All The Celebrities Rumoured For The Strictly Come Dancing 2026 Line-Up So Far

Strictly Come Dancing has been doing things a little bit differently when it comes to announcing the cast of this year’s series.

Usually, the BBC waits until at least the first week of August to begin slowly unveiling the celebrities on the line-up – so fans were a little taken aback when EastEnders favourite Lacey Turner was confirmed by Strictly bosses to have signed up for the show back in June.

In the days that followed, Dani Dyer and Delta Goodrem were also revealed to have signed up, but the rest of the stars have been unveiled with a bit more of a scattergun approach, sometimes with weeks in between announcements.

However, this inconsistency hasn’t stopped rumours from spreading about other celebrities who could be hitting the dance floor in 2026, with a host of stars from the world of TV, sport and beyond tipped to be taking part.

At this point, around half of the celebrities in the cast have been unveiled, but we’re still waiting on the others to be revealed.

So, while we wait for more news from the BBC, here’s a quick guide to which other celebrities have been rumoured to be taking…

Josie Gibson

Way back in March, daytime favourite Josie Gibson was named by The Sun as the “first celeb lined up” for the new season.

Josie first rose to fame as the winner of the final series of Big Brother in the Channel 4 era, and since then, she’s become known for her appearances on This Morning and I’m A Celebrity.

The tabloid’s “source” claimed that bosses had been hoping to get Josie to sign up for years, and that they’re “hoping this year is the year”.

Josie later downplayed the rumours, insisting she’d “had nobody contact me” about an appearance on Strictly, and that the whole thing was an April Fool’s joke.

Jeff Brazier

At the beginning of June, The Sun claimed that Jeff Brazier had been approached about taking part in Strictly, three years after his eldest son Bobby Brazier competed on the show, finishing as runner-up in the live final.

Jeff, best known as a TV presenter, previously competed on the celebrity version of Race Across The World with his younger son Freddie, having also taken part in reality shows like The Farm, Celebrity MasterChef and Dancing On Ice.

Following Bobby’s stint, Jeff said he had turned down the chance to appear on Strictly so as not to step on his son’s toes, but the tabloid claims he’s now had a change of heart…

Melanie Walters

To millions of viewers, Melanie Walters is best known for her work as the loveable Gwen in all three seasons of Gavin & Stacey.

In late June, The Sun reported that Melanie had “signed up for Strictly”, two years on from the show-stopping finale of Gavin & Stacey, which aired on Christmas Day in 2024.

Stephen Libby

Millions fell in love with Stephen – and his many jumpsuits –  on the fourth season of The Traitors earlier this year.

Following his triumph in the castle, The Sun reported that he’d “become a target for TV chiefs” who wanted to sign him up for Strictly.

A “source” claimed that bosses thought Stephen was a “perfect fit” for the series, meaning he could be the first ever Traitors contestant to take part in the BBC dance show.

Shaun Wright-Phillips

Another star named by The Sun as a potential Strictly star for 2026 is footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips, who the tabloid claimed has already signed on the dotted line to swap his football boots for dancing shoes.

During his professional career, Shaun played for Manchester City, Chelsea, Queens Park Rangers and England’s national team.

Like fellow contestants Dani Dyer and Jaime Winstone, he also has a famous dad, as he is the son of fellow football pro, Ian Wright.

Kristian Nairn

When it was confirmed that Dani Dyer had signed up for Strictly 2026, it was no major surprise, as she’d originally been booked to compete a year earlier, until an injury sustained during training meant she was no longer able to compete.

However, Dani wasn’t the only Strictly star who had to bow out early last year.

Like the Love Island winner, Game Of Thrones star Kristian Nairn also had to withdraw from Strictly 2025 on medical grounds, leading many to wonder if he, too, has been invited back for this year’s run.

Kristian is probably most well-known for his performance as Hodor in Game Of Thrones, but he also appeared more recently in the comedy Our Flag Means Death.

Jake Quickenden

Jake Quickenden is a reality TV veteran at this point, famously finishing in second place in the jungle mere weeks after being voted off The X Factor back in 2014.

Since then, he’s also appeared in Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins and Dancing On Ice, which he won the year the ITV skating show was revived in 2018.

The Sun has claimed that, since Jake joined the cast of the CBBC series Jamie Johnson FC, Strictly bosses are now considering him to be “in the BBC stables”, therefore “part of the gang” and a suitable candidate for Strictly 2026.

Mark Clattenburg

Since retiring from the world of football refereeing a decade ago, Mark Clattenburg is now best known to fans of the BBC’s Gladiators as the right-hand man who’s there to make sure the challenges go off without a hitch – and without any cheating.

In July, The Sun claimed that Mark had begun “talks” to add another string to his bow by joining the cast of Strictly Come Dancing.

Tom Parker Bowles

Last year, Tom Parker Bowles was named in the press as a hot favourite for the Strictly Come Dancing line-up, but ultimately wound up not being part of the cast.

Tom is best known for being a food critic and writer – plus, as his name suggests, the son of Queen Camilla and her first husband Andrew Parker-Bowles.

Because he was reported to be at the top of producers’ wishlists in 2025, many outletsare alreadysuggesting that he might make it onto this year’s series instead.

Roman Kemp

Alright, this is one we’d say should probably be taken with a pinch of salt, but stay with us.

In mid-June, former Strictly Come Dancing finalist Emma Barton was being interviewed by Roman Kemp on The One Show, where she took a moment to reflect on her time on the BBC competition series.

She claimed: “It’s nerve-racking, isn’t it? And it’s scary?”

“Roman, you know, as well…” Emma added, to which Roman quickly interjected: “I have never done it! I’ve never done it.”

However, the faux pas led many to question whether Emma may have let slip something that she shouldn’t have, with Roman having been named in the press as a potential Strictly contestant numerous times in the past.

For now, at least, the BBC is staying tight-lipped on all Strictly Come Dancing casting rumours, ahead of the show’s return to our screens in the autumn.