Curtain rises on Strictly 2025 as new couples revealed

Strictly Come Dancing has returned for its twenty first season, with the brand new parings of celebrities and dancers revealed. Apprentice star Thomas Skinner – who has been below the highlight since his participation within the present was introduced – will dance with skilled Amy Dowden, who missed the 2023 season after a most cancers prognosis. Among the many different pairings have been Actuality TV star Vicky Pattison with skilled dancer Kai Widdrington; actress Alex Kingston with Johannes Radebe, and EastEnders actor Balvinder Sopal with Julian Caillon.The race is now on for the Glitterball trophy, constructing as much as the grand closing on 20 December.Saturday’s launch present additionally noticed performances from final 12 months’s winners Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell, in addition to singer Jessie J – returning to the highlight together with her new single Residing My Finest Life. McCausland and Buswell recreated their waltz to You will By no means Stroll Alone, their efficiency of which was voted probably the most memorable second on the 2025 Baftas. Talking about his victory in 2024, McCausland stated it was “probably the most proud I’ve ever been of something in my life”. The efficiency by Jessie J marked a milestone in her flip to the highlight, simply months after she revealed she had been identified with breast most cancers. Forward of the present she shared an image of herself with skilled Amy Dowden, who needed to step away from Strictly after receiving her personal most cancers prognosis. Taking to the stage, she requested the viewers: “Strictly, are you prepared to bop?”Amongst one of many tweaks to this 12 months programme, for the primary time, there might be no cellphone voting – with it shifting to a totally on-line mannequin. Asserting the change, the BBC stated the premium-rate cellphone voting “is now an outdated system and in addition costly to run”.Maybe the contestant about which probably the most has been written, the businessman and character Thomas Skinner has been paired with Amy Dowden. Forward of the present he was concerned in an incident which noticed him depart a information convention early, and decide up a journalist’s cellphone – one thing which he apologised for. The Apprentice star Skinner stated he was “over the moon” to be partnered with Dowden and added: “I hope you possibly can train me a number of strikes as a result of I am ineffective on the minute.”Vicky Pattison stated she was “thrilled” to be paired with Kai Widdrington.Physician Who actress Alex Kingston was revealed to be the associate of Johannes Radebe, who she described as her “primary”.EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal stated being on Strictly was a “dream come true” earlier than it was revealed she had been partnered with Australian dancer Julian Caillon.Former England rugby union captain Chris Robshaw stated he watched clips of Nadiya Bychkova after he discovered they might be dance companions.Mannequin Ellie Goldstein, who’s the primary individual with Down’s syndrome to compete on the principle collection of Strictly, was revealed to be partnered with Vito Coppola – with the pair displaying off a “secret handshake” in the course of the launch present. Web star George Clarke was paired with US dancer Alexis Warr who stated she needed Clarke to “embody this present” and “get pleasure from it”.Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey was revealed to be partnered with Karen Hauer, who stated their first dance can be a cha cha cha to Salt-N-Pepa’s Push It.Love Island winner Dani Dyer-Bowen stated she was “truthfully so joyful” after it was revealed she can be dancing with Nikita Kuzmin.Former footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink appeared happy when he met his dance associate Lauren Oakley for the primary time.Former Lioness Karen Carney was revealed to be partnered with Carlos Gu on the present.Singer and drag performer La Voix joked “that is the one I stated I did not need” after they met their dance associate Aljaz Skorjanec for the primary time.Former Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope stated he was “over the moon” to be paired with skilled dance Katya Jones.ITV leisure reporter Ross King instructed his dance associate Jowita Przystal “you drew the quick straw” when it was revealed they might be dancing collectively on Saturday.Neighbours actor Stefan Dennis was partnered with Dianne Buswell, who referred to their partnership because the “Aussie dream crew”.