Strictly Come Dancing fans rejoiced on Saturday night as season 23 commenced with a bang, with the launch show on BBC One. However, some fans of the ballroom and Latin dance competition were left disappointed as it was revealed that several of the fan-favourite pros have been left without a celebrity partner this year – including Chinese champ Nancy Xu. The switch-up comes as producers have recruited two new pros – Alexis Warr from the United States and Julian Caillon from Australia.
The launch show, hosted by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, revealed the celebrity-pro dancer pairings before the competition kicks off fully on 27 September, which subsequently revealed that Nancy Xu would appear in group numbers only and would not be receiving a celebrity partner.
© BBC/Ray BurmistonWhich Strictly pros have been benched for 2025?
© BBC/Guy Levy"I just realised Nancy and Michelle don't get partners this year. It's kinda unfair to get new dancers when the current dancers don't even get partners," one enraged Strictly fan wrote on X, while another added: "Luba not getting a partner again! Why? And Nancy, Michelle, and Neil?! I wonder how they pick who'll have a partner and who won’t, it must be annoying for them when new pros come and get partners, but they're benched again."
© BBCA third lamented: "The fact that we won't see Nancy or Michelle with a celebrity on this year's #Strictly makes me feel so sad. I hope they know how much we love them and hopefully they'll be front and centre of some of the group dances this year."
© BBCPros Luba Mushtuk, Neil Jones, and Michelle Tsiakkas have also been benched, having all received partners last year. Russian championship dancer Luba last competed in 2024 with DIY SOS presenter Nick Knowles. Meanwhile, Neil Jones reached 14th place with singer Toyah Willcox last year, and Michelle Tkiakkas took EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick to ninth place. Last year, Nancy was partnered with former X Factor winner, Shayne Ward.
© Guy LevyWhy is Gorka Marquez not competing in Strictly 2025?
© Guy LevyEagle-eyed Strictly viewers may also have noticed that there was another favourite pro missing from the 2025 line-up. Spanish dancer Gorka Marquez has not been given a celebrity partner this year as he has a schedule clash for at least four of the 13 weeks of Strictly during which he'll be judging the Spanish equivalent of the dance show, Bailando con las Estrellas. His previous Strictly partners have included EastEnders actress Maisie Smith, with whom he reached the final in 2020, and Countryfile's Helen Skelton in 2022.
