Strictly Come Dancing Season 24 Episode 1 Recap: All 15 Couples Revealed

Strictly Come Dancing returned for its 2026 season with considerably more change than a normal launch show. Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe stepped into the ballroom as the show’s new presenting trio, 15 celebrities arrived to begin their Strictly journeys, and five new professional dancers were introduced to viewers.

The biggest change, however, was saved for the celebrity pairings. Instead of simply announcing who would dance with whom, the launch show divided the contestants into groups and made them rotate between potential professional partners during specially choreographed routines. Neither the celebrities nor the pros knew their final pairings beforehand, turning the usual reveal into something closer to dance-floor speed dating.

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The New Strictly Hosts Open a Different Era

The premiere begins by immediately acknowledging that this is a new version of Strictly. Emma, Josh and Johannes are now sharing the presenting duties previously associated with Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, and all three take part in the opening spectacle rather than simply walking out to introduce it.

The familiar judging panel remains intact, with Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke returning to assess this year’s celebrities. The launch show also brings reigning champion Karen Carney back to the ballroom with Carlos Gu, providing a connection to last season before attention shifts completely toward the new cast.

There are 15 celebrities competing this year, including Dani Dyer, Lacey Turner, Delta Goodrem, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Will Best, Melanie Walters, Lawrence Robb, Bethany Antonia, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer, John Nellis, Graeme Hall, Dame Sarah Storey, Tabby Stoecker and Jaime Winstone.

How Did the New Strictly Pairing Twist Work?

The celebrities were divided into three groups of five and taught routines in which they repeatedly switched professional partners. The idea was to allow each celebrity and several possible pros to dance together without revealing where everyone would eventually finish.

Even the choreographers were kept outside the final decision. The celebrities therefore spent rehearsal trying to work out which professional felt most natural, while the pros were doing exactly the same thing from the other side.

For Bethany Antonia, the process carried another personal significance because she knew she would be part of an all-female partnership. She explains during rehearsal that seeing women dance together on Strictly had been important during her own coming-out journey, making the opportunity to now lead and follow in such a partnership particularly meaningful.

Once each group performed in the ballroom, the changing positions eventually stopped and the final couples were revealed.

Dani Dyer Reunites With Nikita Kuzmin

The most emotional pairing is Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin. Dani was originally partnered with Nikita for the 2025 season but fractured her ankle during rehearsals and had to withdraw before the competitive live shows. Amber Davies subsequently entered the competition and danced with Nikita instead.

Strictly gives Dani another chance this year and, rather than assigning her someone new, reunites her with Nikita. The launch show describes them as the first Strictly couple to be paired together twice, and both react with obvious relief and excitement when they realize they have been reunited.

For Dani, the moment effectively resumes a Strictly journey that never properly started last year. She had already trained with Nikita and formed a partnership before injury took the opportunity away, making their second pairing one of the strongest emotional stories coming out of the premiere.

Lacey Turner, Melanie Walters and Jaime Winstone Learn Their Partners

EastEnders star Lacey Turner is paired with Vito Coppola, while Gavin & Stacey actress Melanie Walters gets Aljaz Skorjanec. Melanie is particularly pleased because she remembers dancing with Aljaz during the early group sessions and immediately feeling how naturally he guided her around the floor.

Jaime Winstone is paired with reigning champion Carlos Gu, giving Carlos the challenge of following last year’s Glitterball victory with Karen Carney. Dame Sarah Storey is partnered with Julian Caillon, while Dani and Nikita complete the first group.

The reaction to the five pairings is largely relief. Much of the tension had come from not knowing who would be standing beside them when proper training began, and several celebrities admit that the nerves disappear once they finally have one professional to concentrate on.

Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu Become an All-Female Couple

The second group delivers another notable partnership when Bethany Antonia is paired with Nancy Xu. They become the third all-female partnership in the show’s history, following Nicola Adams and Katya Jones and later Jayde Adams and Karen Hauer.

Their reaction suggests the connection had already begun forming during the rotating rehearsals. Bethany had been trying not to develop a preference because none of the contestants knew the final pairings, but the two appear delighted when they discover they will continue together.

Former Premier League footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips is paired with Alexis Warr, while Emmerdale actor Lawrence Robb gets Jowita Przystal. Australian singer Delta Goodrem is partnered with Kai Widdrington, and Olympic skeleton champion Tabby Stoecker is paired with newcomer Mark Karmalita.

That makes Mark one of the new professionals to receive a celebrity partner in his first Strictly season.

Which New Professionals Joined Strictly 2026?

Five professionals make their Strictly debut in the launch show: Maddie Ingoldsby, Lethabo Monametsi, Cristian Priori, Mark Karmalita and Aleksandra Isaeva.

The episode gives each of them a proper introduction before they join the larger professional ensemble. Their backgrounds range from national and international Latin competition to years of ballroom training, but only two of the five newcomers receive celebrity partners this season.

Mark gets Tabby Stoecker, while Maddie Ingoldsby is eventually paired with Cach Mercer. Aleksandra, Cristian and Lethabo remain part of the professional cast without celebrity partners, alongside returning professional Neil Jones.

Chris Appleton Gets Amy Dowden as the Final Group Is Paired

The final set of reveals pairs celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton with Amy Dowden. Chris’ excitement is difficult to miss, and the pair immediately joke about Amy’s hair becoming increasingly dramatic if they survive long enough to reach the later stages of the competition.

Cach Mercer is paired with newcomer Maddie Ingoldsby. Cach says he likes the balance between Maddie’s playful personality and her ability to become strict when training requires it, while Maddie receives her first celebrity partner in her debut Strictly season.

John Nellis gets Katya Jones, Graeme Hall is paired with Lauren Oakley, and Will Best completes the 15 couples alongside former Strictly champion Dianne Buswell.

The launch show therefore confirms the complete 2026 lineup as Lacey and Vito, Dani and Nikita, Delta and Kai, Chris and Amy, Cach and Maddie, Will and Dianne, Sarah and Julian, Jaime and Carlos, Bethany and Nancy, Shaun and Alexis, Graeme and Lauren, Lawrence and Jowita, Tabby and Mark, John and Katya, and Melanie and Aljaz.

What Happens Next on Strictly Come Dancing 2026?

Episode 1 is purely the launch, so there are no competitive scores and nobody is eliminated. Once all 15 couples have been confirmed, the celebrities are told that proper training begins on Monday.

The first live show follows on September 26, when viewers will finally see each couple perform a complete ballroom or Latin routine rather than the short rotating dances used to determine the pairings. There is also no elimination in the first scored week, with those marks carrying forward into the following week.

That means the launch episode leaves the season without a leaderboard or obvious competitive hierarchy. What it does establish is the chemistry viewers will now be watching: Dani getting her second chance with Nikita, Bethany and Nancy beginning a landmark partnership, two new professionals receiving their first celebrities, and 15 couples finally moving from the uncertainty of launch night into the much harder reality of Strictly training.