The line up is complete, the celebrities are preparing to begin their training and now everyone knows exactly who is going to be our Strictly Come Dancing stars for 2022.
Bristol has added interest this year - as if we needed it - because one of our own, Bedminster’s Jayde Adams, is among the stars being paired up with a professional dancer and about to learn the difference between a tango and a salsa.
The final place in this year’s line up was announced today as TV presenter Helen Skelton, who will join the likes of Matt Goss, Fleur East and Ellie Simmonds under the glitterball.
Read more: Ten years on - why our Jayde is moving back to Bristol
But who are all the stars taking part and how many have you heard of? This year’s line-up does seem to be a step up on previous years, with some big household names getting involved.
Here’s everything you need to know about this year’s Strictly:
The judges will once again be Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and head judge Shirley Ballas, with the fourth chair taken up by former dance professional Anton du Beke, who now has the position permanently after temporarily taking over from Bruno Tonioli last year, when EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis and professional partner Giovanni Pernice were crowned champions.
The series is set to start with a launch show on Saturday, September 10, with the competition starting in earnest the following week.
The list of professional dancers waiting to be paired up with their celebrities has changed slightly from last year, following the departure of Oti Mabuse, who is leaving after seven years, and Aljaz Skorjanec, who spent nine years on Strictly.
Now, the line up has been confirmed as: Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Graziano Di Prima, Amy Dowden, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Cameron Lombard, Gorka Márquez, Luba Mushtuk, Giovanni Pernice, Jowita Przystał, Johannes Radebe, Kai Widdrington and Nancy Xu.
The celebrities
The 15th and final contestant unveiled today is Helen Skelton, a TV presenter who began her career on Blue Peter before moving on to Countryfile. She’s just started a new show on BBC Radio 5Live every Sunday, and has been on Strictly before, on the 2012 Christmas special.
The other celebrities are being led by - for Bristolians at least - Jayde Adams, who grew up in South Bristol and spent much of her childhood at her aunt’s freestyle disco dancing club, travelling around the country for competitions.
She moved to London ten years ago, and made her name as a stand-up comedian, recently moving into acting and TV presenting. Last year, she told Bristol Live why she had decided to move back to Bristol.
With two other contestants being announced, Jayde has joked on social media that her mum and dad are taking part.
England and Arsenal football legend Tony Adams - no relation - has been confirmed as another of the contestants. The Arsenal captain for 14 years, he battled alcoholism and founded a series of rehab clinics for sports people. There’s a West Country link here too - Tony lives on the Wiltshire-Gloucestershire border in the village of Coates, near Cirencester.
Another contestant to complete what could be an Addams Family special on Hallowe'en is Loose Women presenter Kaye Adams,
The other contestants are:
Paralympic swimming champion Ellie Simmonds
Bros singer and Las Vegas star Matt Goss
Radio 2 travel presenter Richie Anderson
Hear’Say singer and former Coronation Street legend Kym Marsh
Hollyoaks and Casualty actor Will Mellor
X-Factor and I’m a Celebrity star Fleur East
CBBC presenter Molly Rainford
EastEnders stalwart James Bye, who plays Martin Fowler
Wildlife presenter Hamza Yassin
Comedian and actress Ellie Taylor
BBC Three, MTV and Kiss FM presenter Tyler West
