Here are the Strictly Come Dancing 2023 pairings as it’s revealed who are the celebrity and pro couples.
This year fifteen celebrity contestants will beheading into the ballroom, each paired with one of the show’s professionals.
Pros on this year’s Strictly Come Dancing Lauren Oakley, Kai Widdrington, Luba Mushtuk, Nancy Xu, Graziano Di Prima, Amy Dowden, Dianne Buswell, Katya Jones, Jowita Przystal and Carlos Gu.
Finishing professionals line up are Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Gorka Marquez, Nikita Kuzmin, Vito Coppola, Johannes Radebe, Michelle Tsiakkas, Giovanni Pernice and Neil Jones.
Neil, Amy, Michelle and Nadiya will not be performing with a celeb partner. The rest of the pros have been partnered with a celebrity and the couples were revealed in this week’s launch show.
Meet the Strictly Come Dancing celebrity and professional couples below…
Strictly Come Dancing 2023 pairings
Bobby Brazier & Dianne Buswell
Bobby Brazier met his professional partner for the series Dianne Buswell on the set of EastEnders.
Bobby said “I am so pleased!”. Dianne reacted: “I am so happy I have already adopted Bobby as my little brother, and I already care so much about him, I just want him to have the best time ever.”
Layton Williams & Nikita Kuzmin
Layton Williams as partnered with Nikita Kuzmin.
Layton said “He is going to whip me into shape, and keep me on the straight and narrow because I do like to think I know what I am doing and do the most, but I really don’t have a clue!”
Nigel Harman & Katya Jones
Nigel Harman was paired with Katya Jones.
Claudia told Nigel that Katya could be quite strict and asked if he was ready, Nigel replied “everyone keeps telling me this and every time they tell me this I get more and more terrified, but I am pretending I’m really calm about it.”
Zara McDermott & Grazio Di Prima
Partnered with Graziano Di Prima, Zara said: “I think I’m probably the most nervous I’ve been in my life. I’m not a natural born performer or extrovert, so this is the biggest challenge of my life!”
Adam Thomas & Luba Mushtuk
Actor Adam Thomas was paired with Luba Mushtuk.
Adam said: “I’m loving life…what is not to love? I’m on Strictly Come Dancing and I’ve got this Russian princess, I’m buzzing, absolutely over the moon”
Luba continued: “I’ve never been this happy…so I am extremely excited and cannot wait to dance with you”
Nikita Kanda & Gorka Marquez
Nikita Kanda and Gorka Márquez were paired together.
Nikita shared: “My mum cried…she was so happy it’s made everyone feel good and have a bit of a smile on their face.”
Amanda Abbington & Giovanni Pernice
Amanda was partnered with Giovanni Pernice.
Amanda enthused: “I’m ecstatic, we get on really well, same sense of humour, and dedicated to working hard”.
Giovanni replied: “That was a reaction, I have to be honest…and also there was screaming that I enjoyed very much…very very happy days.”
Angela Rippon & Kai Widdrington
Angela was paired with Kai Widdrington.
She said of the pairing: “When I saw it was Kai I couldn’t have been happier I promise you”, Kai responded “I am absolutely delighted to have Angela , I think we are going to be fabulous.”
Krishnan Guru Murphy & Lauren Oakley
Krishnan Guru-Murthy was partnered with professional dancer Lauren Oakley.
He reacted: “oh it’s brilliant and she gets me immediately”.
Lauren said: “It might be the first time that I’m partnered with somebody, but I know it’s a big ask for the celebrities to go out there and dance. So I think I need to be kind and give you confidence to have fun, but when it’s time to be strict I know how to be strict, don’t worry about that!.”
Eddie Kadi & Karen Hauer
Comedian Eddie Kadi was paired with longest serving Professional Karen Hauer.
Eddie said: “She’s a little bit like kryptonite…she’s got a sound ‘ta ta’, when you get something a little bit wrong ‘ta ta’ I’m like oh my God, I’ve got to get used to ‘ta ta’.”
Karen quipped: “He will be cracking the jokes, but I’m going to be cracking the whip.”
Angela Scanlon & Carlos Gu
TV Presenter Angela Scanlon was paired with Carlos Gu.
She said: “Thank you universe…I think Carlos will be able to teach me, he is direct…I feel like there is a directness that I might respond to, like brutal honesty that Carlos has.”
Carlos revealed the pair would be going for the glitterball: “I have made a better plan and we are going for the glitter ball…we’ll do it one step at a time, no rush.”
Jody Cundy & Jowita Przytal
Jody Cundy was partnered with reigning winning pro Jowita Przytal.
He said: “I’m a complete newbie at this, I had years and years of practice at the other ones so we’ll see what happens…let’s shoot for the stars!’.
Jowita added: “I need to admit I’m actually a bit nervous because I don’t want to let him down, but I have a lot of ideas.”
Ellie Leach & Vito Coppola
Actor Ellie Leach was paired with Vito Coppola.
She said: “I’m over the moon that Vito is my partner, honestly I’m so excited I think we are going to have so much fun”. Vito said “I am just going to have the best time with Ellie, I want to have the best journey and have fun.”
Annabel Croft & Johannes Radebe
Annabel Croft was paired on Wimbledon’s centre court with Johannes Radebe.
The tennis ace reacted: “I’ve got the best partner I could possibly have wished for, honestly he’s so special, you really are so special, it’s such an honour and a privilege to be dancing with you, thank you.”
When Claudia asked about Johannes’ plans for the first week, he told Annabel “I am going to take you through your paces my darling but the most important thing is that we are going to have fun”.
Les Dennis & Nancy Xu
Lastly, Les Dennis was partnered with Nancy Xu.
Les said: “I love a challenge…this is the biggest challenge ever, I am so excited about it, I can’t wait… I am so happy… as soon as I met Nancy I knew I could learn from her, she is a great teacher and she is so enthusiastic”.
Nancy said “I am so excited and actually we have already started”
Strictly Come Dancing aired its red carpet launch tonight on BBC One ahead of the first live show next Saturday.
As well as the pairings, the Strictly launch show saw Jessie Ware singing the ballroom, and reigning champions Hamza Yassin and Jowita Przystał returning to dance again.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One on Saturday, 23 September for the opening live show.
There will be no elimination in the first weekend but the marks from the judges will carry over to the next week where the first celeb will be sent home.
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