Strictly Come Dancing 2022: Four new professional dancers join the show for the biggest line-up in the BBC series’ 20 year history
Strictly Come Dancing will have its biggest professional dancer line-up in history when it returns this autumn for its 20th series.
Four new pro dancers have joined the line-up, which means that 20 professionals in total are ready to bring their skills to the BBC show’s dancefloor later this year.
The four new world class dancers completing this year’s professional troupe are European cup winner Vito Coppola, Chinese National Champion Carlos Gu, former Under 21 British National Champion Lauren Oakley and Latin dance champion Michelle Tsiakkas.
New faces: Strictly Come Dancing will have its biggest professional dancer line-up in history when it returns this autumn for its 20th series with four new pros joining the show
They join the professional dancers already revealed for the upcoming series: Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Graziano Di Prima, Amy Dowden, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Cameron Lombard, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Giovanni Pernice, Jowita Przystal, Johannes Radebe, Kai Widdrington and Nancy Xu.
Show favourites Alijaz Skorjanec and Oti Mabuse both quit Strictly Come Dancing earlier this year.
Not every pro dancer will be paired with a celebrity with four traditionally performing only in the pro routines.
Super fan: Former Under 21 British National Champion Lauren Oakley can’t wait to get started after gushing: ‘I’ve grown up watching Strictly’
Vito Coppola said of his new role: ‘I am really excited to become part of this family. I cannot wait to start this new adventure and to challenge myself. Strictly sto arrivando! (or: Strictly I am coming!)’
Carlos Gu added: ‘I’m thrilled to join Strictly and very excited to get started. It’s a new chapter of my life and a new challenge as well. I’m absolutely ready to take on this journey and to shine.’
Former Under 21 British National Champion Lauren Oakley gushed: ‘I’ve grown up watching Strictly, always hoping that one day I could be part of the best show on television, doing what I love the most.’
New talent: European cup winner Vito Coppola said of his new role: ‘I am really excited to become part of this family’
Dream come true: Latin dance champion Michelle Tsiakkas said: ‘Being a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing has been my dream ever since I was a little girl’
‘Now that it’s happening, it doesn’t quite seem real. I can’t wait to start this new sequined adventure and join this incredible family.’
Latin champ Michelle Tsiakkas said: ‘Being a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing has been my dream ever since I was a little girl.’
‘I cannot believe my dream has come true! I’m so grateful to be joining this incredible family and I can’t wait to step on that magical dance floor and give it my all!’
Pro: Chinese National Champion Carlos Gu added: I’m absolutely ready to take on this journey and to shine’
The upcoming series will be the first in three years to be broadcast without Covid measures, which forced bosses to introduce restrictions including ‘bubbles’ for training and limited audience numbers.
The celebrity competitors won’t be confirmed until later in the year with the latest rumours including Channel 4 presenter Steph McGovern, Coronation Street star Kym Marsh and former footballerv Tony ‘Donkey’ Adams.
Meanwhile the show’s head judge Shirley Ballas has hinted that in a modern twist, the new series could feature the show’s first gender-fluid pairing.
Saying goodbye: Aljaž Skorjanec announced earlier this year that he has quit Strictly Come Dancing following nine years on the show as a professional dancer
The 61-year-old explained that ‘everything is possible’, and noted that the show’s executive producer, Sarah James, is always ‘looking outside of the box’.
Chatting to The Mirror during London’s TRIC Awards last week, the judge shared: ‘Everything is possible. [Executive producer] Sarah James is always looking outside the box, and if it fits… I’m sure we’ll be seeing a lot of things you won’t be expecting.’
If it was to be the case, the move would follow on from last year’s same-sex finalists John Whaite, 33, and dance partner Johannes Radebe, 35.
The popular duo was prefaced by boxer Nicola Adams and Katya Jones’ pairing in 2020 during the series.
Strictly Come Dancing returns for its 20th series this autumn on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Out! Double champion Oti Mabuse has also quit to pursue new TV opportunities (Pictured in 2020 with Bill Bailey as they won series 18)
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