first leaderboard of the series.
Shows continue every Saturday night on BBC One and BBC iPlayer through the autumn. The grand final takes place on the weekend of 19 December, just before Christmas — so there are plenty of weeks of sequins, spray tans and samba to enjoy.
- Saturday 19 September — Launch show, pairings revealed, 7.25pm
- Saturday 26 September — First live competition show
- Every Saturday, October to December — Weekly live shows with judges’ scores and viewer votes
- Weekend of 19 December — Grand final, Glitterball trophy awarded
As in previous years, judges’ scores and viewer votes will decide who stays and who goes each week. The BBC confirmed the start date and full schedule earlier this month, so pop the dates in your diary now. Millions will be watching as the strictly come dancing contestants 2026 perform live for the very first time.
Final Word: Why the Strictly Come Dancing Contestants 2026 Could Be the Best Yet
With 15 brilliant celebrities, a brand-new presenting trio, five fresh professional dancers and a launch show packed with surprises, this series has all the ingredients of a classic. The strictly come dancing contestants 2026 have already won over fans — now the hard work on the dancefloor begins.
If you are already backing a favourite, remember that viewer votes play a huge role once the live shows begin. Catch up on any episodes you miss on BBC iPlayer, and keep an eye on our Strictly coverage for weekly leaderboards, scores and elimination news as the series unfolds.
Tune in on Saturday 26 September for the first live show, and follow our coverage all series long for results, scores and behind-the-scenes news. The strictly come dancing contestants 2026 are ready — who is your early favourite for the Glitterball trophy? Let us know in the comments below!
Who are the Strictly Come Dancing contestants 2026?
The 15 confirmed Strictly Come Dancing contestants 2026 are Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer, Will Best, Dame Sarah Storey, Jaime Winstone, Bethany Antonia, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Graeme Hall, Lawrence Robb, Tabby Stoecker, John Nellis and Melanie Walters.
When did Strictly Come Dancing 2026 start?
The Strictly Come Dancing 2026 launch show aired on Saturday 19 September 2026 at 7.25pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The first live competition show follows on Saturday 26 September.
Who are the new Strictly presenters for 2026?
Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and professional dancer Johannes Radebe are the new presenters for the 2026 series. They replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who stepped down at the end of 2025, and form the show’s first-ever three-person hosting team.
Who are the Strictly Come Dancing judges in 2026?
Head judge Shirley Ballas returns for 2026 alongside Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke. All four judges were confirmed to be back for the new series.
When is the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 final?
The Strictly Come Dancing 2026 grand final takes place on the weekend of 19 December, just before Christmas. The winner will lift the Glitterball trophy at the end of the live final show.
Who won Strictly Come Dancing 2025?
Karen Carney won Strictly Come Dancing 2025. She returned to the 2026 launch show to perform her iconic football jive with professional dancer Carlos Gu.
