© Photo: Getty ImagesStrictly Come Dancing has sparked romance in many forms over the years. The BBC ballroom competition has seen many former contestants and professionals go on to get hitched, start families and live happily ever after. It's for these reasons that Strictly relationships are a topic of conversation every year. With the start of the new series just around the corner, take a look through our gallery of the celebrity contestants taking part this year: who's married, who's single and who is perhaps looking for love on the show…
Catherine Tyldesley
Her Coronation Street character, Eva, went through her fair share of relationship drama but it seems actress Catherine Tyldesley is blissfully enjoying family life. Catherine, who left the soap in June 2018, has been married to personal trainer Tom Pitford since 2016. Catherine's husband Tom also features on ITV's Eat, Shop, Save.
The couple share a son Alfie, who is now four. Catherine announced on This Morning that she was joining the Strictly line-up, and it seems her son has been getting in the dancing spirit as well. Catherine said: "I literally can’t dance, I love to dance on a night out if I’ve had a couple of drinks and me and Alfie silly dance in the kitchen but that’s it." We're sure you'll be great, Catherine!
© Photo: Getty ImagesChris Ramsey
Comedian Chris Ramsey has been married to actress and TV presenter Rosie since 2014. As well as sharing a three-year-old son, Robin, the husband and wife have a podcast show together called 'Sh***ed, Married, Annoyed'. The couple's show is all about family life, parenting, and keeping relationships full of life when young children are thrown into the mix.
Chris is clearly excited to be participating in the BBC competition this year, posting a picture of himself at the launch on his Instagram, and writing: "So glad they let me wear my own clothes last night." We can't wait to see Chris show off his moves!
MORE: Lucy Mecklenburgh excitedly teases the gender of her first child with Ryan Thomas
© Photo: Getty ImagesSaffron Barker
With a YouTube channel that boasts over two million subscribers, Saffron Barker is no stranger to sharing her life online. And it was on her channel that she and then-boyfriend, Jake Mitchell, would appear in videos discussing relationships, growing up and everything in between. However, Saffron and Jake separated at the end of 2016, and the social media star is now single.
When Saffron announced she was joining Strictly, she spoke to former finalist Ashley Roberts about finding love on the show: "You know what I haven’t even really thought about that. I think I’m just so focused on… obviously I want to meet my partner and have the best time and everything else… but I’m just so focused on working hard." You never know, Saffron!
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© Photo: InstagramJamie Laing
Jamie Laing is gearing up for series 18 of Made in Chelsea, during which we'll see him return to SW3 with his girlfriend Sophie Habboo. The couple are thought to have been dating since May, not long after Sophie split from her ex and fellow Made in Chelsea star, Sam Thompson.
Jamie was also set to waltz into the ballroom for this series of Strictly Come Dancing, but sadly, due to an injury, the BBC announced that he had to pull out of the competition. He's certainly going to be missed!
MORE: Strictly's Tess Daly shares a peek inside her dressing room and reveals dream décor
© Photo: Getty ImagesAnneka Rice
Actress and broadcaster Anneka Rice was the final celebrity to be announced this year. Anneka was married to theatre boss Nick Allott, with whom she shares two sons, Thomas and Joshua, but the couple separated in 1992. The Challenge Anneka host also has a third son with previous partner Tom Gutteridge, but they split soon after their son was born in 1997. Anneka is now in a relationship with writer Simon Bell and the pair have been dating since 2005. It was recently reported that Anneka had suffered a shoulder injury, shortly before her debut on the dancefloor. Get well soon, Anneka!
© Photo: Getty ImagesAlex Scott
Swapping football boots for ballroom heels, Alex Scott MBE is just one of the sports stars among this year's Strictly line-up. The former Arsenal captain, who also represented Great Britain at the 2012 London Olympics, now works as a sports broadcaster and football pundit. Alex has always kept quiet about her private life and has been successful at keeping it out of the limelight, so her relationship status is not known. We can't wait to see her moves!
© Photo: Getty ImagesMike Bushell
He left viewers in hysterics last year after accidentally falling in the pool during a news item, so BBC Breakfast presenter Mike Bushell is hoping for more elegance and balance as he takes to the dancefloor this year. "I have had strict instructions by the Strictly team to stay away from the edge of the stage. They are very concerned that there could be a fall!" he said at the Strictly launch. Mike married girlfriend Emily, a marketing executive, in May this year, with the presenter posting a video and picture from the day on his Instagram. Mike has three daughters that he shared with his first marriage, which ended in 2009.
© Photo: Getty ImagesDavid James
Former footballer David James has had his fair share of success in the sporting world, and is now ready to take on the world of dance. The 49-year-old was the first celebrity to be announced, admitting he "scared" to take part and would be practicing to ensure he was prepared. The former England goalkeeper was married to wife Tanya until the couple split in 2005, but they continue to raise their four children together. He now lives with his current partner, Amanda.
© Photo: Getty ImagesViscountess Emma Weymouth
Hoping to whip up some moves on the dancefloor is chef Emma Thynn, Viscountess Weymouth. Emma, who is commonly known as Emma Weymouth, is married to Ceawlin Thynn, Viscount Weymouth, and has been since 2013. The couple live at Longleat House, which has a safari park on the estate and is estimated to cost £190 million, and share two sons together. Their eldest was born in 2014 and their youngest in 2016.
© Photo: Getty ImagesDev Griffin
BBC Radio One DJ Dev Griffin is used to millions of people hearing his voice on his weekend show, but he's now getting ready to show millions of people his best moves on the dancefloor. The radio presenter, who was a Celebrity MasterChef finalist in 2017, revealed he was taking part in Strictly while on Nick Grimshaw's Radio One show, saying: "I just can't believe I'm doing Strictly, it just doesn't feel real yet." Dev's relationship status is a mystery, so it's not known whether he'll be looking for love on the show, but stranger things have happened…
© Photo: Getty ImagesMichelle Visage
American singer, radio DJ and RuPaul's Drag Race judge, Michelle Visage, has expressed her excitement at joining Strictly and doing what she does best – glam-up and look fierce. And by her side supporting her is her husband, author and screenwriter David Case, to whom she has been married for 22 years. The happy couple share two daughters Lillie and Lola and often post cute family snaps on Instagram. We can't WAIT to see Michelle strut her stuff on the dancefloor!
© Photo: Getty ImagesEmma Barton
West End star and EastEnders actress Emma Barton is best known for playing Honey Mitchell in the BBC soap. She's one of the few contestants waltzing into Strictly with previous dance experience from her performance career on the stage. Emma is currently single, but was previously in a relationship with fellow EastEnders actor Joel Beckett, who played Jake Moon. The actress has also been linked to TV presenter Stephen Mulhern after the couple met while both performing in a pantomime production of Snow White. Could Emma find love in the ballroom this year?
© Photo: InstagramJames Cracknell
Olympic rowing gold medallist James Cracknell recently split from Beverley Turner after 17 years of marriage. The couple were open about the struggles they had faced in their marriage ever since James suffered a brain injury nine years ago whilst on a cycling trip in America.
Beverley spoke candidly after the split, stating that James' love of sport and training got in the way. The Olympic rower won't be looking for love in the ballroom, however, as he is now dating American financier Jordan Connell. The new couple were pictured kissing at an event a week after James' divorce from his wife was announced.
© Photo: InstagramKarim Zeroual
CBBC presenter and actor Karim Zeroual will be hoping to impress the four judges on the Strictly panel this year as he joins the other celebrities taking part in the BBC ballroom competition. Karim, who has also starred in West End productions and appeared in EastEnders, is in a relationship with Poppy Birtwistle. It is not known how long the couple have been together, but Karim has photos of them together on his Instagram Instagram dating back to October 2016.
© Photo: Getty ImagesWill Bayley
Paralympian Will Bayley is used to winning gold and silver medals for table tennis, but can he bring home the coveted Glitterball trophy? The sportsman has been sharing his excitement on social media ever since he was unveiled as a contestant, but when it comes to his relationships, he's more private. The Paralympian and 2014 World Champion has been in a relationship with actress Fiona York since 2016 and the couple share a child together. No doubt Fiona will be in the audience cheering Will on as he shimmies and sambas!
