STRICTLY Come Dancing returns to our screens this evening.
The 16th series of the hit show kicks off tonight at 7:35pm on BBC One, with a new line-up of famous faces donning their dancing shows – and a few sequins too.
Here’s who’ll be hoping to impress the judges on the ballroom floor…
Susannah Constantine
Fashion stylist, journalist and presenter Susannah Constantine, 56, was announced on ITV’s Good Morning Britain as the 15th star to be taking part in the BBC series.
She is best known for her partnership with Trinny Woodall and their TV series What Not To Wear, as well as Trinny And Susannah Undress and Undress The Nation, and has also penned a number of books and starred in I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! in 2015.
Constantine said she is “sick with nerves and jangling with excitement” about Strictly.
Charles Venn
Actor Charles Venn joined Constantine on GMB to be unveiled, and said that taking to the dancefloor both “excites and scares me in equal measure”.
Venn has played nurse Jacob Masters in hospital drama Casualty since 2015 and has also appeared in EastEnders, Footballers’ Wives and Dream Team.
Lauren Steadman
Paralympian Lauren Steadman was announced on The One Show, becoming the 13th celebrity contestant to be named.
The 25-year-old, a double world champion Paratriathlete, Paralympic silver medallist and six times European champion, said she was excited “to swap my triathlon kit for dancing shoes and sequins!”
Lee Ryan
Blue singer-turned-soap star Lee Ryan was announced on ITV’s Loose Women, making him the 12th celebrity contestant to be named.
The boy band singer, who has been seen on TV as EastEnders bad boy Woody Woodward, is the second member of Blue to compete in Strictly.
In 2014, his fellow band member Simon Webbe took part and was runner-up in the series alongside his professional partner Kristina Rihanoff.
Seann Walsh
The stand-up comic, 32, was unveiled alongside Kate Silverton on BBC’s The One Show. Walsh described his previous dancing experience as “jumping up and down until two in the morning”.
He is known for appearing in ITV sitcom Bad Move alongside Jack Dee and he recently made his US television debut on Conan O’Brien’s talk show.
Kate Silverton
The BBC News anchor, 48, is an experienced journalist who has reported from the front line in both Afghanistan and Iraq.
She will be hoping to better the efforts of her former BBC Breakfast co-host Bill Turnbull, who participated in the show’s third series, finishing sixth with professional dancer Karen Hardy.
Ashley Roberts
The singer, 36, found fame as a member of the Pussycat Dolls before leaving the group in 2010.
She has since taken part in I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! and The Jump, and appeared as a judge on Dancing On Ice. She said she will put her “heart and soul” into her new adventure.
Stacey Dooley
The documentary presenter, 31, has been making television programmes for nine years after getting her start in a BBC Three series in which she travelled to India to explore the fashion industry making clothes for the UK high street.
She has since travelled to Syria to present the critically acclaimed BBC Three documentary Stacey Dooley On The Frontline: Girls, Guns And Isis, and said: “Typically, work for me is very serious and can be quite hardcore so I’m going to soak up the escapism and bathe in the sequins.”
Dr Ranj Singh
This Morning’s medical expert, 39, specialises in the well-being of young people, and still works shifts in A&E and the intensive care unit at his local NHS hospital.
He follows in the footsteps of his This Morning co-star Ruth Langsford, who took part last year, and said: “Anyone that knows me knows that I love a bit of sparkle … so bring on the glitter!”
Graeme Swann
The former England cricketer, 39, is regarded as one of the country’s greatest ever spin bowlers.
He was part of the victorious England team who claimed the Ashes back from Australia, where he delivered the winning wicket to secure the victory, and is now a popular commentator on Test Match Special for the BBC.
Swann has said he is “hoping to follow in the footsteps of the cricketers who’ve come before me who’ve either won the whole thing or had an absolute ball on the show”.
Vick Hope
The radio DJ, 28, currently presents the Capital Breakfast show every morning with Roman Kemp.
The Cambridge University graduate, who says it is a “huge honour” to join the show, also hosts 4Music Trending Live and Box Fresh and has fronted Sky One’s Carnage alongside Freddie Flintoff and Lethal Bizzle.
Joe Sugg
The YouTube star, 26, is well known on the streaming platform for his channels ThatcherJoe, ThatcherJoeVlogs and ThatcherJoeGames and has amassed more than 25 million followers.
His videos consist of challenges, pranks, impressions and gaming but he is also the author of the graphic novel series Username: Evie and says that the dancing programme is “totally out of my comfort zone”.
Katie Piper
The television presenter and former model, 34, is best known for sharing her story about surviving an acid attack in the documentary Katie: My Beautiful Face.
The mother of two young daughters, she has said she is excited to show her children her dance moves.
Danny John-Jules
The actor, 57, is best known for his role as Cat in the sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf.
He is also recognisable for playing policeman Dwayne Myers in the long-running BBC hit crime drama Death In Paradise, and Barrington in the BBC comedy Maid Marian And Her Merry Men. He said he is excited to embrace the “glittery spandex” of Strictly.
Faye Tozer
The Steps singer, 42, has sold more than 20 million records as part of the successful pop group.
After they disbanded in 2001, she started a career in the theatre but the group got back together in 2011 and embarked on a sell-out tour. Tozer has said being on Strictly is a “dream come true”.
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