After two months, we now know the full Strictly Come Dancing line-up for its 2026 season, and fans were over the moon when it was announced that Gavin & Stacey star Melanie Walters would be donning her sequins.
Melanie, 64, is best known for playing Gwen West, the mother of the titular Stacey in the beloved BBC sitcom, which ran between 2007 and 2010, before returning for several specials. The actress has also had major roles in We Are Seven, Hollyoaks, and more recently, Death Valley.
Speaking about joining the show, Melanie said: "Performing in Pantomime for the last 15 years, my Strictly ‘fix’ has always been watching in a dressing room rather than my front room. This year I am completely thrilled and happy to swap my fairy wand for sequinned dance shoes. I just hope I don’t follow Cinderella and leave one on the Ballroom stairs. I cannot wait to take part in this absolutely iconic show, it’s so exciting. See you in September!"
Fans were overjoyed with the announcement, with one person writing on social media: "THIS IS FANTASTIC," while another added: "Best one yet!"
© BBCHow Strictly has changed for 2026
When we head back to the ballroom next month, it will be vastly different to when we left it last December. The biggest change is with the presenting line-up, with Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman opting to stand down at the end of the last season.
They've been replaced by former Big Brother host Emma Willis, comedian Josh Widdicombe and fan favourite Strictly professional Johannes Radebe. Although this means JoJo won't have a celebrity partner now, he has confirmed that he will still have involvement in the professional numbers. Phew!
© CREDIT LINE:BBC/Ray BurmistonSpeaking of the professionals, we've also sadly bid farewell to Karen Hauer, Michelle Tsiakkas, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Gorka Marquez, with the latter now focusing on his role as a judge on the Spanish version of the show.
However, five new pros have been drafted in to fill their places, and fans can expect to see Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori, Lethabo Monametsi, Maddie Ingoldsby and Mark Karmalita make their Strictly debuts next month.
Who else is in this year's line-up?
Over the past few months, we have been treated to plenty of announcements, with the show kicking them off in June. First to be confirmed was EastEnders icon Lacey Turner, and she was followed by Love Island star Dani Dyer, who was signed for the previous series, but had to drop out due to an ankle injury.
The third star was Eurovision contestant Delta Goodrem, and she was shortly joined by celebrity stylist Chris Appleton, Love Island champion Cach Mercer and Big Brother host Will Best.
The next confirmed celeb was Britain's most decorated Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey, followed by actress Jaime Winstone, House of the Dragon's Bethany Antonia, former footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips and Dogs Behaving Badly trainer Graeme Hall.
Before Melanie, the final celebrity announcements were Emmerdale's Lawrence Robb, Olympic skeleton champ Tabby Stoecker and football influencer John Nellis.
