Strictly Come Dancing 2025: Start date for new series revealed

Strictly Come Dancing 2025: Start date for the BBC show starring 15 new celebrities revealed

Strictly Come Dancing will soon be back on our screens with some serious razzle dazzle and jazz hands – but what is the 2025 series start date?

Fifteen brand new celebrities are once again taking to the ballroom this year and they will be entertaining us with their pro partners throughout autumn and in the lead up to Christmas.

The couples will be battling it out to make it to the final, with one pair eventually lifting the Glitterball Trophy. But who’s taking part and when exactly does Strictly Come Dancing 2025 start?

Strictly Come Dancing 2025’s start date is just weeks away [Credit: BBC]

Strictly Come Dancing line-up

The full Strictly Come Dancing line-up was announced last month. In usual fashion, the names of the celebrities taking part were drip fed to fans over the course of a week.

Gladiator Nitro – real name Harry Aikines-Aryeete – was the first celebrity to be announced for Strictly 2025. The professional athlete was followed by ER and Doctor Who actress Alex Kingston, Love Island star Dani Dyer and retired football Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal was next to be confirmed for the 2025 series. Balvinder joins social media influencer George Clarke. Drag Race UK’s La Voix and rugby legend Chris Robshaw were also announced. The BBC then confirmed model and actress Ellie Goldstein for the line-up.

Apprentice star Thomas Skinner was revealed during the Breakfast Show on Hits Radio. Reality star Vicky Pattison was then unveiled during This Morning, before Neighbours legend Stefan Dennis also made his appearance on the ITV show to confirm his signing.

TV showbiz journalist Ross King was revealed the following day on ITV’s Lorraine. Footballer Karen Carney and actor Kristian Nairn’s reveal came very quickly after on Radio 2.

However, less than a week later, Game of Thrones actor Kristian had pulled out of Strictly.

EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal is starring in Strictly Come Dancing 2025 [Credit: BBC]

Kristian Nairn quits

Kristian Nairn quit Strictly Come Dancing on medical grounds. No further details have since been revealed.

The GoT star said at the time: “With a heavy heart, I have to step back from this season of Strictly Come Dancing due to unexpected medical reasons.

“I was truly looking forward to the journey, and I’m deeply sorry to disappoint anyone who was looking forward to seeing me on the dance floor. Thank you all for your support, and I will be back on my feet very soon, in every sense. Love to all, Kristian.”

Who has replaced him?

Strictly Come Dancing was quick to jump into action after Kristian quit the show. His celebrity replacement was announced within hours.

Welsh actor Lewis Cope is now taking part in the BBC show instead. Lewis is best known for starring as Nicky Milligan, a live‑in nanny, in ITV’s long-running soap Emmerdale. He starred as Nicky from 2022 to 2024.

Pro dancers Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon have joined the cast of Strictly 2025 [Credit: BBC]

When does Strictly Come Dancing 2025 start?

The BBC is yet to formally announce the start date for Strictly Come Dancing 2025. However, BBC Breakfast revealed the launch date while announcing Ellie Goldstein’s signing.

It was confirmed the show will return to BBC One on Saturday September 20, 2025.

New professionals

This year’s Strictly Come Dancing pro dancers are already back in the rehearsal studios and are raring to go. They include the usual Strictly favourites, including Aljaz Skorjanec, Amy Dowden, Vito Coppola and Johannes Radebe.

There are also two new pros joining the dancing line-up in 2025 too; Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon. American dancer Alexis has already appeared on So You Think You Can Dance? and Dancing With The Stars. Julian, from Australia, has appeared on the show’s counterparts Down Under, too.

Strictly fans have been sad to learn Gorka Marquez has stepped back from the full series. Gorka will be appearing as a judge on the Spanish version of Strictly, called Bailando Con Las Estrella, this autumn.

The clash of schedules means he will not have a celebrity partner this year. He will, however, appear in the group dances. They have already been pre-recorded for the upcoming series.

When it comes to the judges, they will all be back. Shirley Ballas will once again be at the helm, alongside Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood. Bring it on!