Strictly Come Dancing 2021 starts tonight with Bill Bailey and Anne-Marie!

Strictly Come Dancing 2021 launches tonight on BBC One!

With more sparkle, glitz and glamour than ever, Strictly is finally back on our screens this evening with a brand new series.

This weekend will see the celebrities paired up with their pro dancers before taking to the floor for the first time.

Names on the 2021 Strictly Come Dancing line up include chef, social media influencer and CBBC presenter Matilda ‘Tilly’ Ramsay, actor Robert Webb, BBC Breakfast presenter Dan Walker, business guru and TV personality Sara Davies and soap actress Rose Ayling-Ellis.

They’re joined by ex-Corrie star Katie McGlynn, stage & screen actor Nina Wadia, Rugby player turned pundit Ugo Monye, gold-medal Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty MBE and TV presenter and chef John Whaite.

Concluding this year’s contestants are TV presenter AJ Odudu, stand up and presenter Judi Love, singer-songwriter and musician Tom Fletcher and CBBC presenter Rhys Stephenson.

Meanwhile professionals making up this season’s Strictly Amy Dowden, Nadiya Bychkova, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Nancy Xu, Karen Hauer and Katya Jones.

Completing this season’s pro dancer line up are Aljaz Skorjanec, Giovanni Pernice, Neil Jones, Johannes Radebe, Dianne Buswell, Graziano Di Prima and Oti Mabuse.

Joining them are new pros Jowita Przystal, Cameron Lombard, Nikita Kuzmin and Kai Widdrington.

The pairings will be revealed on BBC One tonight as Strictly Come Dancing launches at 7:45PM on Saturday, 18 September.

Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman are back as hosts, welcoming the fifteen celebrity contestants to make their grand entrance into the famous Strictly ballroom for the very first time.

Once the pairings have been announced the celebrities and professionals will take to the dancefloor for what promises to be an entertaining group performance, launching the new series in Strictly style.

Plus, audiences will be treated to an exclusive performance from Anne-Marie, a special performance from the pros and the return of reigning champion Bill Bailey.

Strictly’s fabulous judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas return to the panel and will be casting their expert judgement every week.

Due to current travel restrictions, Bruno Tonioli will be replaced by judge Anton Du Beke for the series.

Pictures: Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke, Shirley Ballas – (C) BBC – Photographer: Ray Burmiston