Strictly Come Dancing is getting a new spin-off, with the BBC launching Strictly Pro Dance Off on CBBC and BBC iPlayer as the main series returns this weekend. The new seven-minute show puts the professional dancers at the centre, with one Strictly pro taking the role of teacher each week and guiding two fellow professionals through a routine. The pair will then go head-to-head on the dance floor, with their teacher judging the battle using the familiar Strictly score paddles.

Episode 1 will be led by Dianne Buswell, who will teach Kai Widdrington and Lauren Oakley a Jive before the pair compete against each other. The series will launch on Saturday, 19 September as part of CBBC’s Saturday Mash-Up!, with the first broadcast airing from 9am and episodes available afterwards on BBC iPlayer. Each instalment will tie into the themes and dance styles viewers can expect from the main Strictly Come Dancing show later that evening.

All of Strictly’s returning professionals will feature across the series alongside the five new dancers joining for 2026: Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori, Lethabo Monametsi, Maddie Ingoldsby and Mark Karmalita.

Sarah Muller, Senior Head of Commissioning for BBC Children’s and Education 7+, said the spin-off will give younger viewers a closer look at the different dance styles and techniques behind the main show, while also showing more of the professionals learning, teaching and competing against each other.

Strictly Pro Dance Off arrives on the same day as Strictly Come Dancing 2026, which begins at 7.25pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer with its new celebrity line-up, professionals and presenting team.

For CultureCues, putting the professionals at the centre of their own little competition is a fun addition to Strictly weekend. Dianne teaching Kai and Lauren a Jive sounds like a very good place to start, and seeing the pros actually judging each other could be just as entertaining as the dancing itself. It is a nice extra for younger fans too, especially with each episode tying into what they will see on the main show that night.

Strictly Pro Dance Off launches on Saturday, 19 September from 9am on CBBC and BBC iPlayer.

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