Strictly Come Dancing contestants 2015: Full line-up revealed as Kirsty Gallacher and Iwan Thomas join
See which other celebrities will be getting their dancing shoes on this September
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Strictly Come Dancing contestants will be taking to the dance floor again in September.
The celebrity line-up is finally complete, with the likes of Peter Andre, Jamelia and Ainsley Harriott preparing to don their glitzy costumes and dancing shoes for the heated ballroom competition.
It remains unknown who will be paired with which professional dancer, but take a look at whose waltzes and salsas you'll be judging:
Kirsty Gallacher
Who?: Sports broadcaster, currently on Sky Sports News
Age: 39
Dancing experience: Nothing notable, but she harbours a dream of being a flamenco dancer and Brucie is a close family friend.
She says: "Sport and fitness have always been a big part of my life but dancing is an entirely new challenge for me! I can't wait to get started!"
Iwan Thomas
Who?
Athlete and The One Show presenterAge: 41
Dancing experience: He claims to be rubbish at dancing, but unofficially entered breakdancing contests at school and did Let's Dance for Sport's Relief.
He says: "I can't believe I'm swapping my running spikes for dancing shoes. I used to be quick at running around the track and I'm just hoping my dance partner doesn't leave me behind!"
Helen George
Who?: Call The Midwife actress
Age: 31
Dancing experience: She trained in Musical Theatre at The Royal Academy of Music. Sounds like she'll know what she's doing.
She says: "I can't wait to get my tan and sequins on".
Jamelia
Who?: Singer and Loose Women host.
Age: 34
Dancing experience: Apparently dancing is "not her forté", although her video for "Superstar" tells a different story.
She says: "My girls are amazing dancers so I definitely want to learn a new skill so that I'll be able to give them a run for their money, and end them teasing me [about my dancing] once and for all!"
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 days
New subscribers only. £8.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled
Anita Rani
Who?:
Countryfile presenterAge: 37
Dancing experience: She likes to boogey on down to Beyonce.
She says: “So many elements of Strictly terrify me but I shall try and think #BeyonceAlwaysOnBeat as I hit the dance floor. I'm so excited to indulge that fantasy and hopefully learn some mean moves in the process."
Jay McGuiness
Who?: Part of former boy band The Wanted
Age: 25
Dancing experience: Swaying and jumping around in videos for hit singles including "Glad You Came" and "Chasing the Sun".
He says: “My family are such huge Strictly fans, I know I've made them very happy by taking part - I can’t wait to get started! I love to dance but this is going to be so different from anything I have done before, I'm up for it!"
Who: Professional boxer who won bronze at the 2012 Olympics
Age: 26
Dancing Experience: He's used to physical training, even if it's not dancing. It's fair to say the boxer should be able to throw some serious weight around the dance floor.
He says: “I've faced a lot of tough opposition in the past, but I've never faced anyone as tough as the Strictly judges before! My Mum is a massive fan of the show so I will be trying my hardest to make her proud.”
Daniel O'Donnell
Who: Irish crooner and TV presenter
Age: 53
Dancing experience: Gentle swaying on stage to classic country songs.
He says: "I love to dance and boy am I looking forward to getting started and being the best that I can be!"
Peter Andre
Who: The singer turned reality TV star needs no introduction. We all know who this Strictly contestant is, for once.
Age: 42
Dancing experience: He's had experience of getting the moves down for routines to "Mysterious Girl" and "Flava", among other hits.
He says: "I’m flattered to have been asked to take part before, but due to certain work commitments was unable to. I now feel the time is right to give it a go - everything has just clicked into place to do it this year."
Carol Kirkwood
Who: BBC Breakfast Weather Presenter
Age: 53
Dancing experience: She has previously sung and danced on TV, and participated in special routines for Children in Need.
She says: “I can't wait to learn to dance and hope my experience on Strictly will be a breeze, whether it will be or not is one forecast I cannot predict!”
Katie Derham
Who: The BBC Proms presenter
Age: 45
Dancing Experience: "I'm a typical wedding dancer...Two glasses of Prosecco and I'm truly fabulous. Or so I think."
She says: "Strictly Come Dancing is a national treasure. I'm extremely excited to be part of such a wonderful show."
Georgia May Foote
Who
: Former Coronation Street actress who played Katy Armstrong in the soap. She has also appeared in Life on Mars, Doctors, Casualty, Heartbeat, Emmerdale and This Is England '86.Age: 24
Dancing experience: A fair amount. The actress says she enjoys dancing, but it is not known if she has received formal training.
They say: "I love dancing and I love a challenge so this is the perfect experience for me."
Kellie Bright
Who: Linda Carter in EastEnders (in character above)
Age: 39
Dancing experience: She trained as an actor at the Sylvia Young Theatre school, which presumably involved some dance tuition as well.
They say: "If I said 'no' [to the show] Linda Carter would never forgive me!"
Who: Celebrity chef extraordinaire, still hanging around from the late Nineties.
Age: 58
Dancing experience: Gliding around the kitchen
They say: "In my day job the only type of Salsa I know about is the one in my recipes"
Who: Veteran broadcaster and journalist.
Age: 50
Dancing experience: Minimum
They say: "Now I just need to find some dancing shoes and identify my left foot."
More Strictly Come Dancing contestants will be announced in the next two weeks.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments