On Saturday night, viewers came upon which celebrities had been put collectively together with Welsh dancer Amy Dowden, who had been absent from the BBC One present final yr resulting from a most cancers analysis, however has been given the all clear and returned.
There are not any same-sex pairs for the primary time in a number of years.
Here’s a round-up of the dancing {couples} under:
– Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell
McCausland, 47, joked that Buswell, 35, “actually desires November off” so she is delighted with having him as a companion.
On the present, former Strictly finalist Buswell mentioned she is just not certain how “it’s going to work” between her and the comic, who’s the primary blind Strictly contestant.
McCausland mentioned: “We’re going to make errors and have amusing about them. Then we’re going to show up right here and present you the entire errors that we’ve learnt.”
– Wynne Evans and Katya Jones
2017 Strictly winner Jones, 35, mentioned that she has “no plan” on how she and opera singer Evans will compete within the hopes of lifting the Glitterball trophy.
Their first dance is the Samba to Assist Your self by Tom Jones.
– Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu
The X Issue winner and The Good Ship Homicide star known as Xu “an exceptional dancer”.
Xu, who was beforehand partnered with Jamie Borthwick in the course of the Christmas particular, mentioned that her “purpose” was to be aggressive as it’s Ward’s purpose.
– Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas
That is the primary time that Tsiakkas was partnered with a star on Strictly, and mentioned that it was “a dream come true”.
Borthwick, who gained with Xu in the course of the festive programme, mentioned he thought this collection was a “complete completely different ball recreation” because it spanned rather a lot longer when it comes to preparation.
– Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe
Olympian Douglas, also referred to as Hearth within the Gladiators, mentioned she doesn’t suppose there’s “an individual on this earth who doesn’t need to be partnered with JoJo”.
Mixing their names collectively, she joked that they’d be “bringing the MoJo”.
– Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal
Actuality star Wicks, 36, joked that his fascinating wardrobe decisions have been as a result of he was “by no means going to be right here once more”, earlier than saying that he’s “going to win it” with Przystal.
Their first dance goes to the Paso Doble to The Prodigy’s Breathe.
– Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin
Morning Reside host and former hockey participant Quek, 35, was put with 2023 finalist Kuzmin and was praised by the skilled dancer as being “so beautiful” and “caring”.
She mentioned she had “by no means felt nerves prefer it” earlier than being on the present.
– Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones
Singer-songwriter Willcox, 66, mentioned she plans to be “the primary pensioner to abseil by way of this studio” and is “channelling my inside Dolly Parton”.
Jones, 42, mentioned he was “terrified of heights however I’m up for it”.
– JB Gill and Amy Dowden
JLS star Gill had already needed Dowden as his companion, and mentioned “she’s received expertise with popstars, so I do know I’m in good palms”, referring to her beforehand being partnered with McFly star Tom Fletcher.
Dowden mentioned: “I’m delighted, it simply appears like my first yr over again. I simply need JB to have the most effective time and fall in love with dancing.”
Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola
2023 champion Coppola didn’t categorical any confidence in successful this time round, and as a substitute mentioned they’ll each attempt to “stay within the second and the current”.
Hadland known as herself a “superfan” of the present.
– Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec
Love Island star Ghouri, who’s the second deaf contestant to compete on the present after Rose Ayling-Ellis in 2021, mentioned that “incapacity or not, it’s about celebrating dance and placing smiles on faces”.
Skorjanec mentioned he was “completely ecstatic” to be again after a two-year hiatus from the present.
– Paul Merson and Karen Hauer
Former Arsenal participant Merson, 56, was put with what Strictly mentioned was the longest-serving professional, Hauer, 42, a finalist with earlier contestants Jaime Laing and Mark Wright.
He mentioned: “You’ve put the 2 oldest collectively… and I’m one in all them” earlier than Hauer introduced their dance could be an American Easy routine to Vindaloo by Fats Les.
– Dr Punam Krishan and Gorka Marquez
This Morning star Dr Punam was with Marquez, who presenter Claudia Winkleman mentioned had scored extra 10s than some other skilled dancer at the moment on the present.
The 41-year-old Scottish physician mentioned she “can’t wait to take you up north to bonnie Scotland”, when talking about Marquez.
Tom Dean and Nadiya Bychkova
Olympic swimmer Dean, 24, warned the viewers that he has “delicate ft” as he’s not used to being on land.
Bychkova mentioned: “I’m tremendous joyful, he’s not only a swimmer.. he’s a winner!”
– Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk
Knowles and Mushtuk have been introduced as the ultimate pairing of the launch present, and the DIY SOS star referred to her as “somebody who’d be affected person”.
He mentioned: “I’ve had a little bit of physique work completed, although – a twig paint, actually”, whereas she joked: “I’m fairly certain with a while and numerous follow, I’ll try to make you right into a Maserati.”