Love Island winner Dani Dyer, acclaimed actress Alex Kingston, and former Premier League footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink are among the celebrities set to grace the dance floor in the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC has announced.
The trio was revealed on BBC One’s The One Show on Monday, offering a glimpse into the star-studded lineup for Strictly’s 23rd season.
Olympic sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, known to Gladiators enthusiasts as Nitro, is the only other contestant confirmed thus far, with further celebrity announcements expected in the coming days.
Strictly Come Dancing is scheduled to air on BBC One and iPlayer from September through December.
Here is the confirmed lineup to date:
Alex Kingston, a distinguished English actress, is celebrated for her roles in television hits such as the US medical drama ER (as Dr. Elizabeth Corday from 1997 to 2004), Doctor Who (as River Song between 2008 and 2015), and the 1996 adaptation of The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders, which garnered her a BAFTA nomination for her portrayal of the title character.
The 62-year-old has also appeared in films including Croupier and Boudica, and her stage credits range from playing Lady Macbeth opposite Sir Kenneth Branagh to Nurse Ratched in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.
In a statement released upon the announcement of her participation in Strictly, she exclaimed: “Aaaaagghhh!!!!!!”
Dani Dyer rose to prominence after winning Love Island in 2018 alongside Jack Fincham. Following their split later that year, she married West Ham striker Jarrod Bowen in May of this year.
“Getting the opportunity to be on Strictly is the second most amazing thing I’ve done this year!” the 29-year-old shared. “I feel very very blessed and cannot wait to get my dancing shoes on.”
Dyer is also known for her collaborations with her father, actor Danny Dyer, on various projects, including the podcasts Sorted with the Dyers and Live and Let Dyers, as well as the travelogue series Absolutely Dyer: Danny and Dani Do Italy.
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, a Dutch football icon, was a prominent striker in the Premier League during the late 1990s with Leeds United and in the early 2000s with Chelsea. He earned 23 caps for the Netherlands national team.
Hasselbaink has since managed clubs such as Queens Park Rangers, Northampton Town, and Burton Albion, and also served as a coach for the England national team under Gareth Southgate.
“Swapping the pitch for the ballroom is certainly not something I’ve done before but I’m looking forward to tackling a fun challenge!” said Hasselbaink, 53. “Bring on a new type of footwork, with hopefully no own goals.”
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, a former Team GB sprinter, achieved the distinction of being the first athlete to secure gold medals in both the 100m and 200m at the World Youth Championships. In 2005, at the age of 17, he was awarded the BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year.
He has competed in two Olympic Games and is a three-time European champion and two-time Commonwealth champion.
In 2023, Aikines-Aryeetey was revealed as Nitro in Gladiators and participated in last year’s Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special, partnered with Nancy Xu.
“I’m so excited to be part of the Strictly family this series and I’m ready to give it all I’ve got,” the 36-year-old stated.
Two new professional dancers are also joining the lineup this year: Alexis Warr, winner of the US dance series So You Think You Can Dance in 2022, and Australian-born Julian Caillon, who has appeared as a professional dancer on three seasons of Australia’s Dancing With The Stars.
Last year’s series saw comedian Chris McCausland and his dance partner Dianne Buswell emerge victorious, with McCausland becoming the show’s first blind champion.
However, the program, which has been airing since 2004, has also faced a number of controversies over the past year relating to the behaviour of some of its professional dancers and celebrity guests.
Last week, the BBC initiated an investigation into alleged drug use by two Strictly stars, who have not been identified, following reports of alleged cocaine use in The Sun on Sunday.
Furthermore, professional dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima departed from the show last year in the wake of allegations concerning their conduct toward their dance partners.
In response, the BBC announced new welfare measures for Strictly last July, including the presence of chaperones in all rehearsal rooms, the addition of two new welfare producers, and the provision of additional training for professional dancers, the production team, and crew.
The BBC has launched a probe into alleged cocaine use by two Strictly Come Dancing stars.
Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon are joining the line-up when Strictly returns to screens in the autumn.
Jessica will join the Royal Ballet School’s programme, which trains talented young dancers.
A university praises the award-winning star for her services to acting and the deaf community.
The BBC said his language was “entirely unacceptable and in no way reflects the values or standards we hold”.