Strictly Come Dancing has announced the seventh celebrity to be taking part in the hit BBC show - and we're so impressed by this line-up so far! It has been revealed that Zara McDermott will be taking part in the show - and we can’t wait to see what they have in store for us.
Zara works as a broadcaster and content creator but is perhaps best known for appearing on ITV reality show Love Island in 2018.
Prior to her role in television, however, she worked as a government policy advisor, working for the Department of Energy and Climate Change and Department of Education. We couldn't be more excited to see her take to the dance floor - and find out who she will be partnered with!
Speaking to the BBC about her joining the BBC Ballroom and Latin competition, Zara, 26, said: "I am so excited to be joining the world of Strictly! I grew up watching it every year with my nan and she was the biggest Strictly fan.
© BBC"We would dance around the house and I have such fond memories of that time in my life. I even remember the first-ever series, and being mesmerised by all the beautiful dresses! I can’t wait to throw myself into this experience and start training. It’s going to be incredible."
Zara is joining an amazing line-up so far, with the announcements for the 2023 series being made since Friday. Stars including Layton Williams, Amanda Abbington and Krishnan Guru-Murthy are all taking part.
Speaking about his new gig, Krishnan said: "I'm surprised, delighted and slightly confused to find myself taking part in Strictly on the basis of ‘you only live once!’ and I can’t wait to start learning to dance, but I am slightly worried about my general decrepitude.
Every Strictly Come Dancing winner so far
- 2004: Natisha Kaplinsky (partner Brendan Cole)
- 2004: Jill Halfpenny (partner Darren Bennett)
- 2005: Darren Gough (partner Lilia Kopylova)
- 2006: Mark Ramprakash (partner Karen Hardy)
- 2007: Alesha Dixon (partner Matthew Cutler)
- 2008: Tom Chambers (partner Camilla Dallerup)
- 2009: Chris Hollins (partner Ola Jordan)
- 2010: Kara Tointon (partner Artem Chigvintsev)
- 2011: Harry Judd (partner Aliona Vilani)
- 2012: Louis Smith (partner Flavia Cacace)
- 2013: Abbey Clancy (partner Aljaž Škorjanec)
- 2014: Caroline Flack (partner Pasha Kovalev)
- 2015: Jay McGuiness (partner Aliona Vilani)
- 2016: Ore Oduba (partner Joanne Clifton)
- 2017: Joe McFadden (partner Katya Jones)
- 2018: Stacey Dooley (partner Kevin Clifton)
- 2019: Kelvin Fletcher (partner Oti Mabuse)
- 2020: Bill Bailey (partner Oti Mabuse)
- 2021: Rose Ayling-Ellis (partner Giovanni Pernice)
- 2022: Hamza Yassin (partner Jowita Przystał)
- 2023: Ellie Leach (partner Vito Coppola)
"I know I’m going to love it and have a brilliant time and just hope I’m not the only one enjoying my participation."
The show is also set to welcome its oldest-ever contestant. Angela Rippon CBE, a celebrated newsreader, will be turning 79 in October, and spoke about joining the line-up. She said: "Having been a fan of Strictly since day one, and as a former presenter of Come Dancing, this will be quite an adventure for me. A scary one, considering I’m about to be 79. But I’m really looking forward to the challenge, and perhaps being able to learn to dance the Argentinian Tango!"
