ByIan Youngs, Steven McIntosh and Helen BushbyCulture reporters
- Published10 June 2026
Updated 8 hours ago
Actress Jaime Winstone, known for roles in Made in Dagenham and EastEnders, has joined the line-up for Strictly Come Dancing 2026.
She is the eighth celebrity to be confirmed for this year's series, joining stars including Delta Goodrem, Lacey Turner and Dani Dyer.
Winstone, who won acclaim for her portrayal of Barbara Windsor in the BBC biopic Babs, said she was "so excited" to be joining the dance competition.
The actress said in a statement she was "no stranger to a dance floor", but added that ballroom is "a whole new world for me".
"I love a challenge though," she continued, "so can't wait to enter my showgirl era and get super sparkly!"
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.
She 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.
Scroll down to see the rest of this year's line-up so far:
Image source, PA MediaImage caption,
Dame Sarah said she "can't wait to get started'
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 swimmer and cyclist said embarking on the challenge is "hugely exciting" and she "can't wait to get started".
"I have always loved watching Strictly and my daughter Louisa is a very talented dancer, so to be able to learn from the best and hopefully understand even more about her world, is incredibly motivating!" she said.
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 BBC 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. And I cannot wait!
"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.
"I have grown up watching the show with my family and am so excited to now be part of the cast," he said.
Mercer also showcases his Afrobeat, hip-hop and street dance moves on his social media accounts.
"Dancing is a huge passion of mine and I can't wait to learn ballroom and do the foxtrot for the first time!" he added.
Delta Goodrem is also part of this year's celebrity list, with the Australian singer and actress becoming the third celebrity to be announced for the upcoming series.
"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. I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining Strictly and can't wait to get started."
She rose to fame in hit Australian soap opera Neighbours and recently represented her nation in the 2026 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Celebrity hair stylist Chris Appleton is also part of this year's line-up.
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.
"I may know my way around a salon floor, but the dance floor is a whole different story - and I can't wait to get started."
Lacey Turner was the first contestant to be announced for this year's series, which is expected to begin in September.
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 BBC One soap, which she joined in 2004.
She has won a British Soap Award and National Television Award for her role, and has also starred in TV dramas including the BBC's Our Girl.
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."
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Dyer fractured her ankle when she "landed funny" in rehearsals with dance partner Nikita Kuzmin last year
Dani Dyer, the media personality and daughter of actor Danny Dyer appeared in the launch episode last year, but was then injured in training and pulled out before the competition began.
That incident has not put her off trying again. "I am so excited to be back in the ballroom this September," she said.
"I just cannot wait to get my dancing shoes back on and hopefully this time around I can actually make it to week one! I'm just over the moon and cannot wait to find out who else is doing it."
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.
She was replaced by actress Amber Davies, another former Love Island winner, who went on to reach the Strictly final.
Earlier this year, Dyer was joint winner of Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, and appeared with her dad in TV show The Dyers' Caravan Park.
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New Strictly co-host Josh Widdicombe (centre) welcomed Dyer on Instagram with the words: "YES DANI!!!!"
Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis and Johannes Radebe will take over as Strictly presenters this year, following the departures of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
The first line-up announcements were made significantly earlier than usual - the BBC usually confirms the line-up in August.
Speaking to ITV's Good Morning Britain in June, Ballas said: "There are going to be some people on there that will make you go 'wow'."
Asked about the new presenting trio, Ballas said she was "very excited to see what they bring" to the show.
"I know they took lots of chemistry tests, as did everybody, and those chemistry tests have brought those three people together, and I believe it's absolutely unbelievable," she said.
Ballas described the number of new elements on this year's show as "quite extraordinary", but added that it will still feel familiar to viewers.
"I don't think they'll change the show too much, maybe tweaks here and there, but no major changes."
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.
However, professional dancers Gorka Marquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk, Karen Hauer and Michelle Tsiakkas will not be returning this year.
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