The Strictly Come Dancing celebrities dazzled in their finest sequinned looks as they posed together for the first time ahead of making their glitterball debut.
With the series launch just days away, the 15 celebrities have slipped into an array of brightly coloured dresses and suits as the A-listers posed up a storm to get fans excited for the big return.
In the official 2024 line-up photo, the ladies commanded attention in sequins, while the gentlemen looked strapping in an array of white, blue and yellow suits.
The photo comes after the show has been launched into controversy in recent months after many celebrities have complained about the treatment they have received during show rehearsals.
The 20th year of the BBC Show will kick off on Saturday, September, 14, with fans finally seeing what professional dancer the celebs will compete with.
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The Strictly Come Dancing celebrities dazzled as they posed together for the first time ahead of making their glitterball debut (L-R Sam Quek, Shayne Ward, Tasha Ghouri, Dr Punam Krishan, Pete Wicks, Jamie Borthwick, Nick Knowles, JB Gill, Chris McCausland, Montell Douglas, Toyah Willcox, Wynne Evans, Paul Merson, Sarah Hadland and Tom Dean)
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With the start just days away, the 15 celebrities have slipped into an array of brightly coloured dresses as they
This year’s Strictly will see Tasha Ghouri, Pete Wicks, Sam Quek MBE, Shayne Ward, Dr. Punam Krishan, Jamie Borthwick, Nick Knowles, JB Gill, and Chris McCausland take to the dance floor.
The series, hosted by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, will run for 13 weeks and is set to conclude with the live final on December 14.
The judges’ desks will see the return of the awesome foursome – Queen of Latin Shirley Ballas, the magnificent Motsi Mabuse, the fantastically fab-u-lous Craig Revel-Horwood and the always effervescent Anton Du Beke.
Meanwhile the BBC flagship show has kept fans on their toes in recent days as they released their first official glitzy trailer ahead of the show’s return.
In the short clip, the professionals and celebs showcased their dancing moves to Vengaboys’ We Like to Party.
The series will also see celebrities Montell Douglas, Toyah Willcox, Wynne Evans, Paul Merson, Sarah Hadland and Tom Dean MBE take to the dance floor.
This year, some seasoned professionals will not be returning to the show after the competition has been plagued with controversy over how the professional dancers teach the celebs, with multiple accusations emerging of bullying and abusive behaviour.
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Love Island’s Tasha Ghouri, 26, dazzled in a sparkly blue dress which featured a light blue feature tail and a bejewelled belt
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Former England and Team GB hockey player and now a TV and Radio Presenter Sam Quek looked chic in a fringed blue gown, while Pete Wicks was dressed in a sheer white lace shirt
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EastEnders Jamie Borthwick, 30, cut a dapper figure in a pale pink bomber jacket, as he prepares to return to the show after appearing in the Christmas Special
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Toyah Willcox, 66, looked fabulous in a pink and red cocktail dress which she paired with gold heels, with the 70s rocker hoping to wow with her moves
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Actress Sarah Hadland, 53, looked sensational in a pluinging blue and purple dress, while comedian Chris McCausland, 47, looked dapper in a teal toe-piece suit
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Welsh Opera singer, Wynne Evans, 51, looked dapper in a pale purple dinner suit which he paired with a silky bow tie
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Commentator Dr Punam Krishan, 41, looked incredible in a glitzy gold shimmer dress
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Pictured: Gladiator and Olympian Montell Douglas (left) and Former footballer and broadcaster Paul Merson (right)
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Actor and singer Shayne Ward, 39, brought out his wild side in a pink zebra-print suit
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Three-time Olympic swimming champion Tom Dean MBE, 24, cut a casual figure with a blue shirt with sheer sleves and blue trousers
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Bafta-winning TV presenter Nick Knowles looked dazzling in a pale blue suit and a pink floral shirt (left), while JLS’ JB Gill looked hip in purple leather shirt and matching trousers (right)
Professionals Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Amy Dowden, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Jowita Przystal, Johannes Radebe, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas and Vito Coppola will all take to the Strictly dancefloor.
And they’ll be joined by Aljaž Škorjanec, who will return to the Strictly Come Dancing Ballroom as a Professional Dancer for the brand-new series.
After a two-year hiatus, fan favourite Aljaž is waltzing back onto screens for the 20th year of the nation’s favourite dance show.
And, of course, Amy Dowden MBE, will make her much anticipated return as she could not compete last year as she underwent chemotherapy for breast cancer.
The 34-year-old announced in February that she would return to the show this year, after a mastectomy and chemotherapy left her with ‘no evidence of disease’ following tests.
The launch show of Strictly’s 20th anniversary series will see the dancers perform an ’empowering’ routine to celebrate Amy’s return, and will also see its celebrity contestants paired with their dancing partners.
Speaking about her Strictly return, Amy said: ‘I am so excited for every element of being back with my Strictly family.
‘I am so grateful to get this opportunity, especially as it’s such a special year for this legendary show. It feels like it’s my first year again.
‘I’m buzzing to see the whole team, for costumes, for dance routines, to meet the celebrities, the judges. Everyone’s laughing at me because I am just smiling constantly.
‘I’d like to dedicate this dance to my pink sisters who have supported me through the past year and to all those currently facing cancer.’
Viewers will also get a glimpse of the Strictly class of 2024’s dancing skills as they perform a group routine on the show.
It comes after a storm of controversy around the BBC dancing show over the alleged treatment of contestants.
The scandal erupted when actress Amanda Abbington quit the show last year before claiming that her partner Giovanni Pernice was abusive towards her – later leaving the show. Giovanni has vehemently denied the claims.
Amanda, 50, abruptly left the BBC show citing ‘personal issues’ and hasn’t been seen on screen since, even quitting social media last month in the wake of her former dance partner’s sacking.
Giovanni, 33, was suspended while a BBC probe is underway over allegations made by Amanda and two other former celebrity partners.
Sources previously claimed Amanda, Ranvir Singh and Laura Whitmore had an ’emotional summit’ where they ‘compared notes’ about their time working with Giovanni on the show.
Amanda quit Strictly due to ‘personal reasons’ before reports she had demanded footage of their rehearsals after the experience in the competition left her with PTSD.
Meanwhile Ranvir complained about Giovanni to producers back in 2020, during their time on the show, while Laura said she ‘cried every day’ and felt ‘uncomfortable’ while dancing with him in 2016.
The BBC are currently believed to be scouring through nine years of Strictly footage to confirm or deny claims from three celebrities.
Giovanni has not returned for the show’s 2024 season.
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It comes after a storm of controversy around the BBC dancing show over the alleged treatment of contestants
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Amanda quit the show last year before claiming that her partner Giovanni was abusive towards her. He later left the show after vehemently denying all claims
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Amanda, 50, abruptly left the BBC show citing ‘personal issues’ and hasn’t been seen on screen since, even quitting social media last month in the wake of her former dance partner’s sacking
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Sources previously claimed Amanda, Ranvir Singh and Laura Whitmore had an ’emotional summit’ where they ‘compared notes’ about their time working with Giovanni on the show (Laura and Giovanni pictured)
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Fellow Italian dancer Graziano Di Prima was sacked from the programme earlier this year after he was accused of kicking and spitting at Zara McDermott
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Strictly bosses then announced plans to introduce chaperones during training, and the appointment of two new welfare producers, after Graziano’s shock sacking from the show
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Zara released a statement which stated that while much of her time on Strictly ‘was everything I could have dreamt of’ inside the training room there were ‘particular incidents which are incredibly distressing’
Soon after, it emerged that Graziano Di Prima had been sacked for ‘kicking’ his partner, Love Island star Zara McDermott.
Strictly bosses then announced plans to introduce chaperones during training, and the appointment of two new welfare producers, after Graziano’s shock sacking from the show.
Love Island star Zara broke her silence on the scandal as she wrote on Instagram on Tuesday morning that while much of her time on Strictly ‘was everything I could have dreamt of’ inside the training room with Graziano there were ‘particular incidents which are incredibly distressing’.
‘I felt it was right that I post something regarding the recent media reports,’ Zara began. ‘Strictly is one of the most magical shows on TV and one that I dreamt of being on since I was a little girl.’
Zara explained that she didn’t report the incidents at the time as she was ‘scared’ of backlash.
New reports then emerged claiming that Zara also suffered a leg fracture during training, and continued to dance.
She picked up the nasty injury while preparing to dance and despite being in agonising pain, pushed through to compete in the dance-off.
Zara is thought to have told BBC bosses of the ‘rigorous’ training sessions she endured while paired with Graziano on the show.
However, a source close to Graziano told the publication that he encouraged her to take breaks, and she wanted to continue training despite her pain.
Then an unnamed female Strictly dancer was brought into the scandal after it was reported that they screamed in their male partner’s face and berated him off-camera.
The Daily Mirror reported that the household name’s allegations do not include physical abuse.
A source said: ‘The man in question felt very much victimized by the behaviour of his Strictly partner.
‘He alleges that on several occasions she flew into a real fury when he couldn’t get the steps right, and on one occasion screamed full in his face. They rowed every single day.
‘He was left upset, struggling to sleep, and feeling isolated in the process. But even worse, he felt totally unsupported by Strictly. When he suffered the setback, it was clear he was struggling, but he felt there was no duty of care. After leaving the show, he was not contacted again, even by phone.’
The source said he had been in a bad place and feared a public backlash if he spoke out.
And despite the show”s controversial months, Aljaž – who was accused of upsetting show staff with ‘aggressive and pompous behaviour’ in 2022 – is set to return.
Aljaz, who the series before was paired with Dragon’s Den star Sara Davies, revealed in 2022 that he would be leaving Strictly, with sources adding he was ‘on the fence’ about leaving before deciding to move onto other projects.
A source told The Sun that members of the crew were left ‘really upset’ by ‘incidents’ involving Aljaz during Strictly’s previous series.
They added: ‘He verbally lashed out at various staff members behind the scenes in what some thought was an unnecessarily aggressive manner.
‘Aljaz was seen by some as arrogant and pompous too – and it left a bad taste in some of the staff’s mouths. Not many people will miss him.’
However a representative for Aljaz told the publication: ‘Aljaz has the utmost respect for everyone working on the show and it is untrue to say he was forced out or acted in an aggressive manner at any time.
‘It was Aljaz’s decision to leave the show after an incredible 9 years.’
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Strictly Come Dancing’s cast and crew are reportedly furious over the return of professional dancer Aljaž Škorjanec
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The Slovenian dancer, 34, is set to return to the BBC show for its new series, two years after an altercation on the 2022 live tour (pictured with celebrity partner Sara Davies in 2021)
Sarah James, Executive Producer of Strictly Come Dancing said at the time: ‘We are so sad to be saying goodbye to Aljaž after almost a decade as a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing.
‘Since lifting the glitterball with Abbey Clancy in his debut series he has become a firm favourite with viewers across the country.
‘During his nine series he has provided us with some unforgettable moments on the show through his incredible choreography, passion for dance and heart of gold.
‘He will be missed by his Strictly family, both on and off the dancefloor, and we wish him only the very best as he embarks on his next chapter.’
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Source: The Wall Street Journal
