Cach Mercer, a professional dancer and winner of Love Island in 2025, has been confirmed as the fifth celebrity contestant for the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing. The announcement was made via the show's official social media channels on Thursday.
Mercer joins a lineup that includes Kim Kardashian's celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton, Australian singer Delta Goodrem, WAG Dani Dyer, and actress Lacey Turner. Mercer, 25, previously won Love Island with his ex-girlfriend Toni Laites before their split seven months later.
Fans and Mercer himself quickly noted an error in the official Instagram announcement, where the @bbcstrictly account mistakenly tagged the wrong user instead of Mercer's official account. Social media users pointed out the mistake in the comments section, with one noting, "How does @bbcstrictly manage to tag the wrong celebrity account. Here your celeb @cacherel_."
Mercer has gained a significant following on TikTok for his dance videos, showcasing Afrobeat, hip hop, and street dance styles. He also works as a model, DJ, and dance instructor.
The current lineup also includes Chris Appleton, revealed as the fourth star, and Delta Goodrem, announced as the third contestant. Goodrem, 41, recently competed in the Eurovision Song Contest, finishing fourth. The official announcement for Goodrem stated, "The class of 2026 is growing. She's performed on the world's biggest stages and the ballroom is next. It's Delta Goodrem!!"
Dani Dyer is set to make her return to Strictly Come Dancing after withdrawing from the 2025 series due to a fractured ankle sustained during rehearsals. She is confirmed as the second celebrity for the 2026 series, expressing her excitement to be back in the ballroom and hoping to complete the entire season.
Lacey Turner was the first contestant announced for the 2026 series. Currently on an extended break from her role in EastEnders, Turner will use the time to train for the competition, which is scheduled to begin in September. She shared her feelings of both excitement and terror about participating in the show.
Strictly Come Dancing is set to return to screens later this year, with the remainder of the lineup to be announced over the summer. In a separate incident, actress Emma Barton appeared to inadvertently reveal that Roman Kemp is also joining the show during an appearance on The One Show.