Shaun Wright-Phillips joins Strictly Come Dancing 2026
Shaun Wright-Phillips will be stepping out of his comfort zone when he does Strictly Come Dancing from September.
Shaun Wright-Phillips has joined the line-up for Strictly Come Dancing 2026.
The football player-turned-pundit cannot wait to challenge himself when the BBC Latin and Ballroom dance show returns in September.
Ex-England star Shaun - whose dad is 62-year-old football legend-and-pundit Ian Wright - said: "Dancing is in my blood - but mainly at family events! Strictly is definitely outside my comfort zone, but I’m super excited to get started and really looking forward to the challenge!"
Shaun's signing comes three days after it was confirmed that House of the Dragon actress Bethany Antonia will be taking to the dance floor on this year's series.
Bethany - who plays Lady Baela Targaryen in the prequel to HBO fantasy drama, Game of Thrones - grew up with Strictly Come Dancing, and she is in disbelief that she is now on the programme.
The 28-year-old star said: "I can’t quite believe that I will be heading to the Strictly ballroom this September! I have grown up watching Strictly, and I am so excited to take the challenge on and (hopefully!) learn a new skill. See you on the dance floor!"
In June, the BBC confirmed that Love Island alum Dani Dyer will get a second shot at doing Strictly Come Dancing after she was forced to pull out of the 2025 series due to an ankle injury.
The 29-year-old beauty said: "I am so excited to be back in the ballroom this September! I just cannot wait to get my dancing shoes back on and hopefully this time around I can actually make it to week one!
"I’m just over the moon and cannot wait to find out who else is doing it!"
So far, Shaun, Bethany, Dani, EastEnders icon Lacey Turner, 38, Neighbours alum Delta Goodrem, 41, celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton, 43, Love Island's Cach Mercer, 25, Big Brother host Will Best, 41, Paralympian Dame Sarah Storey, 48, and Babs actress Jaime Winstone, 41, will battle it out to lift the coveted Glitterball Trophy.
The BBC will announce more contestants in due course.
Strictly Come Dancing 2026 also introduces five new professional dancers - British dancer Maddie Ingoldsby, 21, 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.
As well as five new professional dancers, the upcoming series will see Emma Willis, 50, Josh Widdicombe, 43, and 39-year-old Johannes Radebe - a pro on Strictly since 2018 - debut as hosts, following the departure of Tess Daly, 57, and 54-year-old Claudia Winkleman.
