Strictly Come Dancing 2021 launch date & time, line up and professionals – all you need to know!

Strictly Come Dancing 2021 arrives on BBC One this weekend – here’s all you need to know.

Strictly is back for its 19th series this autumn, once again bringing glitter, glamour and glorious dancing to Saturday and Sunday nights.

From when it starts on TV to the confirmed line up of celebrities and new professional dancers, this is your guide to this year’s show…

When does Strictly Come Dancing start?

The new series of Strictly Come Dancing will begin with its launch show on Saturday, 18 September on BBC One at 7:45PM.

The live shows are set to begin next weekend, Saturday 25 September at 7PM.

As well as watching on TV you’ll also be able to watch online and catch up via the BBC iPlayer.

Meet the line up and pros!

A total of fifteen celebrities have signed up for the latest series.

Names announced for Strictly Come Dancing line up include business guru and television personality Sara Davies MBE, chef & social media influencer Tilly Ramsay, TV personality Judi Love, actress Rose Ayling-Ellis and telly presenter AJ Odudu.

Also on the cast are BBC Breakfast host Dan Walker, comedian Robert Webb, TV presenter and actor Rhys Stephenson, gold-medal Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty and TV presenter and chef John Whaite.

Completing this year’s cast are singer and musician Tom Fletcher, former rugby Player Ugo Monye, Coronation Street star Katie McGlynn and actor Nina Wadia OBE.

Professionals on this year’s Strictly including returning names Johannes Radebe, Aljaž Škorjanec, Oti Mabuse, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Luba Mushtuk and Gorka Marquez.

They’re joined by Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Nancy Xu, Karen Hauer, Amy Dowden, Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima.

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

This year’s couples will be confirmed in the launch episode.

Who are the judges?

As always the celebrity and professional pairings take to the floor in a bid to impress the judges.

This year the performances will be critiqued by head judge Shirley Ballas, returning Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood.

Joining them will be former professional Anton Du Beke, standing in for Bruno Tonioli who will not take part this series as a result of ongoing travel and quarantine restrictions.

Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly return to host the main show on Saturday and Sunday nights on BBC One.

Meanwhile on spin-off It Takes Two, Janette Manrara will take over from Zoe Ball who stepped down, joining Rylan weeknights on BBC Two.