Strictly Come Dancing brings in pros to boost social media following
Strictly Come Dancing's new professional dancers are said to have been chosen to help boost the show's online following because of a desire to promote more social media content this year.
Strictly Come Dancing's new professional dancers are said to have been chosen to help boost the show's online following.
Producers revealed on Saturday (25.07.26) that five new faces are joining the line-up, British dancer Maddie Ingoldsby - who performed in a special one-off routine on the show with the programme's troupe 10 years ago at the age of just 11 - Ukrainian Aleksandra Isaeva and her dance partner, four-time Italian Latin Champion Cristian Priori, undefeated South African Latin champion Lethabo Monametsi, and Canada's Mark Karmalita.
And it is hoped the young stars will help with plans for the show to offer "a lot more social media content this year".
A source told the Telegraph: “Strictly is now much more than just a couple of TV shows each weekend, so audiences can expect a lot more social media content this year as Strictly becomes something that viewers can get access to where they want, when they want.
“They are all super enthusiastic and eager to get started. Even at a young age they have some amazing dance credentials under their belts already, which puts this new generation of pros at the top of their game.
“As they are young, they organically already have a strong social following that will only be bolstered further by joining one of the biggest entertainment shows in the world here in the UK and on the BBC.”
It was previously reported that big social media presences among the professional dancers played a part in who stayed and got the chop in a bid to attract younger viewers to Strictly Come Dancing, with the likes of Diane Buswell, who has 1.2 million followers, kept on.
Karen Hauer, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk, Gorka Marquez and Michelle Tsiakkas were all axed from the professional line-up as part of a big shake-up of Strictly Come Dancing for the 2026 series.
Show bosses are thrilled with the newcomers.
Sarah James, Executive Producer, BBC Studios said: “Aleksandra, Cristian, Lethabo, Maddie and Mark are all outstanding world class dancers and we can’t wait to see them shine under the Strictly glitterball this September.”
Jo Wallace, Senior Commissioning Editor, BBC Entertainment added: “It’s so exciting to welcome the brilliantly talented Aleksandra, Cristian, Lethabo, Maddie and Mark. As if the return of Strictly wasn't shaping up to be fab-u-lous enough already, they're five more reasons why the new series is not to be missed.”
So far, Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer, Will Best, Dame Sarah Storey, and Jaime Winstone have been announced as the celebrities taking part.
The new series will be the first with Emma Willis, Josh Widdecombe and Johannes Radebe as hosts following the departures of Claudia WInkleman and Tess Daly.
