Who is Lewis Cope? Meet Strictly Come Dancing 2025 contestant and actor
The actor proves week after week that he's one to watch in the competition.
Lewis Cope had another fantastic week on Strictly, scoring all 9s from each judge, but it wasn't quite enough to keep him at the top of the leaderboard.
Each week, Lewis and his dancing pro Katya Jones have blown audiences and judges away, with him constantly scoring over 30 points since week 3.
In Week 10, the stars competed in the Instant Dance challenge, which saw them improvise a 40-second dance to a surprise style and song. The judges awarded them points which were then added to their score from their Week 10 dance.
This coming weekend, he and Katya will be taking on the Salsa in the long awaited Musicals Week.
Will the dancing duo be able to reclaim their number one spot?
If Cope has caught your attention, read on for more about the actor as his Strictly Come Dancing 2025 journey continues.
Who is Lewis Cope?
Age: 30
Job: Actor
Instagram: @lewiscope
Partner: Katya Jones
Lewis Cope is an actor who is best known for his role in ITV's Emmerdale, in which he played series regular Nicky Miligan.
He was nominated for the Rising Star Award at the 2023 National Television Awards for the role. Away from the Dales, Cope has also starred in Vera, Mrs Sidhu Investigates and Hetty Feather.
Cope has been acting for quite some time, having made his stage debut at 11 years old, taking on the role of Michael in the West End hit Billy Elliot: The Musical.
Lewis Cope's Strictly journey so far
Scoreboard
Week 1: Jive (7+7+7+7) = 28
Week 2: Viennese Waltz (7+7+6+7) = 27
Week 3: Paso Doble (9+10+9+9) = 37
Week 4: Foxtrot (8+9+9+8) = 34
Week 5: Quickstep (9+9+8+8) = 34
Week 6: Couple's Choice (10+10+10+10) = 40
Week 7: Cha Cha (8+9+9+9) = 35
Week 8: Tango (9+10+9+9) = 37
Week 9: Charleston (10+10+10 +10) = 40
Week 10: Rumba (9+9+9+9) = 36 +6 = 42
What is Lewis Cope dancing to in Musicals Week on Strictly?
Lewis and his dance partner Katya are dancing a Salsa to Dance at the Gym from West Side Story.
What other TV shows has Lewis Cope starred in?
Most notably, Lewis Cope starred in Emmerdale for over 100 episodes from 2022 to 2024.
His other credits include Vera, Mrs Sidhu Investigates, Doctors and Hetty Feather. Lewis appeared in just one episode of Vera as Marcus Hynde in 2021.
As per his IMDb, Lewis has one upcoming project called Kazzy. Though details on his character are yet to be unveiled.
Who are Lewis Cope's siblings?
Little is known on who Lewis Cope's siblings are, though it was revealed that Lewis is one of 14!
During an episode of Strictly Come Dancing, it was revealed that Lewis has three brothers who are professional boxers, ranging from professional, ex-professional and amateur.
Lewis previously opened up about his family during an appearance on Lorraine, telling the host that Christmas time is "lovely".
What did Lewis Cope say about joining Strictly Come Dancing?
On joining Strictly Come Dancing, Cope said in a statement: "I'm so excited to be swapping the Dales for the dance floor and joining this year's Strictly Come Dancing."
He continued: "I've always been a fan of the show and cannot wait to get started!"
The news of his casting was announced on The One Show, where he admitted he wasn't initially in the running to take part in the series.
"If anything, it's probably helped me," he said on the programme. "Because I haven't really had time to think about it or anything.
"So now the excitement has kind of just taken over, and I'm just like all inside."
Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 6th December at 6:50pm.
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Authors
Molly Moss is a Trends Writer for Radio Times, covering the latest trends across TV, film and more. She has an MA in Newspaper Journalism and has previously written for publications including The Guardian, The Times and The Sun Online.
Phoebe Kowhai Barnes is a Freelance Writer who covers pop culture and entertainment programmes for the Radio Times. She previously worked as the Senior Assistant Editor at The Tab where she managed its local department. She obtained a BA (Hons) in English Literature from University of Nottingham.
