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Strictly's New Era: First Same-Sex Duo Confirmed for 2026!
19 Sep
Summary
- Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu form the latest same-sex partnership.
- Celebrities discovered partners via a 'speed dating' style format.
- Strictly Come Dancing returns September 26 on BBC One.
The highly anticipated 2026 season of Strictly Come Dancing has officially revealed its celebrity and professional pairings. A historic moment for the show occurred with the confirmation of a same-sex partnership between actress Bethany Antonia and professional dancer Nancy Xu. Fans expressed immense excitement on social media for this groundbreaking duo.
The pre-recorded launch show, hosted by Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe, introduced a novel 'speed dating' format. Celebrities and professional dancers were grouped, learned a routine, and then rotated partners rapidly until the final pairings were announced. This innovative method ensured a unique reveal for the 15 competing couples.
This season's same-sex pairing follows a history of five such couples on the show, including Nicola Adams and Katya Jones, and Johannes Radebe and John Whaite, who reached the finals. Strictly Come Dancing is set to return on Saturday, September 26, at 6:15 PM on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
