Dani Dyer arrived at Strictly Come Dancing rehearsals in London on Wednesday, marking her first visit to the show's studio ahead of Saturday's launch show. The former Love Island winner, 29, is among the celebrities taking to the dance floor in the coming season in the hopes of lifting the glitterball trophy. Dyer was beaming as she walked into the rehearsal room for the very first time, dressed in brown skintight leggings and a ribbed white T-shirt, and carrying a grey fluffy jacket. She arrived with an array of essentials, including extra clothes and a makeup bag, and was photographed alongside professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin at the studio.
In an interview with The Daily Mail, Dyer said she’s using Strictly as a chance to feel sexy again and to push the boundaries of her on-screen persona. She spoke about balancing the show with family life, noting that she is a mother of three and recently married to West Ham striker Jarrod Bowen. Her eldest son Santiago, four, is from a previous relationship, while she and Jarrod share one-year-old twins Summer and Star. “I can't wait to feel a bit sexy,” she told the publication. “I've been a mum… I'm going to push the boundaries.” She also joked that the Strictly curse may be more nerve-wracking for the audience, particularly for Jarrod.
Dyer's father, Danny Dyer, who recently earned his first BAFTA TV Award, is also expected to be in the stands cheering her on. The star has said she hopes her appearance in rehearsals will tempt her dad to show off some dance moves of his own, though she expects him to keep his emotions in check on camera. “My dad is so excited for me,” she said, adding that he has come before to support Rose Ayling-Ellis during her own Strictly run and that he is “over the moon” for his daughter.
The actress and presenter has acknowledged that she has some prior dance experience, but stresses it was limited to a school program when she was younger. She recalled a memory from a dance class in east London and admitted she once thought, “I should have been a dancer.” Still, she tempered expectations, saying she is mindful of the professional partners and the realities of live television. “The only thing I remembered during rehearsals was the step ball change,” she said. “When you look at the professional dancers I was like, I’m in the wrong career, I should have been a dancer, but I can’t move that well.”
As the launch weekend approaches, Dyer described Strictly as one of the biggest challenges she has faced since Love Island, but she remains focused on having fun and enjoying the experience. She said she plans to channel nerves into performance, adding that she hopes to share a different side of herself with fans while supporting her husband and family. “This is massive and I’m just going to try to pretend it’s not live and enjoy it as much as possible,” she said, underscoring her intent to balance tension with excitement as the season begins.