Strictly Come Dancing Contestants 2025 Check the Contestants Revealed So Far

Strictly Come Dancing Contestants 2025 

Alright, people! Gather round, 'cause Strictly Come Dancing 2025 might just be the wildest yet—and I do mean wild, in the best way possible. I spent a fair chunk of my Wednesday trawling through the BBC’s official announcements just to make sure I wasn’t making things up (as tempting as that sometimes is), and let me tell you: this crop of celebs is all over the place—in a totally glittery, sequined, slightly bonkers kind of way.

So who’s donning the sparkles and possibly tripping over their own feet this year? Settle in, this’ll be a ride.

First off, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, a.k.a. Nitro from Gladiators. Now, if you've ever watched someone bench-press their own body weight like it was Nando's takeout, you get why he's on this list. Ex-Team GB sprinter, ran at TWO Olympics. The man is basically a walking anatomy lesson! He did the Christmas special last year and—get this—actually ran back for more. Glutton for punishment or just really loves sequins? Either way, Harry brings energy with a capital E. Makes you wonder, though: does all that sprinting help with salsa footwork or is he secretly hoping for a Paso Doble just so he can stomp around for a bit?

Speaking of stomping, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, former Chelsea footballer and manager, is rolling onto the ballroom. Now, I remember him from Saturday footie where everything was elbows and headers, so watching Jimmy trade shin pads for ballroom shoes—well, that's something I’ll record, just for the pure ‘wait, WHAT?’ factor. Some folks say athletes pick up routines quickly, but I’m waiting for the first, er, breathtaking tackle in the Viennese Waltz. Honestly, I wanna see the judges deal with Jimmy after he does a sliding samba. Go big or go home, right?

Next on the list: Dani Dyer, Love Island winner—yeah, that season—who’s somehow managed to stay permanently chipper despite years of reality TV chaos. Dani’s bubbly, she’s funny, she’ll probably giggle her way through every rehearsal. I reckon she’ll either be surprisingly good or totally, delightfully chaotic. Either way, Twitter will love it. She’s the sort of contestant you can’t help but root for, even if she does mess up a routine or two. Actually, now that I think about it, isn’t it delightful to see reality folks in actual reality rather than manufactured drama?

EastEnders fans, you get Balvinder Sopal! She’s famous for tough, gritty roles, so swapping Albert Square drama for glitter is a plot twist I never saw coming. I always picture soap stars as serious, but dance floors are great levelers. Strictly’s gonna be a shock, probably for her as much as us. Will she bring that steely determination? Or just try to survive the spray tan? Honestly, who knows—half the fun is watching someone swap kitchen sink realism for a feather boa!

And then you have Alex Kingston—yes, Dr. River Song from Doctor Who, if you’re into time travel (or, ER’s Elizabeth Corday if you’re into American dramas from the 90s). She's iconic and, let’s face it, probably not fazed by a foxtrot. Alex is known for making an entrance in any role, so expect drama, sass, and maybe the occasional shout of “Spoilers!” if things go off the rails. Totally rooting for her to pull a Tango face-off with Craig Revel Horwood. That would be television gold.

Oh, and George Clarke (or George Clarkey, if you’re hip to TikTok). He’s a YouTuber, podcaster, and all-around online legend. I’ll be honest: I only found out who he was because my cousin’s obsessed with his channel. Millions of followers, zany humor, total honesty—you know, the kind of guy who’ll probably film a whole BTS series about learning to cha-cha-cha and nearly falling over in every rehearsal. Love it. Social media stars always bring the Internet drama, so if he tanks, at least we’ll get some hilarious memes out of it.

Let’s not forget La Voix! Runner-up on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK, cabaret dynamo, totally fabulous. She’s basically performed for everyone from RuPaul to the Royal Family (I didn’t even know the Royals hired drag queens, but that’s just another reason I love this country). La Voix is about theatrics, banter, high kicks, and maybe a little controlled chaos—in other words, pretty much everything Strictly needs at least once a series. Can you imagine La Voix going full Diana Ross while attempting a Rumba?! I’d pay double for that ticket.

And then we get Chris Robshaw—rugby legend, England captain, big shoulders, even bigger heart. This is the classic Strictly move: take a guy famous for flattening opponents, stick him in spandex, and see if his enthusiasm translates to rhythm. Chris has already said he’s dragging his mum into Zumba classes, which is so hilariously relatable I am now hoping for an entire montage of rugby footwork set to Latin music. Side note: can a Sidestep help with a Samba? I guess we’ll all find out together.

Actually, now that I’m thinking about it—did Strictly purposely try to make this year’s cast as random as possible? Because, let’s be real, where else are you gonna see a rugby guy, a drag queen, a soap star, a Gladiators sprinter, and a TikTok king all sharing the same dance floor? You won’t. That’s why Strictly is brilliant, sometimes completely over the top, and absolutely a Saturday night necessity.

And—oh!—I almost forgot, Ellie Goldstein. Model, outspoken advocate, and, frankly, an inspiration. She’s made history before and she’ll probably do it again a hundred times over. Super excited to see how she shakes up the studio, because honest representation is what Strictly desperately needed, like, last decade. She’s proof that boundaries are made to be broken; I bet viewers will be cheering her on from week one. Might even get a whole new hashtag trending—#TeamEllie, anyone?

There, that’s the gang so far. Each one brings something completely different. Will Jimmy slide-tackle a dance partner? Will La Voix make the ballroom explode? Will Alex Kingston time-travel her way out of tricky footwork? Dunno! But isn’t that sort of the point? Let’s all tune in and hope somebody forgets their steps in the funniest way possible.

Harry Aikines-Aryeetey

Harry is a former Olympic sprinter and a star of the TV show Gladiators. He’s known for his speed and strength. 

https://www.instagram.com/p/DNNJCqCtoNn/?hl=en

Dani Dyer

Dani gained fame by winning Love Island in 2018 and is recognized for her bubbly personality and her relationship with Jack Fincham.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DNOWjVLtm84/?hl=en

Alex Kingston

Alex is an acclaimed actress, most famous for her role as River Song in Doctor Who, and for her work in ER.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DNOXO-8N9bi/?hl=en

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink

Jimmy is a retired professional footballer, widely regarded as one of Chelsea’s most legendary strikers, with a notable career in the Premier League.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DNOYF5itVV6/?hl=en

Balvinder Sopal

Balvinder is best known for her role as Suki Panesar on EastEnders, a well-loved British soap opera.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DNPrYOvqBLN/?hl=en

George Clarke

George is a popular YouTuber and podcaster, well-known for his lifestyle and fitness content, boasting a large following.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DNQqoCuqTHk/?hl=en

La Voix

La Voix is a renowned drag queen, famous for her performances on RuPaul’s Drag Race UK and her extraordinary vocal talent.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DNSU92UNO2t/?hl=en

Chris Robshaw

Chris captained the England rugby team and is highly respected in the world of rugby for his leadership and contributions to the sport.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DNSVG2qt88f/?hl=en

Ellie Goldstein

Ellie is a groundbreaking model, recognized for being the first person with Down syndrome to compete on Strictly Come Dancing.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DNSZmsqtSA_/?hl=en