One stage I've never stepped onto is the ballroom floor
Each autumn, the ballroom becomes a mirror in which public figures discover something about themselves they could not find elsewhere. This year, Australian singer Delta Goodrem — whose career has moved through soap opera, concert hall, and Eurovision stage — joins EastEnders veteran Lacey Turner and Love Island alumna Dani Dyer as the earliest confirmed contestants in Strictly Come Dancing's 24th series, a season arriving with unusually early fanfare and an entirely new presenting team. The show, long anchored by familiar faces, is quietly asking what continuity means when so much around it is changing.
- Delta Goodrem, at 41 and fresh from Eurovision, steps toward the one stage her career has never touched — and does so with visible excitement rather than reluctance.
- Dani Dyer carries the weight of an unfinished story: a fractured ankle ended her last attempt before it truly began, and she returns determined simply to reach week one.
- The BBC has broken from its own tradition by announcing contestants in June rather than August, signalling a deliberate shift in how the show builds its seasonal momentum.
- Behind the glitter, the presenting lineup is being rebuilt from scratch — Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis, and Johannes Radebe replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman after chemistry tests shaped the final decision.
- Head judge Shirley Ballas promises further surprises while insisting the show's soul will survive the transition — new faces, she suggests, need not mean a new identity.
The ballroom is calling, and Delta Goodrem has answered. At 41, the Australian singer and actress — known to many through Neighbours, her own touring music, and most recently a turn representing Australia at the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest — has confirmed she will join the 24th series of Strictly Come Dancing. It is, she noted, the one stage her career has never taken her to. "I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining Strictly and can't wait to get started," she said.
Goodrem is the third celebrity announced for the series. Lacey Turner, who has played Stacey Slater on EastEnders since 2004 and earned both a British Soap Award and a National Television Award for the role, was first to be confirmed. She described the prospect as equal parts excitement and terror, admitting she had watched friends take on the challenge for years before finally deciding her moment had arrived.
Dani Dyer, 29, brings a different kind of anticipation. Last September, a fractured ankle during rehearsals forced her withdrawal before the competitive series even began, with Amber Davies stepping in as her replacement and reaching the final. Dyer returns this time with modest but pointed ambition: "Hopefully this time around I can actually make it to week one." Since her 2018 Love Island win, she has accumulated 3.7 million Instagram followers, competed on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, and appeared alongside her father in The Dyers' Caravan Park.
The announcements themselves are arriving earlier than usual — the BBC typically waits until August — suggesting a deliberate change in how the show manages its build-up. Head judge Shirley Ballas, speaking on Good Morning Britain, promised more surprises ahead. The judging panel and core professional dancers remain in place, but the presenting team is entirely new: Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis, and Johannes Radebe replace long-time hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman following chemistry tests. Ballas was measured about rumoured set changes, advising audiences not to believe everything they read. The series begins in September — enough time, just, for a new cast and a reshaped show to find their footing together.
The ballroom is calling. Delta Goodrem, the Australian singer and actress who spent years building a career across soap operas, concert stages, and international competitions, has just announced she's stepping onto one floor she's never danced on before: the Strictly Come Dancing stage.
At 41, Goodrem becomes the third celebrity confirmed for the show's 24th series, joining EastEnders actress Lacey Turner and reality television personality Dani Dyer in what promises to be a competitive autumn. Goodrem's path to fame began in the Australian soap Neighbours, where she first captured audiences' attention. More recently, she represented Australia at the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, adding another credential to a resume that spans television, theatre, film, and touring her own music around the world. But the ballroom, she said in her announcement, remains uncharted territory. "There is, however, one stage I've never stepped onto and that is the ballroom floor," she explained. "I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining Strictly and can't wait to get started."
Turner, best known for playing Stacey Slater on EastEnders since 2004, was the first contestant announced for the series. The role has earned her a British Soap Award and a National Television Award, and she's also appeared in BBC dramas including Our Girl. In a video posted to Instagram, Turner described feeling both excited and terrified in equal measure. She noted that many of her friends had already taken on the challenge of Strictly, and she finally decided the time had come to find her courage and step onto that dance floor.
Dyer, 29, is making a return to the competition after an injury derailed her previous attempt. Last September, she fractured her ankle during rehearsals with dance partner Nikita Kuzmin before the competitive episodes even began, forcing her withdrawal from the season. Amber Davies, another former Love Island winner, stepped in as her replacement and went on to reach the final. This time around, Dyer is determined to make it further. "I just cannot wait to get my dancing shoes back on and hopefully this time around I can actually make it to week one," she said, her optimism tempered by the memory of what happened before. Dyer first became famous on Love Island in 2018 and has since built a substantial following—3.7 million Instagram users follow her—and is married to West Ham striker Jarrod Bowen. Earlier this year, she was joint winner of Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins and appeared alongside her father in The Dyers' Caravan Park.
The announcement of these three contestants comes unusually early in the calendar. The BBC typically confirms its full lineup in August, but this year the network has begun rolling out names in June, signaling a shift in how the show manages its publicity. Head judge Shirley Ballas, speaking to ITV's Good Morning Britain, hinted that more surprises are coming. "There are going to be some people on there that will make you go 'wow'," she said.
Beyond the celebrity lineup, the 24th series is undergoing substantial changes behind the scenes. The presenting trio will be entirely new: Josh Widdicombe, Emma Willis, and Johannes Radebe are replacing long-time hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Ballas said the three new presenters underwent chemistry tests alongside other candidates, and those tests determined the final pairing. "I believe it's absolutely unbelievable," she said of the result. The judging panel—Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke—will remain unchanged, as will the core group of professional dancers including Amy Dowden, Dianne Buswell, Katya Jones, Vito Coppola, and Aljaz Skorjanec.
When asked about rumors of a new set design, Ballas was cautious. "Don't believe everything you read," she advised. While there will be new dancers and new presenters, she suggested the show's fundamental identity will remain intact. "I don't think they'll change the show too much, maybe tweaks here and there, but no major changes." The series is expected to begin in September, giving the production team and the newly announced celebrities a few months to prepare for what promises to be a season marked by both continuity and transformation.
Notable Quotes
There is, however, one stage I've never stepped onto and that is the ballroom floor. I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining Strictly and can't wait to get started.— Delta Goodrem
I just cannot wait to get my dancing shoes back on and hopefully this time around I can actually make it to week one.— Dani Dyer
The Hearth Conversation Another angle on the story
Why does it matter that Delta Goodrem has never danced competitively before, even though she's spent four decades performing?
Because Strictly isn't about performance in the traditional sense—it's about learning a completely foreign language with your body. She's sung on stages, acted in scenes, but ballroom dancing has its own grammar. That's the vulnerability the show trades in.
Dani Dyer is coming back after an injury ended her last attempt. Does that feel like redemption, or is there something else going on?
It's more complicated than redemption. She's saying she wants to make it past week one this time, which is a modest goal on its surface. But there's a real edge to it—she's had to watch someone else finish what she started. That's not easy to come back from.
The BBC is announcing contestants in June instead of August. What does that signal?
It suggests they're confident enough in the lineup to start building momentum early. Or they're trying to control the narrative before leaks happen. Either way, it's a break from tradition, which fits with everything else changing this year.
Three new presenters, but the judges stay the same. Why keep that stability?
The judges are the show's spine—they're the ones who actually know dance. The presenters are the connective tissue. You can refresh that without losing credibility. Ballas and the others have earned their place.
Shirley Ballas said there will be people on the lineup who will make you go 'wow.' What does that mean in practice?
It means there are still celebrities to announce who have either cultural weight or genuine surprise value. Three contestants in June leaves room for the real draws to come later.