It’s time to dust off your dancing shoes once more as Strictly Come Dancing prepares to return for the 21st season in 2023.
In 2022, celebrity cameraman-turned-dancer Hamza Yassin and his professional partner Jowita Przystal won the long-running ballroom tournament.
Naturally, with the next series only two months away, speculation about the 2023 lineup has begun, with many well-known personalities in the running.
An I’m A Celeb winner, a TV chef, a Waterloo Road and Emmerdale actor, and a contentious former This Morning host are among those set to appear.
Let’s get started.
Jill Scott
The winner of I’m A Celebrity wouldn’t be the first footballer to swap the pitch for the ballroom – the Queen of the Jungle might be chasing another reality title.
Planet Radio are reporting that the MBE is ‘heavily rumoured for this year’s series of Strictly, with BBC bosses reportedly keen to sign her up’.
Rylan Clark
Rylan, who rose to prominence on The X Factor, would undoubtedly want to go far on Strictly – it’s also a BBC show, so he wouldn’t have to go far for episodes!
Rylan’s resignation as host of sister show It Takes Two fueled speculation about his competing in Strictly this year. He has clearly had years of Strictly experience!
Gino D’Acampo
His granny would have been a bike if she had wheels. And if Gino has dancing feet, he may go from cooking to cha cha cha.
Gino was heavily rumoured to be participating on Strictly last year, but he was eventually left out of the line-up.
According to an insider, BBC executives admired his “universal appeal” and thought he was “more than capable of entertaining viewers.”
Phillip Schofield‘s talks about joining the cast of Strictly 2023 became’more aggressive’ following his stunning exit from This Morning.
A source told The Sun: ‘Phil is in the sights of Strictly. They would love to have him on board because of the publicity it would generate for the show.
‘Phil has been asked before but this time the offer was more aggressive,’ they added, indicating that the controversial host could be joining.
Angela Scanlon
This one is, by all accounts, a done deal. But until the announcement is official, Angela’s involvement in the 2023 series is still just a rumour.
Nick Knowles
After so many years in the TV business, Nick Knowles, a recognised face and voice to millions, may be willing to give Strictly a shot.
After posting a video of himself breaking a move on Instagram earlier this year, fans are confident Nick would slip on his dancing shoes.
Josie Gibson
Josie is supposed to be the subject of a bidding war, with both the BBC and ITV expressing interest in her for their reality programmes.
A source told The Sun: ‘BBC bosses are desperate for her to appear on Strictly as she’s exactly the kind of warm, engaging person they love — one who will always be a hit with viewers.’
Adam Thomas
Could Adam Thomas, Ryan Thomas’s brother from Coronation Street, be joining Strictly? Tina O’Brien, his brother’s co-star, was removed in week four of the 2010 season.
Adam, who was strongly believed to be joining the BBC talent show last year, apparently wants to face the infamous “Strictly curse.”
Matt and Emma Willis
Matt would be the first Busted member to participate on Strictly, however Charlie’s recent experience on The Masked Singer may have influenced him.
Matt and Emma were ‘eyed up’ in December 2022, very soon after Hamza won the tournament and shortly after its Christmas special.
‘Strictly is anxious for a celebrity couple to appear on the programme, and Emma and Matt were in discussions for the last series,’ a source revealed at the time.
Priya Davdra
Priya Davdra entered EastEnders in 2019 as the show’s first Muslim lesbian character, and left in 2022. Is she on the BBC’s shortlist?
A source told The Mirror: Priya was singled out as a target for the casting team early in the process and they were keen. She is young, glamorous and would be a great fit for the show.’
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One later this year.
Source My Celebrity Life.
