Strictly Come Dancing returned for its 21st season on Saturday as the BBC unveiled the new celebrity–professional pairings during a star-studded launch show. The program opened with a reprise of last year's winning routine, as Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell revived their waltz to You'll Never Walk Alone. The performance, which later was highlighted as a memorable moment at the 2025 Baftas, set a celebratory tone for a season defined by high-profile reunions and fresh partnerships. Pop star Jessie J also took the stage, marking her return to the spotlight with the release of Living My Best Life. She spoke publicly about her breast cancer diagnosis in recent months, a context the show acknowledged as it rolled into the new run.
Viewers were reminded that 2025 marks a new era for voting. For the first time there will be no premium-rate phone voting; the program will rely entirely on an online system, a shift the BBC described as a more efficient and affordable approach. The change follows a broader industry move away from the costly, telephone-based model toward digital participation, aligning with the show’s evolving audience habits while keeping the focus on performance and technique.
Among the lineup of new pairings, Apprentice alumnus Thomas Skinner will dance with Amy Dowden, who missed the 2023 season after a cancer diagnosis. Ahead of the show, Skinner was involved in a pre-event incident and apologized for an earlier moment at a news conference in which he took a journalist’s phone. Skinner expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, saying he was “over the moon” to be paired with Dowden and adding that he hoped she could teach him a few moves because he’s currently “useless at the minute.” The pairing places Dowden back in a central role on the show as she continues her own recovery while guiding Skinner through the routines.
Beyond Skinner and Dowden, the launch revealed a mix of familiar faces and fresh entrants. Reality TV figure Vicky Pattison will dance with Kai Widdrington, while Alex Kingston, the Doctor Who actress, is paired with Johannes Radebe. Balvinder Sopal of EastEnders will team with Julian Caillon, and former England rugby captain Chris Robshaw will partner with Nadiya Bychkova. Ellie Goldstein, who is the first person with Down’s syndrome to compete on the main series of Strictly, will team with Vito Coppola, and the pair already showed off a “secret handshake” that delighted the audience during the launch.
Additional pairings announced included George Clarke with Alexis Warr; Harry Aikines-Aryeetey with Karen Hauer; Dani Dyer-Bowen with Nikita Kuzmin; Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink with Lauren Oakley; Karen Carney with Carlos Gu; La Voix with Aljaz Skorjanec; and Lewis Cope with Katya Jones. Neighbours actor Stefan Dennis was announced as partnered with Dianne Buswell, a pairing Buswell described as an “Aussie dream team.” The dynamic mix of contestants encompasses sports figures, actors, and reality stars, all navigating the choreography and public scrutiny that define Strictly’s annual event.
The launch also offered a glimpse into how this season will be framed behind the scenes. ITV entertainment reporter Ross King, speaking to his dance partner Jowita Przystal, remarked that she had “drew the short straw” in the public reveal process, underscoring the high level of anticipation and scrutiny each pairing attracts from fans and media alike. And for contributors with long-running ties to the show, the appearance of familiar faces alongside new talent underscored the series’ ongoing balance between tradition and novelty.
The season’s path toward the Glitterball trophy begins now, with the aim of building toward the grand final scheduled for December 20. With the format shift away from phone voting and toward online engagement, producers are banking on digital participation to heighten interaction while keeping the focus on the dance floor. The launch night’s performances and pairings set the stage for a year of high-energy routines, personal stories, and competitive dynamics as the cast works to translate practice into precision under the public gaze.
As in past years, the lineup includes notable personal narratives that add emotional context to the competition. Jessie J’s return to the spotlight follows her public disclosure of a breast cancer diagnosis, a reminder of the real-life stakes behind the glitzy performances. Dowden’s own public battle with cancer adds another layer of resilience to the show’s narrative arc, with fans watching for the updated routines she performs with Skinner and the rest of the cast. The combination of personal histories, high-profile pairings, and a revamped voting approach has already generated strong early interest from audiences and media alike as the countdown to December 20 commences.