The new series of Strictly Come Dancing has begun on BBC One.
Presented by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who welcomed back judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke, the show kicked off with a fun, fancy footwork-filled routine from the show’s professional dancers (with cameos from the wider Strictly family), all inviting everyone to hop aboard the Strictly Bus.
Other performances included a celebratory routine to mark Amy Dowden MBE’s return to the Ballroom after her battle with cancer, and a fiery and passionate Paso Doble from reigning champions Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola.
There was also a performance by Clean Bandit and Anne-Marie, who entertained the audience with their song ‘Cry Baby,’ featuring David Guetta [not in the studio], alongside a dance routine from professional dancers Lauren Oakley, Kai Widdrington, Jowita Przystał, and Carlos Gu.
Closing out the pre-recorded launch show, this year’s celebrity cast took to the dance floor with their professional partners, showcasing their dance talents for the very first time in a group performance.
This year’s pairings are as follows:
- Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell
- Wynne Evans and Katya Jones
- Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu
- Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsjakkas
- Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal
- Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe
- Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin
- JB Gill and Amy Dowden
- Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones
- Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola
- Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec
- Dr Punam Krishnan and Gorka Márquez
- Paul Merson and Karen Hauer
- Tom Dean MBE and Nadiya Bychkova
- Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk
Strictly’s first live show airs on Saturday 21st September from 19.00 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer
