This year’s line-up of history hungry stars includes British actress and newly minted star of The Crown Olivia Colman (Broadchurch), pop icon Boy George, comedian Lee Mack, former JLS member Marvin Humes and Our Girl actor Michelle Keegan.
Olivia Colman will journey from Norfolk to India, embarking on the discovery of a diverse heritage and Lee Mack’s investigation uncovers that comedy runs in the family.
Blue Peter presenters past and present take on a new dancing challenge for Children in Need
This year's series will see the return of judges Craig Revel-Horwood, Bruno Tonioli and Darcey Bussell, with new addition Shirley Ballas, who is replacing Len Goodman as Head Judge.
See the full line-up of all fifteen celebrities putting on their dancing shoes this Autumn, all with a chance of winning the glitterball trophy.
The three new professional dancers are all champions in their own right from the world of Ballroom and Latin dancing.
Dianne Buswell from Australia, Nadiya Bychkova from Ukraine and Amy Dowden from Wales will join the new series.
The three new professional dancers will replace Joanne Clifton and Oksana Platero who are leaving the series, along with Natalie Lowe who previously announced she would not be returning.
Known as the Queen of Latin, Ballas is one of the most decorated professional dancers in the world, and is a three-time British Open to the World Latin American champion and 10-time United States Latin American champion.
Since retiring from competitive dancing in 1996, she has worked as a coach to top professional and amateur dancers, and as an adjudicator for ballroom and Latin American competitions around the world.
Strictly Come Dancing’s Len Goodman’s critique of Ed Balls’ The Mask-themed Samba spoke for the nation a few weeks ago. Ed Balls has defied expectations to become one of the most popular contestants on the show.
Despite coming bottom of the leaderboard throughout the series, Balls and dance partner Katya Jones have escaped elimination each week.
“Even those who didn’t like him before are warming to him now” Jones says. “He’s just a normal human who came in knowing nothing about dance, and he’s trying so hard.”
“Every ballroom dancer in the competition world, once they stop competing, they want to join the programme,” says Gorka Marquez.
Marquez is one of six new professionals who joined the Strictly Family in 2016, along with husband and wife dancing duo Katya and Neil Jones, AJ Pritchard, Chloe Hewitt and Oksana Platero.
Until the shock elimination last weekend, he was partnered with EastEnders actress Tameka Empson.
“I think the time wasn’t right for her because she was a good dancer. I think it was too early” he protests.
Rutherford has just returned from the Rio Olympics where he won a bronze medal in the long jump final. He announced his taking part in the celebrity dance contest on BBC's The One Show alongside actors Lesley Joseph and Tameka Empson.
Joseph is most remembered for her role in the 1990's hit sitcom Birds of a Feather, where she played promiscuous neighbour Dorien, while Empson rose to prominence in her hidden camera comedy 3 Non-Blondes in 2003. She currently stars on EastEnders as the bubbly but vicious Kim Fox.
The Head Judge of the BBC’s Saturday night hit has announced that the next series, his fourteenth, will be his last.
Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are to present new series, and judges Craig Revel Horwood, Bruno Tonioli and Darcy Bussell will also be returning.
The RTS-award winning show has not yet announced this year’s line-up of celebrity contestants who will be taking to the floor to win the glitterball trophy in the autumn.
Mark Linsey’s career in television has progressed from producing An Audience with Freddie Starr to the heady heights of running BBC Television. As Acting Director of Television – following the abrupt departure of Danny Cohen – Linsey finds himself playing a critical part as Charter renewal gathers pace.
Ask how an executive with 30 years in entertainment shows might play such a crucial role, and this safe pair of hands reaches for the word “distinctive”.
