After confirming this year's complete Strictly Come Dancing celebrity line-up, the stars have finally been introduced to the professional dancers. On Tuesday, the official Strictly Instagram account released a series of videos, showing the celebrities bonding with one another as well as their potential dancing partners in what is set to be the biggest ever series with 15 couples. "So they're here, the cast - they are about to meet their pros," show host Claudia Winkleman teased. "They are quite nervous. Tess is over there looking after them."
© Photo: InstagramThe cast of this year's Strictly have started rehearsals
After warming up, Ashley Roberts shared: "We've met everyone, it's all really happening. We all have butterflies because this is just the beginning. I'm so excited." Day one of rehearsals kicked off shortly after Susannah Constantine and Charles Venn were announced as the final two stars to join the cast. The pair join Paralympian Lauren Steadman, Blue's Lee Ryan, comedian Seann Welsh, news reporter Kate Silverton, singer Ashley, journalist Stacey Dooley, This Morning's Dr Ranj, Capital FM presenter Vick Hope, cricketer Graeme Swann, Danny John Jules, YouTube star Joe Sugg, Steps singer Faye Tozer and author Katie Piper.
MORE: The complete 2018 Strictly line-up
© Photo: InstagramStrictly returns to BBC One this autumn
Strictly fans will have to wait a little while longer to find out which dancers the celebrities have been partnered up with. According to dancer Neil Jones, the stars are matched to professionals based on things like height. "Of course Brendan left, and we didn't want him to go, but he's six foot something," the professional said of replacing former pro Brendan Cole via The Sun. "I'm a lot smaller than him, so it now all depends on the celebrities. Because Brendan danced with Charlotte [Hawkins] last year and there’s no way I would've been able to dance with her because she's taller than me." Strictly Come Dancing will return to BBC One in the autumn.
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