© Photo: Getty ImagesThe Strictly Come Dancing professionals have been announced, so the one remaining mystery is which celebrity contestants will be joining our favourite ballroom dancers on the 2019 Strictly series? Although we still have a few months to wait until the contestants are officially announced in September, there are already some amazing celebrities who have hinted they might well like to be involved. Find out who might say yes to the show…
Anneka Rice
According to reports, TV veteran Anneka Rice has already signed on the dotted line and will appear in this year's Strictly line-up. The Sun reports that she can't wait to get on the dancefloor and is already in great shape. The 60-year-old made a name for herself when she launched Challenge Anneka in 1989. The series involved her being given a task to accomplish within a certain period of time. It ran for five years before returning on ITV for four specials in 2006 and 2007.
Sam Allardyce
The former England football manager in in actual discussions with the BBC to take part in the hit show this year - if reports in the Daily Mail are to be believed. According to a sequined source, the football legend met TV executives in a hotel bar last month and were talking about everything, from how the show manages to make sure its celebrity contestants look good, to what he'd do in a Christmas special!
Sam's appearance in the show would allow him to join the ranks of esteemed former Strictly footballers such as John Barnes and Robbie Savage.
Robbie partnered Ola Jordan in 2011 and made sixth place, while John came seventh in 2007 - but he did secure a perfect ten from the judges for his salsa!
Tim Lovejoy
Chris Evans is a very naughty man when it comes to Strictly rumours (read down and you'll see why!) and if blowing his own secret isn't enough for the ginger-haired radio star, he's letting things slip about visitors to his Breakfast Show too.
Sunday Brunch’s Tim Lovejoy seems to be hankering after a bit of his co-host Simon Rimmer Strictly limelight - ifi Simon's chat with Chris on his Virgin Radio show is anything to go by. "Tim’s going to do it this year," Simon joked, with Lovejoy replying, "Done deal.". He did quickly add that he hadn't in fact been offered a part yet - before adding, "But, pre-Simon being on it, it was more of a no than it is now." Ooooh!
© Photo: Getty ImagesChris Evans
Forget rumoured, Chris has all but confirmed! The Radio DJ admitted that he had already agreed to take part in the series rather than keep it shrouded in secrecy, and told The One Show: "I have said yes. Everyone puts it off and tries and keep it a secret. No, announce now. We're doing it now." He joked that he'd like to do it so his wife could be in the audience, telling Alex Jones: "So you and my wife will go every week. You will have a great time while I'll be petrified backstage, with shaky legs and all that kind of stuff."
READ: Strictly Come Dancing shakeup - see which dancers made the list for 2019, and which didn't
© Photo: Getty ImagesLeonie Elliott
Call the Midwife's very own Leonie has opened up about how much she'd love to get involved with the 2019 show – but only if it doesn't clash with filming our favourite period drama of course! Chatting to RadioTimes, she said: "Oooh I don't know, I don't know! I suppose it's tempting, but I don't know. We'd have to see."
© Photo: Getty ImagesHuw Edwards
The popular newsreader has said that he has been very tempted to take part in the upcoming series, and told Steve Wright on Radio 2: "Following my stellar appearance reading out the Strictly Come Danxing terms and conditions in early December, where I basically set the British television world alight, I was then asked whether I would consider Strictly. And I think the answer is, Steve, I've come here today for some advice and for your seal of approval." He jokily added: "I think I've just got to ponder it over the summer… just gauge public opinion."
We got all excited but our bubble burst a little at this year's TV Bafta's, when we asked Hugh to give us a few more details about this exciting state of affairs.
"The honest answer is I've not been asked. If I were asked, I think I'd find it quite difficult with the current job I'm doing," he admitted to HELLO!.
"So in my present job, no, but it could change in the future. The thought of it terrifies me. Do my kids want me to do it? Absolutely not! That's probably being open than I should have been."
© Photo: Getty ImagesFearne Cotton
Fearne might have kept quiet about joining the dance competition, but fellow radio DJ Chris Evans has done the talking for her! Revealing whether the former Celebrity Juice team captain was up for the new series, he said that she was "teetering on the brink", adding: "It will ultimately be a huge, massive sequin-covered yes."
READ: The surprising reason why Fearne Cotton quit Celebrity Juice
Fearne might even have to time to do it since bowing out of the upcoming series' of Celebrity Juice in order to try new challenges. Learning the Foxtrot would certainly be that!
© Photo: Getty ImagesRylan Clark
While Rylan hasn't exactly said that he'd sign up to the series, he'd said he'd much prefer it to going on I'm a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!. The star opened up about which talent show he'd prefer, telling the Express: "Not I'm A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! – absolutely not… it'd probably be Strictly Come Dancing if anything, but I never make plans."
© Photo: Getty ImagesScarlett Moffatt
Scarlett might have danced ballroom as a child, but she is completely down to give it another go! The former Gogglebox star turned Queen of the jungle on I'm a Celeb opened up about potentially joining Strictly to the Mirror, saying: "I'm not exclusive to ITV, so I can do what I want… I've always loved Strictly – I'd love to be on it."
© Photo: Getty ImagesAlan Carr
The comedian has revealed that he would be up for Strictly at some point in the future, but that there is one thing he particularly hates about the show – the videos of the couple's week highlights ahead of their routine!
READ: Kevin Clifton reveals how he nearly didn't sign up for Strictly Come Dancing
Chatting on Loose Women, he said: "Oh my, listen. Listen! I will do it but next year I've got a busy year, I'm going on tour! They cornered me and they said, 'Would you do it?' and I would do it, but I hate those VTs where you know, 'We're doing Salsa so we're off to a dips factory', you know what I mean? They go to Chester Zoo or a museum, but I'm like, I need to be in the studio now doing the Argentine Tango. Step away from the rhino - I want to stick a rose in my mouth and do the thing!"
Deborah James
Deborah is a BBC Radio 5 presenter who presents You, Me and the Big C, and has been raising awareness of bowel cancer and its symptoms since she herself was diagnosed with the disease. In 2018, the star launched a campaign to get herself on Strictly 2019, and Kevin Clifton is among those who want her on board! Retweeting her campaign, he wrote: "I'd dance with you."
