Strictly Come Dancing Announces Celebrity And Professional Pairings For This Year's Series

It does feel good having Strictly Come Dancing back on our screens, doesn’t it?The hit BBC dance show made its long-awaited return on Saturday night for its annual pre-recorded launch, with the live shows set to begin next weekend.As ever, the launch served as a taster for what we can expect in the coming weeks, and we also discovered which of this year’s professional dancers the 15 celebrity contestants have each been paired with.Over the course of the show, we learned that reigning champion Oti Mabuse – who has won the past two years of Strictly – will be dancing with rugby player Ugo Monye this time around, while last year’s runners up Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez have been paired with Greg Wise and Katie McGlynn, respectively.This year, Rose Ayling-Ellis is making history as the first deaf contestant to take part in Strictly, with the EastEnders star set to perform with Giovanni Pernice on the show.Meanwhile, John Whaite and Johannes Radebe will form the first ever Strictly partnership made up of two men.Here’s the full list of this year’s Strictly celebs and the professionals they’ve been coupled up with:Adam Peaty and Katya JonesAJ Odudu and Kai WiddringtonDan Walker and Nadiya BychkovaGreg Wise and Karen HauerJohn Whaite and Johannes RadebeJudi Love and Graziano Di PrimaKatie McGlynn and Gorka MarquezNina Wadia and Neil JonesRhys Stephenson and Nancy XuRobert Webb and Dianne BuswellRose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni PerniceSara Davies and Aljaz ŠkorjanecTilly Ramsay and Nikita KuzminTom Fletcher and Amy DowdenUgo Monye and Oti MabuseKai Widdrington and Nikita Kuzmin are both new additions to the Strictly line-up in 2021, with long-serving dancers Anton Du Beke and Janette Manrara not competing this year, due to their new roles within the show.Jowita Przystal and Cameron Lomard also joined the Strictly family in 2021, but neither of them has been assigned a celebrity partner.This year marks the first time Nancy Xu – who joined Strictly in 2019 – has been partnered up with a celebrity on the main show.Strictly’s first live show will air on Saturday 25 September on BBC One.MORE STRICTLY:Rose Ayling-Ellis Talks Smashing Stereotypes As Strictly's First Ever Deaf ContestantStrictly Hits Major Bump In The Road As Pro Dancer Tests Positive For CovidGreg Wise Reveals How Emma Thompson Inspired Him To Sign Up For Strictly Come Dancing

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