Gavin & Stacey star Melanie Walters has officially become the 15th and final celebrity to be announced for the highly anticipated line-up of Strictly Come Dancing 2026. Her inclusion completes the roster for the upcoming season of the popular dance competition. Walters is widely recognized for her role as the mild-mannered, omelette-obsessed Gwen West in the beloved comedy series, a character she has portrayed since 2007. Her tenure in the role included the widely watched finale broadcast during the Christmas period in 2024.
Reflecting on her new challenge, Walters shared a statement regarding her transition from stage to ballroom. “Performing in pantomime for the last 15 years, my Strictly ‘fix’ has always been watching in a dressing room rather than my front room,” she remarked. She expressed genuine enthusiasm for the change, stating, “This year I am completely thrilled and happy to swap my fairy wand for sequinned dance shoes.” She added: “I just hope I don’t follow Cinderella and leave one on the Ballroom stairs. I cannot wait to take part in this absolutely iconic show, it is going to be a blast.”
Walters is also known for roles in Coronation Street, Beyond Paradise, Doc Martin, Being Human, Death Valley, and Stella. Her film credits include High Tide and Save the Cinema, while she has also appeared in stage productions such as The Vagina Monologues. All 15 celebrity contestants have now been confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing, with the full line-up showcasing a diverse range of talent from the worlds of sport, acting, and media.
Football content creator John Nellis, who boasts more than 20 million followers across social media, is among the participants. He has amassed billions of views for his videos featuring global soccer stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. The former air traffic controller said he was “a little nervous” because he has never danced before, but is hoping to be “much better at family parties by the end of it.”
Team GB skeleton racer Tabby Stoecker, who won gold at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games, is also joining the cast. Stoecker is a World Cup race winner, a double World Championship medallist, and a European Championship medallist who only made her international debut in the sport five years ago. When her participation was announced, Stoecker said she was “over the moon” to be joining this year’s Strictly cast. “I’ve had the wildest year of my life so far,” she continued, “so to be rounding it off with a childhood dream of dancing in the Strictly ballroom is surreal and I can’t wait to get stuck in!”
Emmerdale actor Lawrence Robb, who has played Mackenzie ‘Mack’ Boyd in the ITV soap since 2020, is also set to compete. His other credits include appearing opposite Billie Piper in I Hate Suzie and in various stage productions. In a statement, the actor joked: “I don’t know who’s more excited about this, me or my mother. I can’t quite believe that I am going to be getting my dancing shoes on this September on one of my favourite shows.” He added: “It’s a dream come true, and I can’t wait to bring my all to ballroom. Wish me luck, and any advice is very welcome – trust me I’ll need it!”
Known as the Dogfather, Graeme Hall has appeared on Channel 5’s Dog’s Behaving (Very) Badly since the show’s launch in 2017. The presenter and dog trainer has also fronted The Dog Hospital and contributed to radio programmes, ITV’s This Morning, and wrote a regular column for the Times. Hall has also written books including The Ultimate Kid’s Guide to Dogs and previously made a cameo appearance in the hit drama All Creatures Great and Small. Regarding his new role, Hall said: “I can’t believe I am joining the cast of Strictly for 2026. I have always loved dancing, so to be a part of it feels like a very exciting challenge, albeit more daunting than training a stubborn puppy.”
Other celebrities to be confirmed for Strictly this year include former England and Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips. The football pundit, who is the son of Arsenal legend Ian Wright, had 36 caps for England and also played for Chelsea and QPR. His fancy footwork may have dazzled on the pitch but Wright-Phillips said this latest challenge “is completely different.” “Dancing is in my blood – but mainly at family events!” he said. “I’m super excited to get started and really test my coordination.”
Dani Dyer, the media personality and daughter of actor Danny Dyer, is also returning to the competition. She appeared in the launch episode last year, but was then injured in training and pulled out before the competition began. The 29-year-old, who first found fame on Love Island in 2018, fractured her ankle when she “landed funny” in rehearsals with dance partner Nikita Kuzmin before the competitive episodes began last September. “I am so excited to be back in the ballroom this September,” she said. “I’m just over the moon and cannot wait to find out who else is doing it.”
Earlier this year, Dyer was joint winner of Channel 4’s Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, and appeared with her dad in the TV show The Dyers’ Caravan Park. New Strictly co-host Josh Widdicombe welcomed Dyer on Instagram with the words: “YES DANI!!!!” Her return is highly anticipated by fans who were disappointed by her early exit during the previous season.
Antonia Thomas, who has portrayed dragon-rider Lady Baela Targaryen in HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel since 2022, is also on the roster. Her acting career began when she was 14 when she appeared in a short film adaptation of The Tempest. The singer and actress has also appeared in series including Nolly, Stay Close, Stath Lets Flats, and Doctor Who. She remains a prominent figure in British television and is expected to bring a high level of performance to the ballroom.
With the full line-up now confirmed, the production team is preparing for the launch show, which will pair the celebrities with their professional dance partners. The 2026 series promises to be one of the most competitive yet, featuring a mix of seasoned performers and newcomers to the world of dance. Viewers can look forward to the return of the iconic ballroom setting and the high-energy routines that have made Strictly Come Dancing a staple of British entertainment for over two decades.
While ex-footballers have had mixed fortunes on previous Strictly series, former soccer star Karen Carney flipped the script last year by winning the coveted glitterball.
She is currently starring as Eurydice in the Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown in London’s West End.
Jaime Winstone launched her acting career in 2004 and her film credits include Bullet Boy, Tomb Raider and Wild Bill, as well stage productions such as 2:22 A Ghost Story.
Winstone has also appeared in TV series such as Poirot, Dead Set, Torvill & Dean, Mad Dogs, Count Abdulla and Four Lives.
After playing Windsor in Babs, Winstone stepped into the late actress’s famous role of Peggy Mitchell in EastEnders, appearing in flashback specials, most recently in the soap’s 40th anniversary last year.
Known as Great Britain’s most successful Paralympian of all time, Dame Sarah Storey has secured 19 gold medals across the nine Paralympic Games she competed in.
The former athlete won four golds at London 2012.
She started her career as a swimmer and later switched to cycling, winning 30 Paralympic medals in total.
Best is known for hosting Big Brother with AJ Odudu on ITV since 2023, and as host of the Hits Radio Breakfast Show alongside Fleur East and James Barr.
He said it was “an absolute dream” to be taking to the One contest’s dance floor in September, “albeit a pretty terrifying one”.
Best added: “I’ve been lucky to do lots of live telly before, but absolutely nothing like this.
“I have no idea if I can actually dance, but bring on the sequins, bring on the quicksteps, bring on the dance floor!
I’m going to try to enjoy every minute of it.”
Mercer was part of the winning couple on ITV dating show Love Island last year, and also works as a model and DJ, and is an ambassador for a young people’s mental health charity.
Mercer also showcases his Afrobeat, hip-hop and street dance moves on his social media accounts.
“I’ve been incredibly honoured to perform on many different stages throughout my career – from TV, theatre, film sets, to touring my own shows around the world,” Goodrem said.
“There is, however, one stage I’ve never stepped onto and that is the ballroom floor.
She rose to fame in hit Australian soap opera Neighbours and recently represented her nation in the 2026 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Appleton, best known for his work with Kim Kardashian, joins singer-songwriter Delta Goodrem, EastEnders actress Lacey Turner and reality star Dani Dyer in the battle for the Glitterball trophy.
The Leicester-born Color Wow creative director said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Strictly Come Dancing and coming home to the UK for this incredible experience.”
He has also created red carpet looks for the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry and Ariana Grande, while having his work showcased on the covers of publications including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar and Vanity Fair.
“I’ve always believed that the best things happen when you take a chance and try something new,” added the 43-year-old, who this year released a memoir entitled Your Roots Don’t Define You.
She said she was “so excited to be making my way to the dance floor”, adding that she was a “huge fan” of the show.
Turner, 38, is best known for her role as Stacey Slater on the One soap, which she joined in 2004.
In a video posted on Instagram, Turner said she was “so excited and so terrified at the same time” to be taking part in the show.
“But I’ve had so many friends do Strictly, and I thought it was about time that I pluck up the courage and made my way on to the dance floor.”
That incident has not put her off trying again.
Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe will take over as Strictly presenters this year, following the departures of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke will all return as judges.
Regular pro dancers including Amy Dowden, Dianne Buswell, Katya Jones, Vito Coppola and Aljaz Skorjanec will all be back on the dance floor.
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