The Strictly Come Dancing 2026 celebrity line-up is filling up quickly, with 12 stars now confirmed ahead of the programme’s return this September. Emmerdale actor Lawrence Robb is the latest name announced, becoming the twelfth contestant and bringing some Scottish representation to this year’s ballroom.
The new series will also begin a very different era for Strictly, with Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and former professional dancer Johannes Radebe taking over from longtime hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
Who Is in the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 Line-Up?
Lacey Turner
Lacey is best known for her iconic role as Stacey Slater in EastEnders, which she first took on more than two decades ago, in 2004. A huge Strictly fan, she said she could not quite believe she would be taking part instead of watching from home this year and is looking forward to meeting everyone.
Dani Dyer
Dani returns for another chance after an injury prevented her from competing properly in 2025. The television personality, broadcaster and author first became widely known after winning Love Island in 2018.
Delta Goodrem
Delta is an Australian singer-songwriter and actress whose debut album, Innocent Eyes, became one of the country’s biggest-selling records. She also represented Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026.
Chris Appleton
Chris is a celebrity hairstylist known for working with stars including Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez. He described the ballroom as a completely different challenge from the salon floor.
Cach Mercer
Cach won Love Island in 2025 and has since worked as a model and DJ. He has already revealed that dancing is a major passion and is particularly excited to learn the Foxtrot.
Will Best
Will is a television and radio presenter best known for hosting Big Brother alongside AJ Odudu. Despite years of live broadcasting, he admitted that stepping onto the Strictly dance floor still feels terrifying.
Dame Sarah Storey
Dame Sarah is Britain’s most successful Paralympian, having won 19 Paralympic gold medals across swimming and cycling. She joins the programme shortly after stepping down as an athlete.
Jaime Winstone
Jaime is an actress whose credits include Babs, Made in Dagenham and several appearances as a younger Peggy Mitchell in EastEnders. She is now preparing to enter what she has described as her “showgirl era”.
Bethany Antonia
Bethany stars as Baela Targaryen in House of the Dragon and has also appeared on the West End stage in Hadestown. The actress and singer said she grew up watching Strictly and is excited to learn a new skill.
Shaun Wright-Phillips
Shaun played for England, Manchester City, Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers before becoming a pundit and broadcaster. He joked that his dancing experience has mainly been limited to family events.
Graeme, widely known as “The Dogfather”, presents Channel 5’s Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly. He said he has always loved dancing and is excited, if slightly nervous, to learn from the programme’s professionals.
Lawrence Robb
Lawrence is a Scottish actor best known for playing Mackenzie “Mack” Boyd in Emmerdale. He revealed that his mother may be even more excited about his place in the competition than he is.
Further celebrity announcements are expected before the complete 2026 line-up is finalised.
When Does Strictly Come Dancing 2026 Start?
Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer in September 2026, although the BBC has not yet announced an exact launch date. The celebrity and professional partnerships will also be revealed closer to the beginning of the series.
Who Are the New Strictly Come Dancing Presenters?
Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe will present the 2026 series following the departures of longtime hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Willis and Widdicombe will lead the programme alongside Radebe, who joined Strictly as a professional dancer in 2018. This will be the first time the main programme has been fronted by three presenters.
Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke return to the judging panel, with Shirley Ballas continuing as Head Judge.
Who Are the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 Professional Dancers?
Returning professionals include Alexis Warr, Aljaž Škorjanec, Amy Dowden, Carlos Gu, Dianne Buswell, Jowita Przystał, Julian Caillon, Kai Widdrington, Katya Jones, Lauren Oakley, Nancy Xu, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin and Vito Coppola. They will be joined by five new dancers: Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori, Lethabo Monametsi, Maddie Ingoldsby and Mark Karmalita.
For CultureCues, this year’s line-up is already giving us plenty of reasons to tune in. We are particularly excited to see House of the Dragon star Bethany Antonia take on the ballroom, and Lawrence Robb ensures Scotland is represented once again. Bring on the sequins and keep dancing!
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer in September 2026.
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