Strictly Come Dancing is once again facing accusations of a 'fix' due to claims that nine of its 15 celebrity contestants possess prior dance or performing arts experience. This situation has led to scrutiny, with reports suggesting that a significant portion of the cast may have an advantage over their competitors.
Among the reported contestants with relevant backgrounds is Emmerdale actor Lawrence Robb, who previously attended The Dance School of Scotland for two years and later pursued studies at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, with subsequent West End appearances. Former Love Island contestant Kaci (Cach) Mercer is said to have worked as a professional dancer specializing in Hip-hop and Afrobeats. Dani Dyer, another Love Island personality, referred to herself as a 'qualified dancer' in her 2019 autobiography and attended O’Farrell’s Stage School for 12 years on weekends.
EastEnders star Lacey Turner also has early training from Sylvia Young Theatre School. Singer Delta Goodrem reportedly took dancing, singing, and acting lessons as a child. Jaime Winstone completed a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts at Harlow College, which covered dancing, musical theatre, and production. Bethany Antonia of House of the Dragon attended the BOA Creative, Digital and Performing Arts Academy in Birmingham, where she studied musical theatre. Melanie Walters, known for Gavin & Stacey, is also slated to appear and performed as the Fairy Godmother in a pantomime last festive season.
Presenter and author Graeme 'The Dogfather' Hall participated in a dance competition titled ‘Strictly Northampton’ in 2012. An insider cited in reports suggests that there is no rule preventing celebrities from having prior dance experience and that it is difficult to assemble a cast entirely devoid of such backgrounds, given the prevalence of stage school education within the entertainment industry.
Twelve of the 15 reported celebrities have been announced by the BBC, with Robb being the latest addition to the lineup. The upcoming series will also feature a revised professional dancer roster, with five new professionals joining the established cast. This follows a shake-up that saw several professional dancers depart the show.