BBC confirms the 15 pro dancers returning to Strictly 2026

There will be 15 returning pros for the new series, as five leave the show.

New professionals are also set to be recruited and announced closer to the dancing show’s return in autumn.

BBC confirms the 15 pro dancers returning to Strictly 2026

The full list of 15 dancers returning from the 2025 series is:

• Alexis Warr
• Amy Dowden
• Aljaz Skorjanec
• Carlos Gu
• Dianne Buswell
• Johannes Radebe
• Jowita Przystal
• Julian Caillon
• Kai Widdrington
• Katya Jones
• Lauren Oakley
• Nancy Xu
• Neil Jones
• Nikita Kuzmin
• Vito Coppola

Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke, and head judge Shirley Ballas will all return to the judging panel.

Themed weeks, including movies, icons, Halloween and musicals, plus the Instant Dance challenge, which was introduced last year, will also be back.

The BBC has also confirmed Strictly will once again make its annual trip to Blackpool Tower Ballroom later this year, and said further plans for the new series would be announced in due course.

Which Strictly pros have left the series for 2026?

Reports have suggested that there are plans to reinvent the series, particularly following the departures of long-time presenters Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly.

Five pros that have been axed from Strictly ahead of the new series include:

• Gorka Marquez
• Michelle Tsiakkas
• Karen Hauer
• Nadiya Bychkova
• Luba Mushtuk

Karen was the show’s longest-serving Strictly professional in the current roster at the time she was axed.

With her exit, the longest-standing current Strictly professional is now Aljaž Škorjanec, who has only missed two series (in 2022 and 2023) since 2013.

Each dancer’s post announcing their exit was flooded with tributes from fans and stars alike.

The BBC has thanked each of the departing dancers for their time on the show, praising Tsiakkas for her “excellent performances” and “professionalism”, and Marquez for his “exceptional contribution”.

The new dancers that will replace the five will be announced soon, as will the new hosts.

Will you be watching the new series of Strictly Come Dancing? Let us know in the comments.