strictly come dancing full cast 2021© Photo: BBC

Strictly Come Dancing: See who's dancing with who in this year's series

The series has officially kicked off!

Online News Writer & Diversity and Inclusion Lead
September 18, 2021

Strictly Come Dancing is officially back, with the launch show revealing which celebs will be dancing with which professionals to compete for the Glitterball trophy.

This series will be mostly back to normal after last year's series was made shorter because of restrictions from the COVID pandemic, but sadly we will still be missing the Blackpool special.

MORE: Who has won Strictly Come Dancing through the years? From Kelvin Fletcher to Stacey Dooley

Follow along live below to see who will be dancing with who…

© Photo: BBC

Robert Webb and Dianne Buswell

Robert Webb has landed himself Dianne Buswell, and we're sure the Australian pro will be just the person to whip him into shape.

And if his winning routine in Let's Dance for Comic Relief is anything to go by, they could be on for Glitterball glory.

On the show, Robert shared his hopes that he'll be fired out a "glitter cannon" - so fingers crossed. Dianne also shared that the couple's first routine would be a cha-cha-cha to Rasputin.

MORE: Strictly's Dianne Buswell looks unrecognisable with brown hair in throwback photo

© Photo: BBC

Katie McGlynn and Gorka Marquez

Katie McGlynn has been partnered up with Gorka Marquez and this is one pairing that we're super excited for.

The former Coronation Street star is adamant that she'll be one of the "underdogs" of this series, and we all know that a Strictly viewer loves watching an underdog story with that famous j-word: 'journey'.

Gorka has made the final twice with Alexandra Burke and Maisie Smith, but will he make it there a third time and snatch the trophy?

Keep clicking for more pairings...

© Photo: BBC

Rhys Stephenson and Nancy Xu

We are so excited as Nancy Xu has landed her first celebrity partner on the show, dancing with CBBC star Rhys Stephenson.

The presenter already appears to have bounds of energy, and we're sure that Nancy will be able to whip him into shape and they'll be seeing tens in no time.

© Photo: BBC

Sara Davies and Aljaz Skorjanec

Dragons' Den star Sara Davies has been paired up with Aljaz Skorjanec, and we're sure this pairing will be bringing lots of joy to our screens every week.

MORE: Has Strictly's Aljaz Skorjanec let celebrity partner secret slip?

The Slovenian pro won his first series back in 2013, is it time for him to lift the Glitterball again after eight long years?

Dan Walker and Nadiya Bychkova

BBC Breakfast favourite Dan Walker will be dancing across our screens with Nadiya Bychkova, who wasn't partnered up last year.

Dan had his former Breakfast colleague, Louise Minchin, in absolute shock when he was unveiled as one of this year's contestants, and she was not happy he'd kept the secret from her!

Nadiya, who has danced with Davood Ghadami and Lee Ryan on the show, may have to take the first few days of training gently after Dan left himself with a large bump on his head after running into a glass door.

MORE: Dan Walker reveals heartwarming role his kids had in joining Strictly

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Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice

Rose Ayling-Ellis is making history this series as she becomes the show's first-ever deaf contestant, and she'll be dancing with Giovanni Pernice.

Giovanni is one of the longest serving pros on the show, so he is the perfect choice to be dancing with the EastEnders star.

During the show, Giovanni revealed that the pair's first dance would be the jive - how exciting.

EXCLUSIVE: Giovanni Pernice reveals what girlfriend Maura Higgins thinks of Strictly 'curse' – and his dream royal dance partner

During his tenure, he's made the final on three separate occasions, could this be the year he wins?

© Photo: BBC

Adam Peaty and Katya Jones

Triple gold medallist Adam Peaty will be heading for Strictly gold with former champion Katya Jones – and we think she's the perfect pro for him.

Katya has trained the likes of Ed Balls, Joe McFadden, Seann Walsh and Mike Bushell over the years, but sadly her and Nicola Adams' history-making stint on the show last year as part of the first same-sex partnership was cut short after Katya tested positive for COVID-19.

Let's hope this doesn't happen this time around!

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AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington

AJ Odudu has landed herself one of the new pros as she becomes Kai Widdrington's first professional partner on the show – and we're looking forward to seeing what they do together!

We already know that the pair are training hard, as AJ took to social media earlier this week to speak of the agony she was in.

"I feel like all my toes are broken. YAAAAY! Only for you @bbcstrictly only for you," she wrote.

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Greg Wise and Karen Hauer

We were thrilled when Sense and Sensibility star Greg Wise was announced as one of this year's contestants, and now we're even more thrilled that he's been paired with Strictly's most senior pro, Karen Hauer.

The Crown star was initially reluctant, but thankfully wife Dame Emma Thompson helped him see sense!

Karen made her first final with Jamie Laing last year, so let's hope that the couple are able to repeat that success.

MORE: What is Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood's net worth?

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Judi Love and Graziano Di Prima

We love that Judi Love will be dancing with Graziano Di Prima, and we are sure she's swooning as well.

Graziano has only danced with Vick Hope on the main show, so we're looking forward to seeing what creative routines he'll make for the Loose Women star and comedian.

The couple's first routine will be an American Smooth, and she'll be perfect.

© Photo: BBC

John Whaite and Johannes Radebe

Strictly's first male same-sex pairing has officially been confirmed as Bake Off star John Whaite will be dancing with Johannes.

The South African native was John's dream partner, as he felt it was important for the first all-male partnership to be between two gay men.

Johannes has already won legions of fans with his extraordinary choreography that we're sure will see the pairing go far.

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Nina Wadia and Neil Jones

Strictly fans rejoice as Neil Jones has been partnered up with Nina Wadia, and we can already picture what the pair will be bringing to each week.

After she was revealed as a contestant on Lorraine, the star admitted that she nearly "threw up" – let's hope she doesn't do that on live TV!

And we're sure Neil will be aiming to avoid what happened last time he was partnered with a celeb, as he had to miss two weeks of training after he picked up a calf injury.

MORE: Neil Jones praises ex Katya Jones ahead of new Strictly series

The couple will be doing the samba as their first dance.

© Photo: BBC

Tom Fletcher and Amy Dowden

Tom Fletcher will be hoping to follow in bandmate Harry Judd's Strictly success, and now he's been paired up with the 'Welsh Dragon' Amy Dowden, we're sure they're on the road to success.

Amy will be working Tom hard over the next few weeks, so perhaps his earlier jokes about training being "easy" might not be standing when we see him on the floor.

© Photo: BBC

Tilly Ramsay and Nikita Kuzmin

Tilly Ramsay has gotten herself new boy Nikita Kuzmin and we can't wait to see what they cook up on the dancefloor.

We're expecting lots of whisks during the series, and let's see whether Tilly's TikTok experience can help her on her way to the final.

Tilly has been speaking about how the waltz has been the dance she wants to do most, and she's in luck as Nikita revealed that's exactly what they'd be doing.

© Photo: BBC

Ugo Monye and Oti Mabuse

Ugo Monye must be feeling like one lucky man as he's been paired with double-Strictly champion Oti Mabuse.

The dancer broke Strictly records last year when she became the first professional to win back-to-back series.

MORE: All you need to know about Strictly star Oti Mabuse's husband

Let's see if she can continue her streak and make it three in a row!

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