BBC Strictly Come Dancing's 14th contestant revealed with surprise link to former winner
The final two stars appeared on BBC Radio 2's morning show with Gary Davies, who was standing in for Vernon Kay. The thirteenth's identity was revealed moments before live on ITV's Lorraine and is the show's LA celeb correspondent, Ross King.
Karen told R2 listeners: "I'm huge fan of the show and I can't wait. It's a relief to get this out there.
READ MORE: Strictly Come Dancing's Tom Skinner responds to backlash over announcement
READ MORE: BBC Strictly Come Dancing 2025 celebrity line-up in full
"My family don't know. Only a couple of people who need to know. You kinda want to be part of that Strictly secrecy."
The former Arsenal player follows in the footsteps of her ex-Lioness roommate, Alex Scott, who appeared on the show in 2019 and Karen added: "I'll be asking her for some tips."
"When you're watching it at home, you're mesmerised. I got to watch it in the studio last year, I begged for a ticket."
Gary then asked Karen what her favourite Strictly moment was and she opened up about a surprise connection with last year's glitterball holder, comedian Chris McCausland.
"Seeing Chris win was great - I used to live in the same block as Chris."
With 144 caps, Karen is England's third most-capped player, competing at four World Cups, four European Championships and the London Olympics before retiring in 2019. Aside from her incredible playing and broadcast career, Karen has secured a name for herself as a trailblazer in the advancement of women in sport. In 2022 she began leading a landmark government review with the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, into the 'Future of Women's Football' in the UK, every recommendation of which was successfully backed by the government in 2023. In the same year, she also hosted the ITV series Leaders of the Pack which saw her have candid conversations with key figures in women's international football.
Karen made history at the men's World Cup 2022 as part of the first all-female line-up to analyse a men's football game. Summer 2024 saw her lead the ITV coverage of the men's Euros, including the nail-biting final between England and Spain. She again led the way for ITV in both of the Lionesses' 2022 and 2025 historic women's Euro wins. Karen was awarded an MBE in 2017, and an OBE in 2024, for services to association football.
Earlier this morning, Ross King said: "On joining Strictly Come Dancing, Ross King says: 'From the bright lights of Hollywood to the glittering ballroom - it's a dream come true to be part of such an iconic show. I can't wait to learn from the best, meet my fellow contestants, and, most importantly… try not to step on too many toes! Let's give this the best that I can! As my mum always said: 'You'll never know till you give it a go!'
Meanwhile, for everything Strictly 2025, click here. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter
The new series of Strictly will return to BBC next month, on September 20, as confirmed by Jon Kay on BBC Breakfast this week, more on that here.
So far the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing line-up includes Harry Aikines-Aryeetey aka Nitro on Gladiators, Dani Dyer, Alex Kingston, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Balvinder Sopal and Youtuber George Clarke.
La Voix and Chris Robshaw were revealed as the seventh and eighth stars joining the Strictly line-up during Scott Mills' BBC Radio 2 Show on Wednesday. Also, trailblazing model and actress, Ellie Goldstein participation in the show was also announced. Yesterday, August 14, two new stars were announced and they were Neighbours legend, Stefan Dennis and TV star Vicky Pattison.
Strictly Come Dancing 2025 returns to BBC One this September
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