The full line-up of pairings for the new series of Strictly Come Dancing have been confirmed.
The pairings were revealed during the show's launch this evening (Saturday, September 19) and it features its third all-female pairing in history.
This year’s line-up boasts of the show’s third all-female pairing, with Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu dancing together.
They follow in the steps of Nicola Adams and Katya Jones in 2020, and Jayde Adams and Karen Hauer in 2022.
Full line-up of Strictly pairings confirmed
The launch show kicked off with a dance number from the professionals, judges, and new hosts Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe.
The stars met their partners on the dancefloor for the first time rather than during a pre-recorded video.
The 15 celebrities, along with their respective dance partners, will begin performing paired dances from next weekend.
Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin
Dyer is back in the competition after dropping out last year due to injury before the series commenced.
The 30-year-old reunites with Ukrainian dancer Kuzmin, who was the runner-up in the 2025 competition alongside West End star Amber Davies.
Since winning Love Island in 2018, Dyer has appeared on shows including Celebrity MasterChef, Celebrity Gogglebox, and EastEnders, and was a joint winner of this year’s Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
She also stars with her father, Rivals actor Danny Dyer, in their reality series The Dyers’ Caravan Park.
Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu
House Of The Dragon star Antonia will compete alongside Xu in the show’s third all-female pairing, and its sixth set of same-sex partners overall.
The 28-year-old is famous for playing dragon-rider Lady Baela Targaryen in the HBO fantasy prequel series.
She has also appeared in Doctors, Stath Lets Flats, Nolly, and Doctor Who, as well as the West End production of Hadestown.
Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu
Winstone was matched with Chinese dancer Gu, who won the 2025 Glitterball trophy with former Lioness Karen Carney.
The 41-year-old actress, daughter of actor Ray Winstone, is best known for films including Made In Dagenham, Bullet Boy, and Tomb Raider.
Her TV credits include Dead Set and Poirot, while she has also starred in the West End production of 2:22 A Ghost Story.
Winstone said she was “no stranger to a dancefloor” the ballroom is “a whole new world”, adding that she “loves a challenge”.
Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola
EastEnders star Turner, known for her long-running role as Stacey Slater on the BBC soap, is paired with Coppola.
The Edgware-born actress, 38, has also appeared on TV shows including True Love and Call The Midwife, and starred as Molly Dawes in the military drama Our Girl.
Turner was the first contestant to be announced for Strictly this year.
Melanie Walters and Aljaz Skorjanec
Gavin And Stacey actress Walters has been paired with Slovenian dancer Skorjanec.
The 64-year-old is best known for playing Stacey’s mother Gwen West in the BBC comedy, but she has also appeared in Coronation Street, Beyond Paradise, Being Human, Hollyoaks, Doc Martin, and Death Valley.
Skorjanec previously won the competition with TV presenter Abbey Clancy during his debut year on the show in 2013.
Get all of the latest Strictly Come Dancing news and updates in our guide here.
Delta Goodrem and Kai Widdrington
Singer and actress Goodrem has been partnered with Widdrington after representing her home country of Australia at Eurovision earlier this year.
The 41-year-old rose to fame in Neighbours, playing Nina Tucker from 2002 to 2003.
She has also featured as a coach on The Voice Australia and has achieved five Australian number one albums.
Dame Sarah Storey and Julian Caillon
Dame Sarah has been partnered with Australian dancer Caillon.
The cyclist and swimmer, 48, recently announced her retirement from sport but has signed up for Strictly as a new challenge.
She has 19 Paralympic gold medals, making her the most successful British Paralympian of all time.
The athlete was born without a functioning left hand after her arm became entangled in the umbilical cord in the womb, meaning her hand did not develop as normal.
Will Best and Dianne Buswell
Big Brother co-host Best has been paired with Buswell in her return to Strictly since giving birth to her first child with partner Joe Sugg.
TV and radio presenter Best, 41, is best known for fronting the ITV reality series alongside AJ Odudu and hosting the Hits Radio Breakfast Show.
He described joining Strictly as “pretty terrifying”, but said it was “an absolute dream” to take part.
Cach Mercer and Maddie Ingoldsby
Reality star Mercer is hitting the dancefloor with new professional Ingoldsby.
Ingoldsby is among five new dancers joining the 2026 line-up and is a UK National Ballroom Champion.
Mercer won Love Island last year alongside Toni Laites, with the couple splitting the £50,000 prize pot. They have since broken up.
Chris Appleton and Amy Dowden
Celebrity hair stylist Appleton has been partnered with Dowden.
The 43-year-old is best known for working with stars including Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Ariana Grande and Katy Perry.
Dowden has appeared on Strictly since 2017 and recently made a full return to the programme following treatment for breast cancer.
Shaun Wright-Phillips and Alexis Warr
The former England footballer-turned-pundit, 44, won 36 caps for England and played for Manchester City, Chelsea and Queens Park Rangers, and will now perform in the ballroom with Warr.
He has worked as a football pundit and broadcaster with the BBC, Sky Sports, ITV and the Premier League.
Tabby Stoecker and Mark Karmalita
Skeleton racer Stoecker is partnered with newcomer Karmalita, who is a two-time National Latin Champion in his native Canada.
Stoecker, 25, is most famous for winning gold at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games.
She is also a World Cup race winner, a double World Championship medallist and a European Championship medallist.
John Nellis and Katya Jones
Social media star Nellis has been partnered with Jones.
Nellis, 33, is one of the UK and Ireland’s biggest football content creators, with a combined audience of more than 15 million followers on YouTube.
His videos have featured Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland.
Lawrence Robb and Jowita Przystal
Emmerdale star Robb is paired with Polish dancer Przystal.
The Scottish actor is best known for his role as Mackenzie “Mack” Boyd on the ITV soap, but he has also appeared in the Sky series I Hate Suzie and Legally Blonde: The Musical in the West End.
Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley
TV presenter and dog trainer Hall will be partnered with Oakley.
The 59-year-old canine professional, nicknamed “the Dog Father”, is famed for hosting Channel 5 programme Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly.
Who are you going to be rooting for on Strictly Come Dancing? Let us know in the comments.
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