It’s officially that time of year again, as the BBC released their first trailer for Strictly Come Dancing 2026 on Saturday.
Now that the countdown has begun until 15 new celebrities hit the dancefloor, they aren’t the only ones who will be nervous as new presenters Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe also hit the dancefloor for the first time.
The pair made their debut in the all-singing and dancing trailer and looked positively ‘Strictly-fied’ as they emerged from a gold Strictly trailer with their fellow presenter Johannes Radebe.
After Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down at the end of last year’s series, the BBC is now testing a three-host format for the first time.
After Johannes assured fans that they would still see him dance, the trailer sees him perform alongside fellow professionals and beloved judges Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood and Anton Du Beke.
As the professional dancers perform an energetic routine on a studio backlot, Josh, Emma and Johannes are revealed in a burst of golden light as they emerge from a Strictly trailer.
Performing a few moves yourself, it’s all gold and glamor ahead of this year’s series, which kicks off on September 19.
First look at Strictly Come Dancing: Presenters Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe get glam as they make their dancing debut alongside Johannes Radebe in new series trailer
It’s all gold and glamor ahead of this year’s series, which kicks off on September 19 (photo Anton Du Beke dancing with Katya Jones)
However, the couples will work a little differently this year.
While in the past the celebrity has revealed their professional dancer to them in a pre-filmed segment, this year the stars will discover their partner’s identity in front of the Strictly studio audience through three specially choreographed group dance routines.
The full routine opens this year’s Strictly launch show, which will feature more dancing than ever.
The launch show will also take viewers behind the scenes as the celebrities begin their dance rehearsals.
Plus the return of last year’s champion Karen Carney, who will dance her iconic football jive with Carlos Gu.
The professionals returning this series are Amy Dowden, Dianne Buswell, Carlos Gu, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Jowita Przystał, Aljaž Škorjanec, Alexis Warr, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Lauren Oakley, Julian Caillon and Vito Coppola.
Earlier this year it was revealed that Nadiya Bychkova, 37, Karen Hauer, 43, Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, Luba Mushtuk, 36, and Gorka Marquez, 35, all got the boot.
Meanwhile, the line-up itself has come under fire as many of the celebrities are considered unrecognizable to viewers.
Some of the best-known of the line-up include Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Jaime Winstone, Will Best and Gavin & Stacey actress Melanie Walters.
Stars like Kim Kardashian’s hairstylist Chris Appleton may not be household names, but he does have a huge social media following with four million fans on Instagram.
John Nellis has an even bigger fan base, with 15.7 million YouTube subscribers.
While bosses may be keen to attract Gen Z (14 to 29 years old), the majority of Strictly viewers are currently made up of Gen X (46 to 61 years old) and baby boomers (62 to 80 years old).
COME STRICTLY DANCE 2026: MEET THE PARTICIPANTS
LACEY TURNER
AGE: 38
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Playing Stacey Slater on BBC’s EastEnders
WHY STRICT?: ‘I’m so excited and terrified at the same time, but I’ve had so many friends doing Strictly and I thought it was time I plucked up the courage and got to that dance floor.’
DELTA GOODREM
AGE: 41
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Played Nina Tucker in Neighbors and has released eight music albums
WHY STRICT?: ‘I have had the incredible honor of performing on many different stages throughout my career – from TV, theatre, film sets to touring my own shows around the world. However, there is one stage I have never been on and that is the ballroom floor!’
CACH MERCER
AGE: 25
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Won Love Island 2025 and is a TikTok influencer
WHY STRICT?: “I grew up watching the show with my family and am so excited to now be part of the cast. Dancing is a great passion of mine and I can’t wait to learn Ballroom and do the Foxtrot for the first time!’
LADY SARAH FLOOR
AGE: 48
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Britain’s most successful Paralympian
WHY STRICT?: ‘Taking on a new challenge as an athlete so soon after retiring is extremely exciting.’
BETHANIE ANTONIA
AGE: 28
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Plays Lady Baela Targaryen in House of the Dragon
WHY STRICT?: ‘I grew up watching Strictly, and I’m so excited to take on the challenge and (hopefully!) learn a new skill.’
GRAEME ‘THE DOG FATHER’ ROOM
AGE: 59
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Hosts Channel 5 series Dogs behave (very) badly
WHY STRICT?: ‘I’ve been watching the show for years, so to be part of it feels like a really exciting challenge, albeit more than a little nerve-wracking!’
TABBY STOECKER
AGE: 25
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Olympic champion skeleton racer
WHY STRICT?: ‘I’ve had the wildest year of my life so far, so to top it off with a childhood dream of dancing in the Strictly ballroom is surreal and I can’t wait to dive in!’
MELANIE WALTERS
AGE: 64
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Gwen West stars in BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey
WHY STRICT?: ‘I’ve been performing in Pantomime for the last fifteen years and my Strictly ‘fix’ was always watching in a dressing room rather than my front room.’
DANI DYER
AGE: 30
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Winning Love Island and being the daughter of actor Danny Dyer
WHY STRICT?: “I’m so excited to be back in the ballroom in September! I just can’t wait to put my dancing shoes on again and hopefully this time I can actually make it to week one!’
CHRIS APPLETON
AGE: 43
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Hairdresser to the stars – including Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez
WHY STRICT?: ‘I’m thrilled to be joining Strictly and coming to the UK for this incredible experience. I’ve always believed that the best things happen when you take a chance and try something new.’
WILL BE THE BEST
AGE: 41
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Hosts Big Brother and previously TV
WHY STRICT?: ‘I’ve been lucky enough to have done a lot of live television, but absolutely nothing like this. And I can’t wait!’
JAIME WINSTONE
AGE: 41
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Leading roles in films such as Kidulthood and Tomb Raider
WHY STRICT?: “I’m no stranger to a dance floor, but the ballroom is a whole new world for me.”
SHAUN WRIGHT PHILLIPS
AGE: 44
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Footballer who played for Chelsea and Manchester City, among others
WHY STRICT?: ‘It’s definitely outside my comfort zone, but I’m really excited to get started and really looking forward to the challenge!’
LAWRENCE ROBB
AGE: 34
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Plays Mackenzie Boyd in ITV’s Emmerdale
WHY STRICT?: “I can’t quite believe that this September I’ll be putting on my dancing shoes for one of my favorite shows of all time!”
JOHANNES NELLIS
AGE: 33
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Face of a popular football-oriented YouTube channel
WHY STRICT?: ‘I can’t wait to meet everyone, learn a new skill and hopefully be much better at family parties by the end!’
Share or comment on this article: First look at Strictly Come Dancing: Presenters Emma Willis and Josh Widdicombe get glam as they make their dancing debut alongside Johannes Radebe in new series trailer
