John Nellis, one of the UK’s most prominent sports content creators, has been confirmed as the penultimate celebrity joining the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 line‑up, the BBC has revealed.
Another familiar face for the ballroom
Nellis, who has built a large online following through sports content, joins a list of established performers and personalities who will take to the famous ballroom later this year. In announcing his participation, Nellis admitted to mixed emotions about the challenge ahead.
"I'm still in disbelief that I've been selected for Strictly and, if I'm honest, I'm a little nervous as I've never danced before! It's such an incredible opportunity, and I'm going to throw myself into every moment. I can't wait to meet everyone, learn a new skill and, hopefully, be much better at family parties by the end of it!"
The casting so far includes a mixture of actors, presenters, musicians and sporting figures. The BBC has confirmed that one more celebrity will be announced to complete the 2026 line-up, and Gavin and Stacey actor Melanie Walters is being widely rumoured as the final addition.
Who’s already signed up
The confirmed celebrities named in the announcement are:
- Lacey Turner — actress
- Dani Dyer — TV personality
- Delta Goodrem — singer and actress
- Chris Appleton — conceptual hair stylist
- Cach Mercer
- Will Best
- Dame Sarah Storey
- Jaime Winstone
- Bethany Antonia
- Shaun Wright‑Phillips
- Graeme Hall
- Laurence Robb
- Tabby Stoecker
- John Nellis — sports content creator
Broadcasters and fans will be watching to see how the mix of professional performers and relative newcomers fare when the Strictly engine gets going later this year. The show traditionally pairs each celebrity with a professional dancer and tests them across ballroom and Latin styles, often producing surprise favourites and viral moments.
Context and expectations
Strictly Come Dancing remains one of the BBC’s flagship entertainment formats, with a history of drawing large audiences and generating intense public debate about contestants, judges’ decisions and weekly performances. The casting for 2026 appears aimed at balancing household names with personalities who can bring younger or more digitally native viewers.
Several of the announced cast members have previous TV experience or public profiles that suggest they will be comfortable under studio lights, while others—like Nellis—represent a newer cohort of creators whose followings live primarily online. That mix often translates into a varied viewing demographic and lively social-media engagement once the series begins.
| Contestant | Best known for |
|---|---|
| Lacey Turner | Actress |
| Dani Dyer | TV personality |
| Delta Goodrem | Singer and actress |
| Chris Appleton | Conceptual hair stylist |
| John Nellis | Sports content creator |
Producers will hope the casting sparks fresh narratives across the series — redemption arcs, unlikely partnerships and the occasional dark horse. For viewers, the appeal is part spectacle, part skill acquisition: watching famous faces attempt routines they have never performed before, week after week.
With one name still to come, the remaining reveal will complete what organisers will hope is a competitive and entertaining line‑up. In the meantime, Nellis’s public admission of nerves and enthusiasm gives the show an immediately relatable storyline: a creator accustomed to camera work but untested in partnered dance.
Strictly returns to the ballroom in the autumn; until then, rehearsals and publicity will ramp up as contestants begin their training and prepare for life under the judges’ critical gaze.
