Strictly Come Dancing Lineup

Poppy Lindsey

Get psyched for the salsa, fired-up for the foxtrot, and raring for the rhumba as Strictly Come Dancing returns with a brand-new lineup this autumn. 

The 21st series of sparkle, spray tans, and fantastic outfits is soon to dance back onto our screens with a hot lineup of celebrities ready to compete for the coveted glitter-ball trophy. So who are they, and what do we think? 

The Lineup

It’s a historical Strictly Come Dancinglineup, with the oldest celebrity to ever take part in the competition, and the first Love Islander to star on the show being announced. The first three celebrities were announced on Friday 4 August 4 on BBC’s The One Show.

Amanda Abbington, Angela Rippon CBE, and Layton Williams were the first stars to be announced, already paving the way for an exciting series ahead. This year will see a mix of broadcasters, actors, and sportspeople take to the stage. 

Acclaimed journalist Krishnan Guru-Murthy was also revealed on the same day on BBC Radio Two, whilst BBC Radio 1Xtra host Eddie Kadi surprised listeners with his news on his Official UK Afrobeats Chart Show the next day.

Within a week, presenter Angela Scanlon, documentary-maker Zara McDermott, actor Adam Thomas, and radio presenter Nikita Kanda were all added to the Strictly Come Dancing 2023 cast, leaving six more celebrities to be announced. Fans were not left waiting, or disappointed, when Coronation Street actress Ellie Leach, Paralympian Jody Cundy CBE, and Eastenders actor Bobby Brazier were all announced on Wednesday 9 August. 

Joining the lineup with his fellow soap stars is Eastenders and Casualty star Nigel Harman, revealed on ITV’s Lorraine programme. British Tennis Number One, Annabel Croft, was the penultimate celebrity to make the list, confirmed on Virgin Radio’s Breakfast Show. Last but not least, the celebrated actor, presenter, and comedian Les Dennis completed the selection, after being announced on ITV’s Good Morning Britain. 

The 15 celebrities will each be paired up with a professional dance partner, whom we will likely recognise from last year’s series.  

Reactions to the lineup

Despite the first show of the series being a good few weeks away, there has been a flurry of reactions from the judging panel and public. 

“We are in for a real treat”

Head judge and ballroom champion, Shirley Ballas, told This Morning presenters Alison Hammond and Josie Gibson: “I think this is an amazing cast, just when you think it can’t get any better it does.”

Ballas gushed: “I am fan girling, now I’ve never said this before…. oh my goodness, Angela Rippon, Krishan [Guru-Murthy] the newsreader who I listen to every evening with that sophisticated voice. I mean, if their dancing is as beautiful as they are poised, we are in for a real treat.” 

Fans reacted on X (formerly Twitter), with one follower of the show calling the cast “incredible”, and others commenting on Instagram “I can’t wait!”.

It wouldn’t be Strictly Come Dancing without a bit of star-studded controversy, and I don’t doubt the “Strictly Curse” will spark rumours once the series starts.

Amanda Abbington controversy

Abbington has come under fire for previous transphobic rhetoric posted on Facebook, as well as her views on drag artists she expressed on X.

She has apologised for “ill-informed” comments she made in 2020, where she reportedly stated “you cannot have a penis and be called a woman”, essentially denying trans people’s existence. The actress addressed her latest controversy around drag artists, on Instagram, after deleting X due to the backlash. She confirmed that the reaction was due to a Tweet she posted in March about a 12-year-old performing drag in an “over-sexualized” way.

It remains to be seen whether Amanda’s rocky start to winning over the public will affect her success on the renowned dancing show.

Layton Williams fan concern

Abbington isn’t alone in facing backlash, as Layton Williams has also been forced to defend his previous dance experience. Williams is well-known for his starring role as Jamie, in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, which involves a fair amount of complex dance combinations.

Strictly fans questioned whether his acting training included dance training too, putting him at an advantage above other contestants. But Layton quashed the rumours early. He posted on X that his first ballroom lessons were taken along with the rest of the Strictly celebrity cast.

 

When does it start?

The BBC is yet to release an exact date for the start of the series. However, based on previous years, we can predict the first show will air late September.

“I, for one, can’t wait to watch the glitzy new series”

Typically, a pre-filmed launch show will air a couple of weeks before the live shows begin, which sees the celebrities paired up with their professional partner. The couples will then begin to rehearse ahead of the live shows, which tend to last 13 weeks, including the Blackpool Tower Ballroom show taking place halfway through the series – for those who are still in the competition!

I, for one, can’t wait to watch the glitzy new series of Strictly Come Dancing. 

Until then, keep dancing! 

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Featured image courtesy of  by Honey Fangs on Unsplash. Image license can be found here. No changes were made to this image. 

Poppy graduated from the University of Reading in June 2022, with a degree in Philosophy and Politics. She currently works as Welfare Officer at Reading Students Union, and is starting formal journalism training in September 2023 at News Associates. She has a keen interest in human rights, social action, and the intersectional feminist movement.

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