Strictly Come Dancing Overhauls Line-Up with Five New Professionals and Hosting Shake-Up

Maddie Ingoldsby, the UK National Ballroom Champion, and Mark Karmalita, a two-time Canadian National Latin Champion, are among the new professional dancers joining the show.

Lethabo Monametsi expressed profound gratitude, stating, "This moment is bigger than me. I step into it with profound gratitude and deep humility, knowing it is the culmination of years of unwavering love, belief, and support from the people who dared to dream alongside me."

Monametsi further added, "Representing South Africa on the Strictly Come Dancing stage is far more than a career milestone, it is an honour beyond words, and I cannot wait to embrace every extraordinary moment of this journey."

Aleksandra Isaeva shared her excitement, stating, "I've been living and breathing dance for as long as I can remember, so joining the Strictly family is a true honour."

Cristian Priori remarked, "Saying yes to Strictly was an easy decision. Dance has always been my way of expressing myself, and I'm so excited to begin this new chapter."

Maddie Ingoldsby confirmed, "Joining Strictly as a professional dancer is truly a dream come true. My heart is so full of gratitude, excitement, and anticipation as I begin this incredible new chapter."

Mark Karmalita noted, "Joining Strictly feels incredibly special, and I'm honoured to be stepping into a ballroom with so much history and heart."

Sarah James confirmed the calibre of the new additions, stating, "Aleksandra, Cristian, Lethabo, Maddie and Mark are all outstanding world-class dancers and we can't wait to see them shine under the Strictly glitterball this September."

Jo Wallace echoed this sentiment, stating, "It's so exciting to welcome the brilliantly talented Aleksandra, Cristian, Lethabo, Maddie and Mark. As if the return of Strictly wasn't shaping up to be fab-u-lous enough already, they're five more reasons why the new series is not to be missed."

Beyond the new dancers, the show also implemented a significant change in its presenting line-up, with Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe now replacing long-standing hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.

Eight celebrity contestants have been revealed so far, including Will Best, Jaime Winstone, and Delta Goodrem, setting the stage for the new season. EastEnders star Lacey Turner, former Love Island star Dani Dyer, celebrity hairdresser Chris Appleton, and reality TV star Cach Mercer also participate in 2024.

This extensive shake-up follows significant departures from the franchise. Fleur East and Janette Manrara were axed from the spin-off show It Takes Two.

Professional dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano di Prima also left the main show, alongside five other long-standing professional dancers who were removed. Graziano di Prima's departure follows allegations that he had stamped on his partner Zara McDermott during a previous series.

Industry insiders claim bosses plot a major revamp of the BBC Two weeknight show in the wake of a string of scandals that rocked the franchise, including claims of drug taking and abusive behaviour towards contestants by professional dancers.

An industry source stated that fans will be stunned by the continuing "bloodbath," adding that bosses are determined to overhaul the show completely. Another industry source claimed that nobody feels safe right now, with a real drive behind the scenes to usher in a fresh era after all the recent drama.

Industry Source indicated that Nobody feels safe right now, with a real drive behind the scenes to usher in a fresh era after all the recent drama.

The priority, according to an industry source, is a clean slate by September, aiming to put distance between the show and the controversies of recent years. It is understood that those with bigger online followings have been chosen over dancers who are not as "TikTok friendly," as the series attempts to attract a younger audience.

The show is set to be pre-recorded on Wednesday, September 9, and is expected to air on Saturday, September 19, on BBC One.

Carlos Gu, who won the 2023 edition of Strictly with Karen Carney, remains with the show amidst these significant changes.