4 days ago
The full Strictly line-up – and who will win
The final Strictly contestant for 2025 has been announced, giving the show a line-up that is the usual mix of actors, musicians, athletes, presenters and reality TV and (a fixture in recent years) social media stars.
Karen Carney, the former England women's footballer, Kristian Nairn, a DJ who formerly appeared in Game of Thrones, and Ross King, a reporter on ITV's Good Morning Britain, were the final three names to be revealed on Friday morning.
Here is the full rundown of contestants, and our critic Michael Hogan's thoughts on who will fly, who will flop and who might be in the running for the glitterball:
Who is in the 2025 line-up?
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink – ex-footballer
The Dutch international has played for some of the world's biggest clubs, including Atlético Madrid and Chelsea. He has gone on to have a successful career as a football pundit and served as assistant coach for the England national team. He joined Strictly after his daughters introduced him to the show.
'I'm a father of only girls and Strictly is part of our home life,' he said. 'I've got into it. I like the show. Let's have a go. Honestly, I have no idea what to expect. I'm competitive I'm going to do my best. Otherwise, I'm going to get some serious stick at home.'
Ross King – LA correspondent on ITV
Scottish presenter Ross King made a surprise announcement during his Hollywood news segment on Lorraine: he announced the next Strictly contestant was himself. King appears daily on ITV1's Good Morning Britain and Lorraine as their Los Angeles correspondent, delivering all the showbiz news. The 63-year-old has also been a regular fixture on US television, winning four News Emmys for his red-carpet reporting. He was made an MBE in 2018.
'From the bright lights of Hollywood to the glittering ballroom, it's a dream come true to be part of such an iconic show,' he said. '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.'
Chris Robshaw – former England rugby captain
Chris Robshaw is very familiar with winning, having led the England rugby team to a Six Nations Grand Slam victory in 2016. He captained the side 43 times and played more than 300 games for his club Harlequins, becoming the only player to win the Aviva Premiership Player of the Year Award twice. He retired in 2022. Robshaw is the ninth rugby player to take part in Strictly, but none has ever lifted the glitterball trophy.
Robshaw said: 'This is about as far out of my comfort zone as it gets. I'm hoping to take my dad dancing to a whole new level, and my mum can't wait to drag me along to her zumba class. Let's see if a rugby sidestep works in the cha cha cha.'
La Voix – singer, entertainer and Drag Race UK finalist
Drag Race fans will know Chris Dennis, aka La Voix, as a finalist from the 2024 series, but the performer has also been seen on ITV's Queens For the Night, Paramount's Queen of the Universe, and as a semi-finalist on Britain's Got Talent. No doubt we're in for some spectacular outfits on the dancefloor.
La Voix said: 'I've performed for royalty, RuPaul and Simon Cowell, but nothing fills me with more excitement (and quite a bit of terror) than the thought of dancing in front of millions on live Saturday night TV. Strictly is a national institution and I can't wait to get started. All that's left to say is: good luck to my partner. Here's hoping they can help me go from La Voix into La Danse.'
Balvinder Sopal – EastEnders star
The actress is best known for playing Suki Kaur Panesar (now Unwin) in EastEnders, but has had a 20-plus-year career spanning theatre, radio, film and television, with roles in Call the Midwife, Doctors, Hollyoaks and Coronation Street. She joined EastEnders in 2019.
'Being on Strictly is a dream that I held on to, with no proof that it would ever happen,' she said. 'Working on EastEnders and being a part of Strictly Come Dancing is the stuff that dreams are made of. I'm far too excited to put into words how I feel but I'm incredibly excited at the prospect of dancing across the ballroom.'
Stefan Dennis – Neighbours star
Best known as Paul from Neighbours, 66-year-old Stefan Dennis first appeared in the soap in its very first episode in 1985 and has played the dastardly businessman on and off ever since (Neighbours is finally due to end in December after being cancelled by Amazon Freevee). Prior to Neighbours, he also appeared widely on Australian television, including Prisoner, The Henderson Kids, The Sullivans, Young Doctors and Sons and Daughters. He's only the third Neighbours star to appear on the contest, after Jason Donovan and Holly Valance, who came third and fourth respectively in the 2011 series.
Dennis said: 'This is an opportunity for me to once again learn to step out of my comfort zone in the world of television. Looking forward to the sparkle and reaching for the sky.'
Alex Kingston – ER and Doctor Who star
Born in Surrey, Alex Kingston achieved fame in the US as a star of 1990s medical drama ER, where she played Doctor Elizabeth Corday opposite George Clooney. She went on to play River Song in Doctor Who and to appear in superhero series Arrow and supernatural drama A Discovery of Witches.
She was inspired to go on Strictly after her friend, the actress Sarah Hadland, gave it a twirl last year: 'I thought, 'My God, I'm in my sixties – just go for it. What have you to lose?''
Thomas Skinner – former Apprentice contestant
Skinner came to fame on the 2019 series of The Apprentice, where he was fired by Lord Sugar in week nine.
He's also appeared on shows such as 8 out of 10 Cats, The Wheel, Michael McIntyre's Big Show, Good Morning Britain and Celebrity MasterChef. He made headlines recently thanks to his friendship with JD Vance, and is now mostly known for his presence on social media, where he signs off posts with the catchphrase: 'Bosh.'
'I'm beyond excited to be joining Strictly Come Dancing,' he said. 'I've tackled the boardroom and some big breakfasts in my time but stepping onto the dance floor under that glitter ball is next-level stuff. I've never danced in my life (other than at weddings) but I'm ready to graft and of course have a laugh. Bring on the sequins, sambas and most importantly, the bosh to the ballroom!'
Karen Carney – former Lioness and sports TV presenter
Now best known for being the lead female pundit for both men's and women's football, across TNT and ITV, Karen Carney was a professional footballer for 18 years, playing for Chelsea, Arsenal and Birmingham City. She also spent 14 years playing for England and, with 144 caps, is the national team's third-most-capped player. She co-hosts the Long Story Short podcast with fellow England alumni Jill Scott. 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, and in 2024 was made an OBE.
Carney said: 'It really is a dream come true to be a part of this year's Strictly Come Dancing line-up. I'm such a huge fan of the show and I can't believe I'm finally getting the chance to take part. I'm so excited to meet everyone and get dancing.'
Harry Aikines-Aryeetey – Nitro from Gladiators
Olympian and multiple-gold-medal-winning Team GB sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey has taken on a new persona since retiring from athletics: as Nitro in the hugely popular reboot of Gladiators. He also took part in last year's Christmas special, where he was partnered with Nancy Xu.
He said: 'After the Christmas special, it was so nice I just had to do it twice. I'm so excited to be part of the Strictly family this series, and I'm ready to give it all I've got. I'll be bringing tons of energy to light up the dance floor. Let's hope I'm as quick picking up the routines as I am on the track.'
Kristian Nairn – DJ and Hodor in Game of Thrones
Alongside his famous role as Hodor ('hold the door!') in Game of Thrones, as well as appearing in pirate comedy Our Flag Means Death, Kristian Nairn is also an internationally renowned house and trance DJ who has played in superclubs around the world.
'This will be a huge challenge for me physically, but I'm ready to rise to it,' said Nairn. 'It's a surreal and wonderful opportunity to shed one of my left feet.'
Vicky Pattison – presenter, author and reality star
She was crowned Queen of the Jungle on I'm a Celebrity… in 2015, but can she do the same on Strictly? Pattison first came to prominence on Geordie Shore but has since carved out an impressive career making documentaries, writing bestselling novels and memoirs and taking part in reality endurance challenges such as Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins and Arctic Challenge for Comic Relief. She's also a radio and podcast presenter.
'I'm absolutely buzzing to be part of this year's line-up... but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't terrified,' Pattison said. 'I am not a natural dancer. However, it's such an amazing opportunity for me to step out of my comfort zone and to challenge myself in a completely new way, and I just really hope I don't make too much of a fool of myself.'
George Clarke – YouTuber and podcaster
Not the Channel 4 presenter who loves a treehouse, but the successful social media content creator who is known as a collaborator of fellow social media stars the Sidemen, and has amassed millions of followers on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube with his comedy skits. He also co-hosts The Useless Hotline Podcast.
He said: 'Honestly, I've got no idea what I'm doing, but I'm excited to get stuck in… and potentially fall over a fair bit.'
Dani Dyer – reality star
Actor Danny Dyer 's daughter, Dani Dyer rose to fame in series four of Love Island, where she finished first alongside Jack Fincham and has since gone on to be a guest reporter on the One Show and had an acting cameo on EastEnders, playing a taxi driver opposite her father who portrays series regular Mick Carter. Dyer recently married West Ham footballer Jarrod Bowen.
She said: 'It's just a fun magical show. To be asked to do it was such an honour. I'm just so excited. Picking up the routines… being on live telly petrifies me'.
Ellie Goldstein – model and actress
In 2023, Goldstein made history by becoming the first ever model with Down's syndrome to be featured on the cover of Vogue. As well as appearing on the covers of Glamour, Elle, Mission Mag and Euphoria magazines, she has partnered with Mattel to produce the first Barbie doll with Down's. She's also recently expanded into acting and is a series regular on CBBC's Malory Towers.
She said: 'I'm absolutely over the moon to be joining the cast and pros of Strictly Come Dancing this year. It's a show I've loved watching for so long, and the chance to now be part of it feels like a dream. I know it's going to be challenging, but I'm ready to do it with the glitter and glamour and make some magic on that dance floor. Let the Strictly journey begin.'
When is Strictly Come Dancing?
There's no confirmed date yet, but it usually begins on the second or third weekend of September.
Who are the judges?
Last year's judges will be returning for 2025. Alongside Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas, former Strictly pro Anton Du Beke has become a permanent fixture.
Who are the professional dancers this year?
All the pros from last year will be returning. They are Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Amy Dowden, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Jowita Przystał, Johannes Radebe, Aljaž Škorjanec, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas and Vito Coppola.
They will also be joined by two new recruits: Alexis Warr, who won the 2022 American series So You Think You Can Dance, and Australian ballroom dancer and physiologist Julian Caillon.
