The first contestants taking part in Strictly Come Dancing 2022 have been announced. The popular BBC competition will return to our screens in a few weeks with filming set to begin the first week of September.
The show will return with a new line-up of famous faces ready to get to grips with the cha-cha or the Charleston. There will also be some familiar faces as Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will be back to host the show.
Both hosts will be joined by Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood and judge Shirley Ballas. While there are no exact dates yet for the series to hit TV screens, the filming is set to start on Wednesday, September 7. The BBC has announced some of the contestants we can expect to see, reports the Manchester Evening News.
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Will Mellor
Will Mellor is the first celebrity to be confirmed for Strictly 2022. He is best known for his role as Gaz in sitcom Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps. He's also known for starring in Hollyoaks and Coronation Street where he plays Harvey Gaskell.
Will said that Strictly is his mother's favourite show so following the death of his father, he wanted to create new memories. He said: “The training side of it is one of the reasons why I’m doing it. My mindset completely changed a while back and I just thought I’ve got to start doing things that frighten me a little bit and step out of your comfort zone, and that’s what life is about. And when I got the phone call for this I just said: ‘Yes, I’m going to do it’.
"Also I lost my dad in 2020 and I just thought from then I’ve just got to grab life and I’ve got to do things and I’ve got to create new memories and my mindset changed, and that’s sort of one of the reasons why." He added: "It’s my mum’s favourite show so she’s had it really tough over the last few years so I thought, we’ll do this…"
He added: "I'm honestly so chuffed to be taking part in Strictly Come Dancing this year. Not going to lie, it's totally out of my comfort zone and I know it will be a huge challenge but that's what life is all about. This is also my mum's favourite show and she’s had a really tough few years so I’m doing this for her as well. Bring it on."
Kym Marsh
Kym Marsh is known for her performances in Hear'Say and also on Coronation Street. Although she denies her previous experience with dancing will give her an advantage on the show.
Appearing on BBC Breakfast, she revealed she was the second contestant for the show. Of all the different types of dancing she will be doing, she said she was most excited to learn.
"I am just very keen to learn. Watching it, I have done dancing before when I was a little girl and in Hear’Say but it was a very different style of dance."
Marsh was also joined on screen by her parents Dave and Pauline, with her mother saying she was a huge fan of the show. The soap star, who spent 13 years playing Michelle Connor in ITV's Corrie, added: "I've considered doing Strictly for years but the timings never worked out. I’m so delighted that this year they have. I’m a huge fan of the show and can’t believe I’m going to go from watching at home in my pyjamas to actually dancing in front of the judges in a glittery dress, it’s unreal."
Kaye Adams?
It is thought that the BBC will announce the third contestant this weekend and it is rumoured to be Loose Woman's Kaye Adams. Kaye could join both Coronation Street stars as the third dancer to join the new series. Other Loose Women Panellists have taken part before as Ruth Langsford and Judi love have both appeared on the show. The list will be updated as new contestants announced.
