Strictly Come Dancing returned to BBC screens this weekend as Dani Dyer and Lewis Cope learned their professional partners in the show's launch episode. Dyer, the Love Island alumna, was paired with Nikita Kuzmin after she revealed her mother-in-law had predicted her dance partner. Kuzmin entered the room with a flourish as Dyer exclaimed, 'I'm in shock. I just want to learn how to move the hips!' Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope was paired with Katya Jones after being drafted in as a late replacement for Kristian Nair, who withdrew from the competition.
More couples were revealed as the night progressed. La Voix will be dancing with Aljaž Škorjanec, after the drag performer joked that he was her 'second choice' before entering the studio. Rugby union star Chris Robshaw was matched with Nadiya Bychkova, with Robshaw saying the move takes him far out of his comfort zone and hoping to translate a rugby sidestep into a Cha Cha Cha. Geordie Shore alumna Vicky Pattison will dance with Kai Widdrington, and she noted she has no fear of the so-called 'Strictly curse' after her recent marriage. Vito Coppola will pair with Ellie Goldstein, a model and activist who became the first model with Down syndrome to appear on British Vogue; Goldstein reassured him, 'I can do the splits and cartwheels.' Former Lioness Karen Carney will swap her football boots for dance shoes with Carlos Gu. EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal will take to the floor with one of this year's new pros, Julian Caillon, who is reuniting with the show after helping lift the Glitterball trophy with Ellie Leach in 2023. 'I feel like a proper creep,' Sopal laughed, adding that she hoped she was number one among the male professionals. Alex Kingston was paired with fan favorite Johannes Radebe after revealing he was the dancer she had hoped for, telling Claudia Winkleman on stage that 'he is my number one.'
Ellie Goldstein, the model who became the first person with Down syndrome to grace British Vogue, is paired with Vito Coppola, while Balvinder Sopal teams with Julian Caillon. Caillon previously lifted the Glitterball trophy with Ellie Leach in 2023. Kingston noted that Radebe was her top choice among the male pros, and Sopal said she hoped to be paired with the right partner among the new arrivals. The lineup also includes Alex Kingston’s pairing with Radebe and Vicky Pattison’s collaboration with Widdrington, continuing the show’s tradition of high-profile crossovers and personal stories.
Thomas Skinner has dominated headlines this week after admitting to cheating on his wife shortly after their May 2022 wedding, describing the two-week fling as a moment of madness. His alleged mistress, Amy-Lucy O’Rourke, later claimed in an interview with the Daily Mail that their relationship lasted three months, during which time he said he was in love with her and unhappy with his wife. Skinner addressed his large social-media following, posting a message that referenced the 'dark shadows' of life and urging followers to keep pushing forward. O’Rourke has said she isn’t a homewrecker, pushing back against online abuse as the situation unfolded. The episode of Strictly’s launch thus arrives amid ongoing media coverage of off-screen controversies that have shadowed the series in past years, even as it unveils a new cast and the next chapter of its competition.
The show’s return comes as producers unveil the season’s cast and the celebrities’ dance partners, with the race now on for ballroom glory and glitterball triumph. Viewers can expect weekly performances over the coming weeks, with each couple practicing under the watch of judges and a studio audience, while the on-air banter and behind-the-scenes moments continue to draw attention far beyond the dance floor.