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Strictly Come Dancing is back in full flow for the show’s 20th anniversary, after the show faced a scandal regarding the conduct of the BBC show’s professional dancers.

The 22nd series continues as the programme faces scrutiny over the treatment of some of its celebrity participants. Two professional dancers, Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, have now left the show following allegations made about their conduct during training.

Pernice has denied allegations of “threatening and abusive behaviour,” while Di Prima said in a statement he “deeply regrets” events that took place with his celebrity partner Zara McDermott during a rehearsal.

The series is once again be hosted by the glittering duo of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.

The eagle-eyed Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke and Motsi Mabuse have returned to the judges’ table.

As with previous seasons, Strictly’s celebrity contestants were announced in drip feed announcements by the BBC. The official list, including reality stars, singers, comedians and more, is below…

Jamie Borthwick

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Actor Jamie Borthwick is known for his long-term role in the BBC soap EastEnders, having starred as Jay Brown/Mitchell since 2006. He is now one of the longest-serving actors on the show. Borthwick previously appeared on the Strictly Christmas special in 2023, and took home the trophy for his slick moves and impressive stage presence.

”I had a ball doing the Strictly Christmas special last year, so when I was asked to join for this series it was the easiest yes!” he said. “This is a fresh challenge and it will be so different to be learning a new dance every week and for the public to have their say.

“I’m hoping to be Salsa-ing around Albert Square in no time and I’ll be asking my Walford Strictly alumni for some words of wisdom. See you on the dancefloor!”

Shayne Ward

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Singer Shayne Ward was catapulted to fame when his debut single and album topped the UK charts. His song “That’s My Goal” made it to Christmas number one after he won the second series of The X Factor in 2005. Ward is also known as Aidan Connor in the ITV soap Coronation Street and has appeared in a number of musicals including the West End’s 1980s show Rock of Ages.

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Ward said of his upcoming Strictly appearance: “I’m buzzing to see all of the sparkles and magic that is Strictly in real life. I’m no stranger to live TV, but dancing Latin and Ballroom in front of millions is a whole new level. No promises on my dancing ability, but I will give it my best shot!”

Sarah Hadland

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Actor Sarah Hadland is best known for her role as Stevie in the BBC comedy Miranda, which she starred in alongside the show’s creator Miranda Hart. She is also one of the original cast members of the children’s series Horrible Histories and has appeared in numerous films, including the Bond epic Quantum of Solace.

“I cannot believe I am part of Strictly!” Hadland said. “I feel particularly excited to be part of such an iconic show in its 20th year. I’m so ready for the glitz, glam and glitter and hopefully I can make everyone watching at home proud!” 

Tasha Ghouri

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Love Island contestant and model Tasha Ghouri appeared on the ITV reality show in 2022, becoming its first deaf contestant. She trained as a dancer at Creative Academy and has since competed at major dance events and performed in music videos. Ghouri also hosts the podcast Superpowers with Tasha and released the book Hits Different in June, about a girl who is an aspiring dancer and goes on tour with a global superstar.

The Love Island star said of her inclusion on the show: “Pinch me, I can’t believe I’m going to be on Strictly Come Dancing! I’ve been watching the show since I was little – it’s a firm Ghouri family favourite – so this is a total dream come true. I know it’s going to be an unforgettable experience and I hope to represent and make everyone proud out on that dance floor.”

Pete Wicks

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Only Way is Essex star Pete Wicks rose to fame on the Brentford-based reality show in 2015, with storylines revolving around his relationships with Megan McKenna and Chloe Sims. He has since appeared on shows including Celebrity MasterChef, Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, The Real Full Monty and Celebs Go Dating, and co-hosts the Staying Relevant podcast with his best friend and Made in Chelsea star Sam Thompson.

“Dancing live in front of the nation every Saturday? Absolutely terrifying,” Wicks said. “But anyone who knows me knows I love a challenge and trying new things, so I’m genuinely looking forward to getting stuck in.”

Wynne Evans

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Tenor Wynne Evans, who is widely known for featuring in the theatrical Go Compare adverts as an opera singer, has had two number one classical albums and has given more than 200 performances at the Royal Albert Hall in London. He also hosts a regular show on BBC Radio Wales and is filming a series with Gavin and Stacey’s Joanna Page about the Welsh coastline.

“I am honestly still pinching myself, a portly balding opera singer, me, taking part in Strictly Come Dancing?!” he said. “I’m not entirely sure how I’ll get along, if all else fails I’ll just have to learn the art of distraction.

“What I do know is I will give it my all and aim to make Wales proud. I’m definitely going to try and combine my love of opera into one of my routines. Plus, after winning Celebrity MasterChef last year, maybe the route to the judges’ hearts will be through their stomachs!”

Toyah Willcox

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Singer and actor Toyah Willcox has 13 top 40 singles including “It’s a Mystery”, “Thunder in the Mountains” and “I Want to Be Free”.  She fronted the eponymous band Toyah from 1977 before becoming a solo artist in 1983. The singer has also featured in films including The Corn is Green and Derek Jarman’s 1979 adaptation of The Tempest.

Willcox said in a statement: “Wow Strictly Come Dancing, can you believe it! This is going to be a wild and wonderful ride, and I’m here for every sparkly second. I’m used to performing for big crowds but this is completely fresh for me. How I will do, it’s a mystery… I just want to get cracking and learn some dance routines now!”

Dr Punam Krishan

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Dr Punam Krishan is a resident GP on BBC Morning Live and BBC Radio Scotland. She regularly covers health topics for newspapers and TV shows and has also written the children’s book How to Be a Doctor and Other Live-Saving Jobs.

She said: “This still doesn’t feel real, I am overjoyed to be a contestant on this year’s show. I have watched Strictly every year with my family and it feels extra special that it’s the 20th year, I can’t believe I will be the one getting Strictly-fied now. This is so out of my comfort zone, but I’m up for the journey and will give it my absolute all.”

Chris McCausland

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Comedian Chris McCausland is a regular face on flagship comedy shows like Have I Got News for You and Would I Lie to You?. He is also known for playing Rudi in the CBeebies show Me Too!

The 46-year-old will be the first blind contestant to compete in the show. He lost his eyesight in his early twenties as a result of retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary condition. The diagnosis resulted in him leaving his job in web development, before joining the entertainment industry and finding success.

“I don’t dance, I haven’t danced, I can’t dance, I can’t see the dancing I will have to do. What can possibly go wrong? Ok don’t answer that!” he said. “If anybody out there is thinking ‘How the hell is he going to do that?’ then rest assured that I am thinking exactly the same thing.”

Asked how he feels about taking part, McCausland added: “Apprehensive, massively apprehensive. I don’t know what I’m getting myself into, I’ve never watched it, obviously. It’s just some music. I don’t dance, I have never danced. I grew up with headbanging and mosh pits.”

JB Gill

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Singer JB Gill shot to fame in the X-Factor-founded band JLS alongside Marvin Humes, Aston Merrygold and Ortise Williams, who are known for their hits “Everybody in Love”, “She Makes Me Wanna” and “One Shot”. The pop group released four albums before splitting in 2013.

Gill said of joining this year’s Strictly contestants: “I danced in the Strictly Christmas special over a decade ago and LOVED it, so when I got the call to join Strictly this year, it was an immediate yes from me. I’m raring to go to and looking forward to showing off some new skills to the JLS boys.”

Montell Douglas (AKA Fire from Gladiators)

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Douglas, who won over audiences when she competed as Fire on the rebooted series of Gladiators, will be bringing her sporty background to the dancefloor.

She previously competed as an Olympic Bobsledder and Team GB Sprinter, becoming the first female UK athlete to compete at both the Summer and Winter Olympic Games.

The athlete previously held a British woman’s record for fastest 100m sprint and won a Commonwealth Gold in the 4x100m relay race in 2010.

“Strictly ARE YOU READY, Fire is here to light up the Ballroom,” she said.

“Wow I am so honoured to have been asked to do the show. It is such an amazing thing to be a part of and I can’t wait to get started. Hopefully a few of my Gladiator moves will come in handy with the Tango or Paso Doble!” she said.

Paul Merson

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Merson, who made his debut for Arsenal aged 17, played 424 times for the Gunners and scored 99 goals during his time on the team.

He now works as a football pundit and commentator and says he is up for the challenge of learning a new skill for Strictly.

Merson said of his signing: “Joining Strictly is a whole new ball game for me, but I’m going to tackle this challenge head on.

“I’m ready to swap the pitch for the Ballroom floor, so here’s hoping my two left feet can learn some moves and you never know, maybe I’ll be taking home the Glitterball Trophy!”

Sam Quek

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Former England and Team GB hockey player Sam Quek has won 125 international caps for the England and Great Britain women’s hockey teams, including a gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The Olympian said the thought of dancing on the ballroom floor is “quite daunting”.

“I’m chuffed to be a part of this legendary show and Quickstep into the shoes of a performer, it feels absolutely surreal but I’m ready for every bit of the adventure,” she said.

Nick Knowles

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TV presenter Nick Knowles, best known for fronting BBC’s emotional building show DIY SOS, will be swapping his overalls for sparkly jackets on Strictly.

On DIY SOS, Knowles helps transform the homes of families who are nominated by their community. However, an injury has forced him to sit out week two.

“I’m so, so excited to be doing Strictly this year,” Knowles said. “People may be more used to me getting stuck in on a building site or travelling the world, but dancing live on TV will be a whole new adventure.

“I’ve spent my whole life learning new skills and I’ve never been afraid of a challenge. I’ll give it my everything… and try not to embarrass my kids of course!”

Tom Dean – Eliminated

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Althete Tom Dean, who is a three-time Olympic champion, was the first celebrity contestant to be eliminated from the 2024 series of Strictly.

Dean was partnered with Nadiya Bychkova on the competition, and in their two weeks performing together, they danced a Tango to “Golden” by Harry Styles and in their final week, a Cha Cha to “Boogie Wonderland” by Earth, Wind and Fire.

At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, he made history as the first British man to win a gold medal for the men’s 200m swim freestyle in over 100 years, going on to win a further gold medal in Tokyo and become England’s most decorated athlete at the subsequent 2022 Commonwealth Games, winning a total of seven medals.

At the Paris Olympic Games this year, Dean brought home his third gold medal for Team GB in the team 4 x 200m freestyle relay and spilled the news he was a Strictly contestant afterwards in a live interview.

A FORMER winner of The Apprentice has risked the wrath of Lord Sugar by revealing what changes need to be made to the BBC show.

Tom Pellereau won the BBC series back in 2011, and was the first candidate to secure the £250,000 investment prize from Lord Sugar rather than a job at one of his companies.

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Since then, Tom, 45, has become one of The Apprentice‘s biggest success stories, starting with the world’s first curved nail file.

Now he is a millionaire thanks to his hugely successful Stylideas brand, which recently launched seven new products onto the beauty tech market including a Wavelength LED Mask and a Hydro Exfoliator.

Tom still works closely with Lord Sugar, 77, but risks being told off by his famous business partner after revealing what he thinks needs to change to keep The Apprentice fresh after 18 series.

Speaking exclusively to The Sun Online, Tom said: “I’ll get in trouble for saying this, £250,000 was a lot more 10, 13 years ago than it is today.

“I think they should double the price personally to £500,000, but it’s not my money to do and I’m sure that would get me in trouble.”

As well as increasing the prize pot for future winners, Tom would love to see the BBC change it’s mind on Young Apprentice.

The spin-off ran for three series from 2010 to 2012, with the winning youngster receiving a £25,000 investment from Lord Sugar.

Tom said: “One thing I’d love to see is the Young Apprentice return, that had a couple of seasons.

“I believe it was very, very difficult for them to film it, which is why they stopped doing it.”

Despite his suggestions for tweaks to the show that brought him so much success, Tom is still a huge fan and believes it continues to earn its place in the TV schedules every year.

He said: “I think The apprentice is still very relevant, very enjoyable, kind of must see TV, especially for the last few tasks.”

As for the future, Tom shows no signs of letting up when it comes to inventing beauty products to help the masses.

He said: “We’re on this mission to help consumers at home have the best possible beauty technology.

“I’m fortunate now to have a much bigger team than when I first started The Apprentice.

The Apprentice biggest moments

THE Apprentice has been a fan favourite ever since it burst onto the box in 2005.

Here we take a look at five of the biggest moments over the years on the hit BBC One show.

Tim Campbell – Former London Underground transport manager Tim Campbell won the first series of the reality show in 2005. He is now one of Lord Sugar’s aides on the show.

 Sarah Lynn and James White – For the first and only time in the show’s history, both finalists were crowned winners in 2017.

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Amy Anzel – Season 16’s fired candidate Amy Anzel was BANNED from the final celebration show, after a tit-for-tat exchange over Lord Sugar’s mocking tweets.

Michelle Dewberry – Telecoms consultant Michelle Dewberry won the second series of the show in 2006. However, after winning a six-figure job with Lord Sugar she lasted just four months before she sensationally quit.

Selena Waterman-Smith – We’re used to tensions running high in the boardroom, but in 2015 a disagreement between two candidates spilled over – for the first time – into a physical bust-up. Events manager Selina Waterman-Smith was given a verbal warning by show bosses for her role in an off-camera scrap with Charleine Wain.

“So I’m surrounded by brilliant people who were able to come together and make these things happen.”

But he concedes creating, developing and releasing seven products at the same time was a big challenge.

He added: “I think as a brand, it’s important for us to bring things together as a collection. But yes, launching seven at a time is pretty stressful.”

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The Apprentice airs on BBC One and is available on BBC iPlayer. The Stylpro range is available here.

DIE HARD Strictly Come Dancing fans have hit out at accident-prone Nick Knowles, whose been forced to pull out due to injury, giving him a free pass to next week.

The 62-year-old is said to be on crutches after sustaining an injury during the dress rehearsal, where he landed badly after a jump.

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But now fans are less than impressed with DIY SOS presenter who’s complained of a litany of injuries since joining the show.  

His automatic entry into next week may mean that someone more deserving is forced to leave the competition.

Writing on social media site X, one fans said: “Nick Knowles has to go.”

Another said: ““When he is hopefully able to…”. And what if he isn’t? What do you say to the couple who goes home this week for no reason?

Two injuries in 2 weeks? It’s early enough in the comp. I say swop him out for a diff celeb
For gods sake he should have gone last week altogether really
Should just send them home they will probably be in the dance off either way.”

Yesterday the TV presenter and his partner Luba Mushtak, announced that they would not be participating in tonight’s show, after Nick has been instructed to undergo an MRI scan for his knee injury.

This is the second injury to overshadow Nick’s time on Strictly, after he injured his shoulder and arm while changing a car tyre.

Nick broke his silence after The Sun exclusively revealed the news, taking to X to say: “I’m absolutely gutted and feeling very very sad.”

A source said: “Nick won’t be able to take part in Strictly tomorrow night after hurting his knee.

“He was in a dress rehearsal with his partner Luba Mushtuk when he did a jump and landed awkwardly.

“Nick has hurt his knee and is having to use crutches to get around now.

“It is such a devastating blow for him and he is being supported by the Strictly team.

“They are sending him for scans and are doing everything they can to make sure he is okay.

“Nick had to fight to make sure he could take part in the first live show after hurting his arm and shoulder and he did so well.

“This new injury has been a real blow and he is incredibly upset about it.

“Luba and Nick are hoping it is just something minor and that he can recover in time for next week.”

A spokesperson for Strictly said: “Unfortunately, Nick Knowles sustained an injury during rehearsals and as a result, will not dance this weekend.

“As per the rules of the competition, Nick and Luba will receive a bye through to next week when he is hopefully able to dance again. Everyone at Strictly Come Dancing wishes Nick a speedy recovery.”

Nick and Luba had been due to dance the Charleston to Rain on the Roof from Paddington 2.

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Industry star Marisa Abela has questioned the BBC’s decision to edit out a scene in the show’s final season.

The hit HBO drama, which follows a group of young graduates navigating the cut-throat finance world in London, has earned critical acclaim since airing its first season in 2020.

The series, a co-production between HBO and BBC, has gained a reputation as the “wildest” show on television thanks to its hard-partying characters and frequent sex scenes.

In a new interview with The Times, one of the show’s stars spoke about the season three scene that was considered too explicit for British viewers.

Abela, 27, stars as Yasmin Kara-Hanani, the privileged daughter of a publishing billionaire Charles Hanani (played by Adam Levy).

In the first episode of the third season, which aired in the US in August, viewers glimpsed an erect penis belonging to Charles caught in a sexual encounter with a pregnant member of staff on his superyacht.

The explicit scene, however, was cut by the BBC when the series finally landed in the UK this week (1 October).

When asked about the omission from the British broadcast by The Times, Abela questioned: “What are they going to do, put something else over the top of it?”

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“Are they going to blur it out?” she continued. “It is quite shocking, to be fair. But that’s not the point.”

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She also argued that the inclusion of the penis was not gratuitous as it demonstrates the dysfunctional dynamic between her character and her father.

Elsewhere in the interview, Abela spoke about her own sex scenes in the series.

“I don’t necessarily push back on the sex. I understand that it’s part of the show,” she said. “I think I’m just more careful now about what it is that’s being seen.”

Abela, who recently starred as Amy Winehouse in the controversial biopic of the musician Back to Black, said of appearing nude: “The nudity aspect is not something that I minded in season one or two – it was like, ‘If it’s in my contract, I’ll do it.’

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“It was part of Yasmin and part of the fact that she was so comfortable with herself and she’s very free. And it didn’t have a lot of emotional weight for me.”

“It’s not like anyone would have made me do something that I didn’t want to do, but I didn’t necessarily want to question the directors,” she said.

“But I think now I’m more aware of the implications of doing it over and over again. And I’m more aware that I have the ability to say, ‘Do you mind staying on my back rather than coming round the front? You get the idea from my back that I’m not wearing anything.’”

In a four-star review of Industry season three, The Independent’s TV critic Nick Hilton wrote: “For people wanting a quiet evening in front of the telly, Industry is a terrible option. It’s relentless, nasty, sexy, vulgar, and all the other adjectives generally reserved for TripAdvisor reviews of Berghain.”