Strictly Come Dancing returns to our screens for its 21st series at 6.35pm tonight, Saturday September 16, with viewers finding out who the new celebrities taking part have been paired with for the series.
The launch show of the popular BBC One dance series is the first time the celebrities perform together in front of an audience with the first live show airing a week later on September 23.
The series will last for 13 weeks with the couples competing across a range of dance styles to impress the judges and public in a bid to lift the famous glitterball trophy on December 16.
The stars preparing to take to the dance floor include presenter Angela Scanlon, actor Amanda Abbington and entertainer Les Dennis.
Casualty star Nigel Harman, tennis icon Annabel Croft, Paralympian Jody Cundy and comedian Eddie Kadi are also part of this year’s line-up.
IF YOU CAN’T SEE THE POLL ABOVE, CLICK HERE
TV presenter Angela Rippon makes history as the oldest celebrity to take part in Strictly in the show’s history while Love Islander Zara McDermott is the first person from the reality show to compete.
They will be joined by EastEnders favourite Bobby Brazier, former Coronation Street star Ellie Leach and former Emmerdale actor Adam Thomas.
While presenter Nikita Kanda, musical theatre star Layton Williams and newsreader Krishnan Guru-Murthy complete the line-up.
Several contestants were revealed to have received past dance training but head judge Shirley Ballas hit out at the “very unfair” criticism, claiming there is a huge difference between being a skilled professional dancer and having dance experience.
She told The Mirror last month: “If somebody goes to stage school for singing and acting, there’s always normally a little bit of dance included. It might not be their forte. It’s nothing like learning ballroom dancing. It’s a total discipline all of its own.”
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will return to host the show while Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood once again form the judging panel alongside Shirley.
So what do YOU think of the new celebrity line-up? Vote in our poll and leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
