Strictly Come Dancing have announced Lacey Turner as their first 2026 contestant.
The EastEnders star, 38, is currently on an extended break from playing her iconic character Stacey Slater in the soap and is keen to use her time to train for the BBC competition, which will start in September.
The news was officially revealed on Wednesday on Instagram, which is early for the BBC show but producers have teased more stars will be announced over the summer.
Lacey gushed she is ‘excited’ to take part in the competition, which will return to screens in September, and can’t wait to ‘learn a new skill’.
She said: ‘I am so excited to be 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!’
Strictly Come Dancing have announced Lacey Turner as their first 2026 contestant
The EastEnders star, 38, is currently on an extended break from playing her iconic character Stacey Slater in the soap and is keen to use her time to train for the BBC competition
Back in 2017, Lacey revealed she had turned down an offer from Strictly and admitted she didn’t ‘have the guts’ to do it.
She said at the time: ‘I have been asked to go on Strictly but I’m rubbish at dancing and I don’t really have the guts.
‘I think it’s a great show to do, though, as you learn a new skill.’
The new series will return in September with a number of huge changes as part of the competitions re-vamp.
Emma Willis, 50, Johannes Radebe, 39 and Josh Widdicombe, 43, are taking taking over the Latin and Ballroom dance programme following hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman quitting.
The popular duo fronted Strictly together since 2014 and speculation was rife as to who would land the coveted roles.
It comes as Janette Manrara confirmed her exit from Strictly Come Dancing and spin-off It Takes Two as she revealed the BBC show has ‘changed hugely’.
The TV star, who was a professional dancer on the BBC series from 2013 to 2020, has hosted the spin-off show It Takes Two alongside Fleur East since 2021.
Janette has revealed she is facing a ‘huge shift in her career’ as ‘reality starts to hit’ that she won’t be returning to Strictly after starring on the BBC show for 14 years.
Strictly is set to undergo a huge revamp ahead of its return in September, with Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman as hosts
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Strictly’s Janette Manrara confirms exit from It Takes Two and says BBC show has ‘changed hugely’
Speaking in a candid new YouTube video, the presenter said: ‘Strictly Come Dancing has changed hugely and I am no longer a part of It Takes Two or the main show.
‘I’ll still be involved in other ways. But, that just means that I’m free to pursue and do many other projects that I’ve always wanted to do and never really thought about doing.
‘Strictly is all I’ve known for the past 14 years so it is a bit like, “Oh, we’re going into a different world, a different space, how are we going to navigate that?”‘
The mother-of-one, who is married to co-star Aljaž Škorjanec, revealed she is going to continue filming YouTube videos as she navigates her ‘journey’ as she faces the ‘big shift and change’.
She added: ‘I’m making a huge shift in my career. I want to bring you on the journey with me and bring you on the ride and guide you on the madnss of it all, as it is a crazy shift.
‘Reality is going to hit when I come back from my holiday’.
And several of the well known professional dancers have also been axed including Luba Mushtuk, Gorka Marquez, Karen Hauer, Nadiya Bychkova and Michelle Tsiakkas.
