Strictly’s Dani Dyer joins glam Delta Goodrem and Jaime Winstone as this 12 months’s celebs meet for the primary time after followers panned ‘worst ever’ lineup – so what number of can YOU title?

The Strictly Come Dancing class of 2026 have come collectively for the primary time at their first dance rehearsals. 

Regardless of followers branding the lineup the ‘worst ever’ within the present’s 22-year run, the contestants nonetheless appeared in nice spirits as they arrived on the studio in London on Thursday. 

Prepared to offer Strictly one other go after an harm compelled her out of final 12 months’s lineup was Dani Dyer, who flashed a smile as she walked in.

Dani – who was paired with Nikita Kuzmin final 12 months however fractured her ankle earlier than the primary present – appeared fashionable in a black prime, leopard-print skirt and nude sandals. 

Additionally trying stylish was Delta Goodrem, who paired a white prime with a brown leather-based skirt and towering heels. 

In the meantime Jaime Winstone embraced the UK heatwave in a pair of denim hotpants and brown cowboy boots. 

Gavin & Stacey actress Melanie Walters, who was introduced as the ultimate star to affix the road up this week, could not cease beaming as she met up together with her fellow contestants.

Additionally on this 12 months’s lineup is EastEnders’ Lacey Turner, superstar hairstylist Chris Appleton, Love Island star Cach Mercer, Massive Brother host Will Greatest and Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey. 

They’re joined by Home Of The Dragon’s Bethany Antonia, footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips, presenter Graeme ‘The Dogfather’ Corridor, Emmerdale’s Lawrence Robb, YouTuber John Nellis and Olympian Tabby Stoecker.

Strictly is among the BBC‘s hottest reveals, with tens of millions tuning in each weekend and the skilled dancers rapidly changing into family names. 

This 12 months, nevertheless, there’s been one massive downside – that the dancers are higher identified than the ‘stars’ they’re set to companion up with. 

YouTuber John, for instance, would not also have a Wikipedia web page. 

However that does not appear to matter to producers, who’re mentioned to have particularly chosen stars who’ve giant social media followings.

Stars comparable to Kim Kardashian’s hair stylist Chris may not be a family title, however he does boast an enormous social media following with 4million followers on Instagram. 

John has an excellent greater fanbase, with 15.7million YouTube subscribers.

Nonetheless, loyal followers have been left scratching their heads over the lineup, with lots of the feedback on the Strictly social posts asking who the superstar is, fairly than expressing any pleasure. 

Certainly, whereas bosses could also be eager to draw Gen Z (14 to 29 years outdated), nearly all of Strictly viewers are at the moment Gen X (46 to 61 years outdated) and Child Boomers (62 to 80 years outdated).  

Viewers demographic knowledge signifies that round 60 per cent of the viewers is aged 55 or older, placing the common viewer age firmly within the mid-50s and above. 

But this 12 months, it is time for an overhaul, with strategies Strictly is following an identical, massively profitable social media technique employed by its US counterpart Dancing With The Stars. 

Dancing With The Stars has used their superstar contestants’ followings to their benefit, introducing a TikTok Night time final 12 months – an episode which noticed the contestants carry out viral dance routines, sparking an uptick in interplay from youthful viewers.

The Dancing With The Stars TikTok account now has greater than 5million followers, compared to Strictly’s 670,000.

‘Though your conventional Strictly viewers may not know who a number of the signings are, that is not as vital as bringing in new viewers who’re greater than conversant in them,’ a supply advised The Solar.

‘Their followers are huge in numbers, enthusiastic and, by sharing content material on Strictly, increase the profile of the present massively.

‘And, in time, the viewers who do not know these folks get to know them. If something they find yourself happening far more of a “Strictly Journey” than the celebs you’d describe as “family names.”‘

This 12 months has seen quite a few modifications to the present – which was beforehand identified for its formulaic regime in its 22 years on air. 

Maybe most pertinent is the change in presenters, after longtime hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stop the present. 

There at the moment are a trio of latest hosts – all of whom have a powerful on-line presence. 

Comic Josh Widdicombe has greater than half one million Instagram followers on his private account while the Insta web page for his massively well-liked podcast Parenting Hell has 250,000.

Emma Willis has two million Instagram followers and fan-favourite dancer Johannes Radebe, who will act as a co-presenter this 12 months, has 458,000 followers. 

The celeb lineup was additionally introduced on social media this 12 months fairly than on radio and TV. 

And earlier than the celeb reveals, there was an enormous reshuffle with the skilled dancers.  

In current months well-liked dancers Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Michelle Tsiakkas, Luba Mushtuk and Gorka Marquez have all been given the boot.

It is understood professionals with greater on-line followings have been chosen over dancers who are usually not so TikTok pleasant because the sequence tries desperately to draw a youthful viewers.

One instance seems to be axed Nadiya, who has 214,000 Insta followers, whereas Dianne Buswell, with 1.2 million Instagram followers and 973,000 on TikTok, has saved her place within the line-up.

In the meantime 5 new younger professionals have been recruited with ballroom champ Maddie Ingoldsby boasting 364,000 TikTok followers. 

Former Strictly decide and famend choreographer Arlene Phillips not too long ago criticised the professional hirings, telling Good Morning Britain final month: ‘The brand new professionals, so long as they will dance. I imply, most of them are kind of influencers and so they discuss an terrible lot. So long as these professionals can dance.’

But whereas there may be clearly a pull for stars with a big on-line presence, an insider claimed that a part of the issue with reserving superstar reveals now’s that the panorama has modified.

The supply continued: ‘Crucially the pipeline that used to feed these massive reveals has modified.

‘Boyband and girlband stars aren’t as prevalent any extra and, as soon as upon a time, getting somebody from a cleaning soap or an enormous drama was a large deal, however now even that has diminished considerably.

‘Now, although, social media is constant to increase and massive stars from the world of TikTok, YouTube and Instagram are identified to an unlimited part of society.’

Strictly is ready to return for its twenty fourth season subsequent month, when loyal viewers will lastly be capable to give their say on all of the modifications.