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| Curtain rises on Strictly 2025 as new couples revealed | Curtain rises on Strictly 2025 as new couples revealed |
| (about 16 hours later) | |
| Strictly Come Dancing has returned for its 23rd season, with the new parings of celebrities and dancers revealed. | |
| Apprentice star Thomas Skinner - who has been under the spotlight since his participation in the show was announced - will dance with professional Amy Dowden, who missed the 2023 season after a cancer diagnosis. | Apprentice star Thomas Skinner - who has been under the spotlight since his participation in the show was announced - will dance with professional Amy Dowden, who missed the 2023 season after a cancer diagnosis. |
| Among the other pairings were Reality TV star Vicky Pattison with professional dancer Kai Widdrington; actress Alex Kingston with Johannes Radebe, and EastEnders actor Balvinder Sopal with Julian Caillon. | Among the other pairings were Reality TV star Vicky Pattison with professional dancer Kai Widdrington; actress Alex Kingston with Johannes Radebe, and EastEnders actor Balvinder Sopal with Julian Caillon. |
| The race is now on for the Glitterball trophy, building up to the grand final on 20 December. | The race is now on for the Glitterball trophy, building up to the grand final on 20 December. |
| Saturday's launch show also saw performances from last year's winners Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell, as well as singer Jessie J - returning to the spotlight with her new single Living My Best Life. | Saturday's launch show also saw performances from last year's winners Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell, as well as singer Jessie J - returning to the spotlight with her new single Living My Best Life. |
| McCausland and Buswell recreated their waltz to You'll Never Walk Alone, their performance of which was voted the most memorable moment at the 2025 Baftas. | McCausland and Buswell recreated their waltz to You'll Never Walk Alone, their performance of which was voted the most memorable moment at the 2025 Baftas. |
| Speaking about his victory in 2024, McCausland said it was "the most proud I've ever been of anything in my life". | Speaking about his victory in 2024, McCausland said it was "the most proud I've ever been of anything in my life". |
| The performance by Jessie J marked a milestone in her turn to the spotlight, just months after she revealed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. | The performance by Jessie J marked a milestone in her turn to the spotlight, just months after she revealed she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. |
| Ahead of the show she shared a picture of herself with professional Amy Dowden, who had to step away from Strictly after receiving her own cancer diagnosis. | Ahead of the show she shared a picture of herself with professional Amy Dowden, who had to step away from Strictly after receiving her own cancer diagnosis. |
| Taking to the stage, she asked the audience: "Strictly, are you ready to dance?" | Taking to the stage, she asked the audience: "Strictly, are you ready to dance?" |
| Among one of the tweaks to this year programme, for the first time, there will be no phone voting - with it moving to a fully online model. | Among one of the tweaks to this year programme, for the first time, there will be no phone voting - with it moving to a fully online model. |
| Announcing the change, the BBC said the premium-rate phone voting "is now an outdated system and also expensive to run". | Announcing the change, the BBC said the premium-rate phone voting "is now an outdated system and also expensive to run". |
| The pairings | The pairings |
| Perhaps the contestant about which the most has been written, the businessman and personality Thomas Skinner has been paired with Amy Dowden. | Perhaps the contestant about which the most has been written, the businessman and personality Thomas Skinner has been paired with Amy Dowden. |
| Ahead of the show he was involved in an incident which saw him leave a news conference early, and pick up a journalist's phone - something which he apologised for. | Ahead of the show he was involved in an incident which saw him leave a news conference early, and pick up a journalist's phone - something which he apologised for. |
| The Apprentice star Skinner said he was "over the moon" to be partnered with Dowden and added: "I hope you can teach me a few moves because I'm useless at the minute." | The Apprentice star Skinner said he was "over the moon" to be partnered with Dowden and added: "I hope you can teach me a few moves because I'm useless at the minute." |
| Vicky Pattison said she was "thrilled" to be paired with Kai Widdrington. | Vicky Pattison said she was "thrilled" to be paired with Kai Widdrington. |
| Doctor Who actress Alex Kingston was revealed to be the partner of Johannes Radebe, who she described as her "number one". | Doctor Who actress Alex Kingston was revealed to be the partner of Johannes Radebe, who she described as her "number one". |
| EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal said being on Strictly was a "dream come true" before it was revealed she had been partnered with Australian dancer Julian Caillon. | EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal said being on Strictly was a "dream come true" before it was revealed she had been partnered with Australian dancer Julian Caillon. |
| Former England rugby union captain Chris Robshaw said he watched clips of Nadiya Bychkova after he learned they would be dance partners. | Former England rugby union captain Chris Robshaw said he watched clips of Nadiya Bychkova after he learned they would be dance partners. |
| Model Ellie Goldstein, who is the first person with Down's syndrome to compete on the main series of Strictly, was revealed to be partnered with Vito Coppola - with the pair showing off a "secret handshake" during the launch show. | Model Ellie Goldstein, who is the first person with Down's syndrome to compete on the main series of Strictly, was revealed to be partnered with Vito Coppola - with the pair showing off a "secret handshake" during the launch show. |
| Internet star George Clarke was paired with US dancer Alexis Warr who said she wanted Clarke to "embody this show" and "enjoy it". | Internet star George Clarke was paired with US dancer Alexis Warr who said she wanted Clarke to "embody this show" and "enjoy it". |
| Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey was revealed to be partnered with Karen Hauer, who said their first dance would be a cha cha cha to Salt-N-Pepa's Push It. | Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey was revealed to be partnered with Karen Hauer, who said their first dance would be a cha cha cha to Salt-N-Pepa's Push It. |
| Love Island winner Dani Dyer-Bowen said she was "honestly so happy" after it was revealed she would be dancing with Nikita Kuzmin. | Love Island winner Dani Dyer-Bowen said she was "honestly so happy" after it was revealed she would be dancing with Nikita Kuzmin. |
| Former footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink looked pleased when he met his dance partner Lauren Oakley for the first time. | Former footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink looked pleased when he met his dance partner Lauren Oakley for the first time. |
| Former Lioness Karen Carney was revealed to be partnered with Carlos Gu on the show. | Former Lioness Karen Carney was revealed to be partnered with Carlos Gu on the show. |
| Singer and drag performer La Voix joked "that's the one I said I didn't want" when they met their dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec for the first time. | Singer and drag performer La Voix joked "that's the one I said I didn't want" when they met their dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec for the first time. |
| Former Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope said he was "over the moon" to be paired with professional dance Katya Jones. | Former Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope said he was "over the moon" to be paired with professional dance Katya Jones. |
| ITV entertainment reporter Ross King told his dance partner Jowita Przystal "you drew the short straw" when it was revealed they would be dancing together on Saturday. | ITV entertainment reporter Ross King told his dance partner Jowita Przystal "you drew the short straw" when it was revealed they would be dancing together on Saturday. |
| Neighbours actor Stefan Dennis was partnered with Dianne Buswell, who referred to their partnership as the "Aussie dream team". | Neighbours actor Stefan Dennis was partnered with Dianne Buswell, who referred to their partnership as the "Aussie dream team". |