Launch Night 'Shake-Up' Revealed
With the 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing just weeks away, contestant Graeme Hall has let slip a significant change to the show's format. Speaking on Radio Northampton, the podcaster and dog trainer revealed that the way celebrity-professional partnerships are unveiled will be different this year.
"This year, they're doing it slightly differently," Hall said. "We don't find out until the launch show. You have no say in it, the pros have no say in it."
In recent years, the pre-recorded launch episode had featured the celebrities traveling to locations across the country to meet their professional partners. However, according to Hall, producers have scrapped those video segments in favor of a return to the pre-Covid format, where the pairings are announced live in the studio. Both the dancers and celebrities will discover their partners at the same time as the audience.
A New Era for Strictly
The format change is among several major shake-ups facing the BBC show, which is set to return to screens in September on BBC One and iPlayer. The presenting line-up will see Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe take over from longtime hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Additionally, former contestant Ellie Taylor has been confirmed as the new host of the spin-off show It Takes Two, replacing Janette Manrara and Fleur East.
There are also changes among the professional dancers. The articles note that five pros—Karen Hauer, Michelle Tsiakkas (also spelled Tsiakia in some reports), Luba Mushtuk, Nadiya Bychkova, and Gorka Marquez—have stepped away from the show. Taking their place will be five newcomers: Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori Lethabo Monametsi, Maddie Ingoldby, and Mark Karmalita. Executive Producer Sarah James and Senior Commissioning Editor Jo W. Wallace are quoted both welcoming the new dancers.
The celebrity line-up, as reported by the Manchester Evening News and the South Wales Echo, includes Graeme Hall, Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer, Jaime Winstone, Will Best, Sean Wright-Phillips, Bethany Antonia, Lawrence Robb, John Nellis, Tabby Stoecker, Dame Sarah Storey, and Melanie Walters.
Different Reporting Angles
The two outlets that reported this story framed the news slightly differently. The Manchester Evening Emphas Head presented it as a "tease" from Hall, highlighting the anticipation of the upcoming series. The South Wales Echo, meanwhile, described it as a "major format change" that fans will be "delighted" to hear about soon. Both agreed on the core details: the end of pre-recorded videos and the return to live studio announcements.
Neither report disputed Hall's version of events, but the level of certainty about the specifics varied. The Manchester Evening News referred to "scrapped" video segments, while the South Wales Echo said the partnership reveal will be "announced live in the studio"—language consistent with their overall narratives.
The celebrities' list was similar in both outlets, with only minor discrepancies (for instance, the placement of a few names). It should be noted that the lists were nearly identical, and neither provided a complete lineup, so readers should anticipate adjustments as the launch approaches.
Looking Ahead
With the launch show still weeks away, the format change promises to add an extra layer of surprise for the audience as they learn about the partnerships in real time. The decision to scrap the pre-recorded videos marks a departure from recent seasons and signals a return to the show's earlier style. As Hall noted, the element of spontaneity is increased dramatically for both the celebrities and the pros.