Paralympian is next celebrity confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing 2026
Joining an impressive line-up so far!
Last updated 8 hours ago
The bosses over at Strictly Come Dancing are really keeping us on our toes with the line-up announcements for 2026! After announcing Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem and Chris Appleton in June, the crew took a break - keeping us firmly on our toes.
Thankfully, it seems the momentum is heating up again, as earlier this month they announced Love Island's Cach Mercer, with Will Best's confirmation coming this week - and now we know the identity of the seventh member of the line-up.
Confirming the news on Instagram, Strictly announced that Paralympic athlete Dame Sarah Storey will be taking to the dancefloor each Saturday night alongside the other famous faces.
They wrote: 'Plot twist on her retirement, Britain’s most successful Paralympian @damesarahstorey is joining #Strictly! Welcome, Dame Sarah!' (sic)
Dame Sarah said: "Embarking on a new challenge so soon after stepping down as an athlete is hugely exciting. I have always loved watching Strictly and my daughter Louisa is a very talented dancer, so to be able to learn from the best and hopefully understand even more about her world, is incredibly motivating! I can’t wait to get started!"
Sarah Storey is the most successful British Paralympic athlete of all time, having taken home 30 medals - 19 of them Gold - in her career as both a swimmer and a cyclist. She has taken part in a whopping nine Games, including London 2012.
She announced her retirement earlier this month, stating that she wants to use her platform to improve Para-sport: "I see this as a critical stage; there are many areas of Para-sport that still need attention, and that is something that has played a big part in my decision.
"I fully believe that I can have a greater impact off my bike, rather than chasing a 10th Games and possibly further titles. I'm excited to be part of a future where we inject the momentum that is needed to ensure the future is bright for all Para-athletes."
See which celebrities have signed up to Strictly Come Dancing 2026 so far:
Lacey Turner
Best known for: Actress
Lacey said: "I am so excited to being making my way to the dance floor this year to be a part of Strictly Come Dancing! I am a huge fan and can't quite believe I will be taking part and not watching at home this year! I look forward to meeting everyone and learning a new skill!"
Dani Dyer
Best known for: TV personality
Dani 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!"
Delta Goodrem
Best known for: Singer and actress
Delta said: "I've been incredibly honoured to perform on many different stages throughout my career - from tv, theatre, film sets, to touring my own shows around the world, 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!"
Chris Appleton
Best known for: World-renowned conceptual hair stylist
Chris said: 'I'm thrilled to be joining Strictly Come Dancing and coming home to the UK for this incredible experience. I've always believed that the best things happen when you take a chance and try something new. I may know my way around a salon floor, but the dance floor is a whole different story - and I can't wait to get started.'
Cach Mercer
Best known for: Love Island winner
Cach said: "I have grown up watching the show with my family and am so excited to now be part of the cast. Dancing is a huge passion of mine and I can't wait to learn Ballroom and do the Foxtrot for the first time!"
Will Best
Best known for: Radio presenter and Big Brother host
Will said: "I can't quite believe it…I'm doing Strictly! What an absolute dream. Albeit a pretty terrifying one. I've been lucky to do lots of live telly before, but absolutely nothing like this. And I cannot wait! I have no idea if I can actually dance, but bring on the sequins, bring on the quicksteps, bring on the dance floor! I'm going to try to enjoy every minute of it."
Dame Sarah Storey
Best known for: Paralympic athlete
Sarah said: "Embarking on a new challenge so soon after stepping down as an athlete is hugely exciting. I have always loved watching Strictly and my daughter Louisa is a very talented dancer, so to be able to learn from the best and hopefully understand even more about her world, is incredibly motivating! I can't wait to get started!"