Strictly Come Dancing 2026 officially confirms returning professionals line-up after big cast changes

Strictly Come Dancing 2026's returning professionals have officially been confirmed, following a number of long-running pros leaving the entertainment show.

The confirmation of which dancers will return and who has definitely left will be welcome news to fans of the programme who, amidst conflicting reports, have been keen to get an official answer.

For the upcoming run, coming to BBC One this autumn, Dianne Buswell, Amy Dowden, Katya Jones, Neil Jones and Nikita Kuzmin have all been confirmed to return to the dance floor.

Also coming back alongside them are Aljaž Škorjanec, Jowita Przystał, Johannes Radebe, Nancy Xu and Kai Widdrington.

They will be joined by Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Vito Coppola, Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon – the latter two of whom joined the professionals line-up in 2025.

The BBC has confirmed there will be brand new dancers joining the professionals line-up who will be unveiled at a later date.

It comes after the exits of Karen Hauer, Gorka Márquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Michelle Tsiakkas.

Elsewhere, the BBC has confirmed that – as expected – Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke will all be back as judges for the 2026 season.

Themed weeks will include Movies, Icons, Halloween and Musicals, while the brilliantly chaotic Instant Dance challenge will also be back following its debut last year.

Now the professionals line-up has been confirmed, there are still plenty of questions as to who will replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman as hosts.

The presenting duo confirmed their exits from Strictly Come Dancing during last year's run, but the BBC has only ever commented that their replacements will be announced in due course.

Speculation has been rife, with the likes of Zoe Ball, Rylan Clark, Alex Jones and Mel Giedroyc – to name just a few – thrown into the mix of names...

Strictly Come Dancing spin-off It Takes Two is also rumoured to be getting an overhaul this year, with reports suggesting it will now take the form of a visualised podcast, similar to The Traitors: Uncloaked and The Apprentice: Unfinished Business.

Strictly Come Dancing 2026 begins on BBC One and iPlayer later this year.

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