Graeme Hall becomes the latest star to join Strictly Come Dancing 2026 line-up
'The Dogfather' Graeme Hall has become the 11th celebrity to join the cast of Strictly Come Dancing 2026.
Dog trainer Graeme Hall has become the latest celebrity to sign up for Strictly Come Dancing.
The 60-year-old star, nicknamed 'The Dogfather', has become the 11th star to join the line-up for the new series of the BBC's Saturday night favourite – with the news announced on the show's social media channels on Wednesday (05.08.26).
Graeme is known for presenting the popular Channel 5 show Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly – which has aired for nearly a decade.
He has also fronted The Dog Hospital with Graeme Hall and is a regular contributor to ITV daytime show This Morning and BBC radio.
Graeme said: "I can't believe I am joining the cast of Strictly for 2026. I have always loved dancing, so to have the opportunity to learn from the best in the business is a dream come true.
"I have watched the show for years, so to be a part of it feels like a very exciting challenge, albeit more than a bit nerve-wracking! I can't wait to get started. Bring it on!"
Graeme joins Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer, Will Best, Dame Sarah Storey, Jaime Winstone, Bethany Antonia and Shaun Wright-Phillips in the line-up for this year's Strictly series – with further announcements promised throughout the summer.
This series will mark the start of a new era for the programme, with the trio of Emma Willis, Josh Widdecombe and Johannes Radebe taking over from Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman as hosts following the departures of the long-serving presenting duo last year.
Emma revealed recently that Tess and Claudia have given her the seal of approval as she gets ready to step into their shoes later this year.
The 50-year-old broadcaster told The Sun newspaper: "We’ve had a little back and forth, yes, and they were lovely.
"They just said, ‘Congrats, well done, you’ll smash it.’ And I was like, ‘S***!’ No tips. Just lots of kind words."
Emma has promised that she and her co-hosts have big plans for Strictly.
She said: "We will bring fun and joy - and that’s what the show is. It’s a big celebration of life and individuality. Hopefully we will continue to do it justice.
"It’s super, super important that we have full representation on screen. I think Strictly do it brilliantly."
