Kicking things off on Saturday night (19 September) is the launch show with Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe at the helm as a brand new year in the ballroom begins.
Not only does this year's season host a fabulous group of celebrities, but also five new pros make their entrance on the dance floor!
Read on for everything you need to know about this year's Strictly professionals.
Aleksandra Isaeva
TikTok: @aleksa_isa_eva
Aleksandra Isaeva is a professional dancer who is a multiple Ukrainian national Latin champion.
Aleksandra was also a finalist at the UK dance festival’s Latin rising star competition.
Cristian Priori
TikTok: @cristianpriori
Cristian Priori, from Rome, Italy, is one of five new professional dancers joining Strictly Come Dancing. He achieved success from a young age as the junior Italian 10-dance champion, before going on to become a rising star finalist at both the UK Open and the Dutch Open.
As well as being a four-time Italian Latin champion, Cristian has been a rising star Latin finalist at the Blackpool dance festival and an open world Latin semi-finalist. His international success saw him ranked in the world’s top 24 Latin dancers for eight consecutive years.
Lethabo Monametsi
TikTok: @lethabomonametsi
Lethabo Monametsi, an undefeated South African Latin champion, is one of five new professional dancers joining Strictly Come Dancing.
As well as her achievements on TV, Lethabo has also performed on stage with the likes of Diana Ross and Hans Zimmer and represented South Africa at the WDC Amateur Open World Championships in Ireland.
Outside of dance, she holds a Bachelor of Arts (Law Major) degree from the University of the Witwatersrand and is the founder of a non-profit organisation called the Gaopalelwe Foundation
Maddie Ingoldsby
TikTok: @madsingoldsby
Maddie Ingoldsby is a UK National Ballroom Champion and eight-time Amateur 10-Dance World Champion. She was previously also crowned World Rising Star and Under-21 World Ballroom Champion.
Her performing career spans beyond dancing as Maddie played Annie in the West End as a child. She also appeared alongside Emma Thompson and Emilia Clarke in Last Christmas and made her television debut on Strictly: It Takes Two before going on to perform in a pros’ group number on the main show’s Christmas special.
Mark Karmalita
TikTok: @markkarmalita
Mark Karmalita is an accomplished dancer from Toronto, Canada, who will be joining Strictly Come Dancing alongside new pros Aleksandra Isaeva, Cristian Priori, Lethabo Monametsi and Maddie Ingoldsby.
He’s a two-time national Latin champion in Canada, and a Canadian championship winner and finalist across multiple age groups. Mark is also an Empire Dance US Latin rising star champion, and was previously ranked 10th in the World at the under 21 Latin dance festival in Blackpool.
Julian Caillon
TikTok: @juliancaillon
Julian Caillon, from Sydney, Australia, was one of two new dancers who joined the professional line-up last year. He began dancing at the age of 10 and specialised in ballroom and Latin American dance.
Julian is no stranger to the limelight, as he previously appeared on three seasons of Australia's Dancing with the Stars, toured with the live dance show Burn the Floor, and also competed on the fourth season of So You Think You Can Dance Australia in 2014.
Alexis Warr
TikTok: @alexis_warr
Hailing from the United States, Alexis Warr was one of two new professional dancers to join the 2025 season of Strictly Come Dancing. She is best known for winning So You Think You Can Dance in 2022 and was later crowned America's Favourite Dancer, becoming the first female ballroom and Latin dancer to claim the title.
Her other projects include America's Got Talent, World of Dance and national tours across the US.
Aljaž Škorjanec
Won: Season 11 (Abbey Clancy)
On returning to the ballroom, Aljaž said he hoped to make his daughter "proud".
"It feels so right to be coming back, I missed the fun, glitter and the judges of course, and I hope to make my daughter Lyra proud!”
Last year, Aljaž was partnered with La Voix, but they sadly had to withdraw from the competition due to an injury.
Kai Widdrington
TikTok: @kaiwidd
Kai is a world junior Latin American champion 2010 and a former Dancing with the Stars Ireland professional. He has previously featured in group numbers and toured with a number of the current Strictly pros.
In 2023, Kai was paired with broadcaster Angela Rippon, and the pair were eliminated in seventh place. Kai didn't receive a celebrity partner in season 22, but he returned to the dance floor last year alongside TV personality Vicky Pattison.
Nikita Kuzmin
TikTok: @nikita__kuzmin
Nikita joined Strictly from Germany's Let's Dance and is a six-time Latin and ballroom national champion in Italy.
In 2023, he was partnered with actor Layton Williams in a same-sex pairing, and they finished in second place. In 2024, Nikita was partnered with former field hockey player Sam Quek MBE, but the pair were unfortunately voted out in week seven.
Last year, Nikita made it to the final with Amber Davies, who replaced Dani Dyer last minute after she was injured during rehearsals.
Dianne Buswell
TikTok: @dianne_buswell_official
Australian open dhampion Dianne Buswell honed her skills on Strictly Come Dancing Down Under before joining the British edition in 2017. She was eliminated third with radio DJ Dev Griffin in 2019 but had better luck the year before when she reached the final with vlogger Joe Sugg.
In 2020, she was partnered with Max George, but they only made it to week four. Dianne was then forced to stop competing a little earlier than planned with her celeb partner Robert Webb, who had to withdraw in week four citing medical reasons.
She then competed with radio DJ Tyler West in 2021 before finding success again in 2023 with Bobby Brazier, when the pair came second. Diane won season 22 of Strictly in 2024, with her partner Chris McCausland, and the pair made history as he became the first blind contestant to win the Glitterball trophy.
Katya Jones
TikTok: @itskatyajones
World professional Latin showdance champion Katya Jones has had many memorable moment on Strictly, from dancing to Gangnam Style with Ed Balls to winning with Joe McFadden in 2017.
She teamed up with Olympic champ Adam Peaty in 2021, but the pair only managed to come ninth.
In 2022, she placed ninth with footballer Tony Adams, and in 2023 fifth with actor Nigel Harman. Last year, Katya was paired with Lewis Cope and were shockingly eliminated just before the semi-final and placed fifth.
Nancy Xu
Won: N/A
Xu was a finalist in So You Think You Can Dance in her home country of China, and was a finalist in the U21 world championships in 2010. The pro dancer teamed up with Rhys Stephenson in 2021 and came in fourth.
In 2023, she and comedian and actor Les Dennis were first to be eliminated, and in 2024, with partner Shayne Ward, she was eliminated in week eight.
Neil Jones
TikTok: @mr_njonesofficial
World professional Latin showdance champion Neil Jones has won 45 titles around the world during his competitive career, though is yet to claim that of Strictly Come Dancing champion.
In 2022 and 2023, Neil didn't have a professional partner, but in 2024 he was partnered with Toyah Willcox, with the pair being eliminated in week three.
Carlos Gu
Won: Season 23 (Karen Carney)
Carlos made his Strictly debut in 2022 alongside Molly Rainford. The pair were the runners-up behind winners Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystał, while in 2023 he was partnered with Irish TV presenter Angela Scanlon. Last year Carlos was paired with Karen Carney, whom he won the series with!
Lauren Oakley
TikTok: @laurenmayoakley
Lauren Oakley started dancing when she was just two years old and soon enough she began competing. Some of Lauren's successes include under-21 British national champion and juvenile champion at the Blackpool dance festival, winning across both ballroom and Latin disciplines.
In 2024, Lauren stepped in mid-season after Amy Dowden’s injury to dance with JB Gill, with the pair finishing as runners-up in the final. Last year, she was paired with Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and they were the fourth couple to be eliminated.
Vito Coppola
TikTok: @vito_coppola
Vito Coppola is an 11-time Italian Latin American champion who has been dancing since he was six years old. Just some of Vito's accolades include being a three-time world champion finalist and European cup winner.
After their win during the final, Vito said: "I mean this is like the cherry on the cake. You have been so amazing, you are Strictly, you represent Strictly. You are finally, you know, the diamond I was talking (about)."
Last year, he was partnered with Ellie Goldstein, though they were eliminated during Halloween week.
Jowita Przystał
TikTok: @jowitaprzystal
Jowita, who won the BBC’s The Greatest Dancer in 2022, was the Polish Open Latin Champion in 2014.
Though she wasn't so lucky in 2023 as she and cyclist Jody Cundy placed 13th. In 2024 she got slightly further, reaching week 12 with partner Pete Wicks.
In the 2025 series, Jowita was partnered with Scottish presenter and actor Ross King with duo being eliminated in Movie week after they failed to impress the judges with their performance of a Paso Doble to the Thunderbirds theme.
Amy Dowden
TikTok: @amydowdenmbe
British national champion Amy Dowden grew up watching Strictly from her native Wales, finally achieving her dream of joining the show in 2017.
Though she didn't compete, she did make an appearance on the programme when she danced in the opening number of the final.
Amy Dowden, along side celebrity partner Thomas Skinner, was the first professional dancer to exit the 2025 competition after a dance off with celeb opponent Chris Robshaw who was ultimately saved by the judges.
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