Strictly Come Dancing producers faced last-minute disruption after what appeared to be the full list of 2025 celebrity–professional pairings was posted online just over a week before the BBC’s launch show is due to air.
Producers had kept the partnerships tightly under wraps as the series prepared to return, but the alleged matchups circulated on social media and on a long-running spoiler website, prompting reactions from fans and renewed scrutiny of leaks surrounding the programme.
The leak came hours after several contestants filmed a pre-recorded opening number with their professional partners. Performers who took part in that sequence included Dani Dyer, Vicky Pattison, La Voix and Chris Robshaw, according to reporting on the leak.
Broadcasters and production staff have traditionally guarded pairings to preserve the surprise element for viewers. The BBC was contacted for comment on Thursday.
Fans reacted quickly on X, with some users saying the list contained "interesting" or "unexpected" pairings and others expressing disappointment. One post read, "None of the Strictly pairings really fill me with excitement this year," while others wrote that knowing the matchups had "ruined" part of the anticipation for the launch.
The alleged leak revived attention on a figure widely described in media reports as the show’s "super-spoiler," who has published results and eliminations on a website and social accounts for more than a decade. In 2022, a newspaper report named the individual, and the person has defended the activity by saying there is an appetite among some viewers to know outcomes before broadcast.
The spoiler has said the advance revelations come from audience members and other contacts, and has blamed the production model for allowing leaks when segments are recorded ahead of live broadcasts. Production teams have in the past adjusted scheduling to limit the window for such disclosures.
Strictly’s advertised celebrity cast for 2025 includes a varied group of public figures: Olympic sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, actors Alex Kingston and Stefan Dennis, EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal, drag performer La Voix, reality personality Thomas Skinner, reality star Vicky Pattison, football pundit Karen Carney, Love Island winner Dani Dyer, former footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, model and disability ambassador Ellie Goldstein, rugby player Chris Robshaw, showbiz correspondent Ross King and actor Lewis Cope. The programme’s 2024 winners were comedian Chris McCausland and professional partner Dianne Buswell.
Producers must now weigh the impact of the leak on promotional plans as the show approaches its launch weekend. The format has faced similar incidents in previous series, prompting debate about whether live broadcasts or other scheduling changes could reduce unauthorized disclosures.
As the start date approaches, viewers will be watching both the opening show and how producers respond to the circulation of the alleged pairings. The BBC and the show's production company have not issued a public statement detailing any investigatory steps as of publication.