Lacey Turner first celebrity confirmed for Strictly 2026

Lacey Turner, renowned for portraying Stacey Slater on EastEnders, has been announced as the inaugural celebrity contestant for the 2026 season of Strictly Come Dancing. This revelation arrives much earlier than the BBC's usual August timeline for line-up announcements. Turner, a self-proclaimed 'huge fan' of the show, shared her enthusiasm for joining. The upcoming series will feature Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe as hosts, taking over from Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Head judge Shirley Ballas hinted at the exciting line-up on ITV's Good Morning Britain, promising some contestants will leave audiences in awe. While judges Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke return, several professional dancers, including Gorka Marquez and Nadiya Bychkova, will not. Regulars like Amy Dowden and Dianne Buswell will remain. The BBC has not clarified the early announcement but indicated that more contestants will be unveiled over the summer, leading up to the September premiere.