The BBC’s flagship ballroom contest Strictly Come Dancing returned with a redesigned launch on Saturday that staged the celebrity-professional pairings as a live reveal in front of the studio audience.
New format for pairing and fresh faces on the floor
For the first time in the programme’s history each celebrity discovered their professional partner during the launch show itself, unveiled through three specially choreographed group routines performed live. The change replaced the pre-recorded pairing announcements of previous years and offered viewers and the studio audience a more theatrical introduction to the cast.
Producers also confirmed that the line-up includes several recent additions to the professional team. Among those making their debut with celebrity partners are Maddie Ingoldsby and Marka Karmalita. By contrast, three other newcomers — Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori and Lethabo Monametsi — do not have celebrity partners this series, and returning professional Neil Jones likewise misses out on a pairing.
Who’s paired with whom
The launch spelled out the celebrity-pro pairings for the 2026 series, with well-known faces drawn from drama, sport and television alongside familiar Strictly names. The announced couples are:
- Lacey Turner & Vito Coppola
- Dani Dyer & Nikita Kuzmin
- Delta Goodrem & Kai Widdrington
- Chris Appleton & Amy Dowden
- Cach Mercer & Maddie Ingoldsby
- Will Best & Dianne Buswell
- Dame Sarah Storey & Julian Caillon
- Jaime Winstone & Carlos Gu
- Bethany Antonia & Nancy Xu
- Shaun Wright-Phillips & Alexis Warr
- Graeme Hall & Lauren Oakley
- Lawrence Robb & Jowita Przystał
- Tabby Stoecker & Mark Karmalita
- John Nellis & Katya Jones
- Melanie Walters & Aljaž Škorjanec
- Maddie Ingoldsby & Marka Karmalita
| Celebrity | Professional |
|---|---|
| Lacey Turner | Vito Coppola |
| Delta Goodrem | Kai Widdrington |
| Shaun Wright-Phillips | Alexis Warr |
What this means for the competition
Producers have said the scores from the first week will be carried over to week two, meaning viewers can expect the opening live show to be a non-elimination episode — a familiar safety net that allows celebrities to settle into rehearsals under less result-driven pressure. The first live competitive show is scheduled for Saturday 19 September at 7:25pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
The launch also offered a glimpse of backstage activity as the celebrities began their training regimes and rehearsals. Additionally, last year’s champion Karen Carney made a return to the floor with a reprise of her celebrated football jive, performing alongside professional dancer Carlos Gu.
Notable changes and questions ahead
The format tweak to reveal pairings live injects a gameshow-style moment into the launch, and may heighten early audience engagement. Key points to watch in the coming weeks include music choices for routines, choreography directions from the new professionals and how the uneven distribution of partners among the new cohort impacts rehearsal time and screen focus.
- New professional dancers with celebrity partners include Maddie Ingoldsby and Marka Karmalita.
- Three incoming pros — Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori and Lethabo Monametsi — currently have no celebrity partners.
- There will be no elimination in week one; scores carry over to week two.
As rehearsals continue and the first live performances approach, viewers will be watching both for the usual mixture of technical improvement and star turns, and to see whether the new presentation choices change the ebb and flow of the series. Strictly’s blend of spectacle and celebrity remains intact, but the subtle reshuffle of professionals and the live-pairing gambit means this autumn’s competition is shaping up to feel a touch different — and perhaps a little more theatrical — than before.
