Strictly Come Dancing's 2024 couples revealed in launch episode

Strictly Come Dancing has revealed the couples for its 20th anniversary series, so who is paired with who?

The BBC ballroom show returns this month with stars including Nick Knowles and Toyah Willcox set for a twirl around the dancefloor in what is a special series, as it marks 20 years since Strictly began. The partnerships have now been confirmed, with some pros — such as Amy Dowden — returning to the main line-up, and others, like Michelle Tsiakkas, getting their first ever partner.

The announcement comes after a tough period for Strictly, in which its previously stellar reputation was rocked by scandal. Pro Graziano Di Prima has exited after it was revealed he kicked dance partner Zara McDermott and dancer Giovanni Pernice is not returning following allegations about his conduct, which he denies.

This year, there's a huge change to the couples as there is no same-sex couple. Last year, Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin were one of the most-talked about pairings on the show. As well as the positives, they also courted attention over Williams' previous dance experience and his background in the West End.

We have a look at who will be dancing with who this year.

JB Gill and Amy Dowden

JLS star JB Gill will be dancing with Amy Dowden, who has been given a celeb partner for the first time since her cancer diagnosis. The star announced in May last year that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer and in July said she been given a second cancer diagnosis, and had to sit out last year’s series.

She previously shared that after she was diagnosed she didn’t even want chemotherapy because she knew it would mean no Strictly. Dowden was asked on Loose Women if she had been reluctant to have chemotherapy and replied: "Yes. I knew that was it for Strictly that season."

"I was just really scared and I didn't want to lose my hair," she said. "And I just didn't want to miss out on Strictly."

Dowden has had celeb partners since joining the show in 2017, dancing with the likes of Tom Fletcher and Brian Conley. The closest she has come to the Glitterball trophy was in 2019 when she and Karim Zeroual were runners up.

Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell

Comedian Chris McCausland is making history as Strictly’s first blind contestant, and he couldn’t do any better than Dianne Buswell to help him perfect his skills.

Buswell has had celeb partners since she joined Strictly in 2017 and has helped two of them come second: Bobby Brazier last year and Joe Sugg, who she’s now dating in 2018.

Before McCausland’s signing was confirmed, he joked that the BBC wouldn’t be able to afford the insurance if he did the dance show.

The star —who lost his sight 24 years ago at 22 because of hereditary condition Retinitis Pigmentosa — said during an appearance on BBC’s The One Show: “Let’s be honest right, I don’t think the BBC could afford the insurance, could they? I mean, me on the dancefloor, I’d take out three cameras a week!”

Nick Knowles and Luba Mushtuk

DIY SOS star Nick Knowles was rumoured to be dancing with Nadiya Bychkova after they were spotted apparently filming something together in London, but it’s been announced he will actually be tackling Strictly with Luba Mushtuk.

It's a big partnership for Mushtuk, as it’s thought Knowles is going to be popular with viewers. Plus, since she joined the programme in 2018 she has done as many years as a support dancer as she has as a dancer in the main-line up.

She did have a partner last year — actor Adam Thomas — and they came ninth. But before that the star was just one of the main group of pros for two years, so she will be hoping that Knowles helps her get further in the competition than she has before.

Tasha Ghouri and Aljaz Skorjanec

Love Island star Tasha Ghouri has landed Alja? ?korjanec in his comeback series. The Slovenian-born ballroom and Latin champion was a huge favourite with fans after winning his first series on the BBC show in 2013 with Abbey Clancy.

He quit in 2022, saying he'd made the "tough decision" that the 2021 series would be his last, but earlier this year he announced on The One Show that he was returning, admitting: “I am probably more excited now that I was when I started!"

?korjanec’s Strictly pedigree is a glowing one – as well as winning his first series, he has steered the likes of Gemma Atkinson and Helen George towards the later stages of the contest in previous seasons.

Tom Dean and Nadiya Bychkova

Nadiya Bychkova has been paired up with swimmer Tom Dean after being left without a partner last year. The dancer has been popular in past pairings, dancing with stars including Matt Goss and Dan Walker. So fans were surprised when she was left out in 2023.

Her former partner Walker was among those to comment on it, writing on X: "All the pros are great but gutted to hear that @nadiyabychkova hasn’t got a partner. I’m sure she’s still looking forward to being part of the biggest show on TV but it feels a bit like putting Messi on the bench for the World Cup final!"

At the time there were whisperings of it being due to Bychkova’s height, because at 5ft 8, she would have been taller than many of the male celebs.

Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas

Pro Michelle Tsiakkas has been given her first celebrity partner after joining the team in 2022, and she could be onto a good thing, as Jamie Borthwick has some Strictly experience.

The EastEnders actor wowed fans in the 2023 Christmas special and won the Strictly Silver Star trophy.

He was paired with Nancy Xu and the pair danced the Quickstep to Merry Christmas Everyone. Judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke all gave them a perfect 10.

Montell Douglas and Johannes Radebe

Gladiator and Olympian Montell Douglas has been paired with Johannes Radebe, who has become a fan favourite since becoming a pro in 2018.

Radebe didn’t have a celebrity partner in his first series and got off to a slow start, coming 11th with Catherine Tyldesley in series 17 and eighth with Caroline Quentin the following year.

But he really made his mark in 2021 when he and Bake Off’s John Whaite made history as the first all-male couple on the ballroom show.

They came second, and the dancer has continued to waltz his partners into the later stages, coming seventh with Ellie Taylor in 2022 and fourth with Annabel Croft last year.

Paul Merson and Karen Hauer

Former footballer Paul Merson has confessed that he has only danced three times in his life, so it may well be for the best that he has been given Karen Hauer, given her long Strictly history. The pro is the longest serving professional dancer on the show, having joined in 2012. Her partners include the late Hairy Biker Dave Myers, Jeremy Vine and Will Young.

However, the Glitterball has proved to be elusive, and the closest Hauer has come is second place with Jamie Laing in series 18.

Merson has admitted that dancing might not be his forte, and speaking on The One Show when it was confirmed he was in the 2024 line-up, he said he had done it three times in his life and that all of those were at his wedding.

Pete Wicks and Jowita Przysta?

The Only Way Is Essex star Pete Wicks will be hitting the dancefloor with Jowita Przystal. The Polish dancer has seen both ends of the Strictly spectrum, winning with her first ever partner Hamza Yassin in series 20, then finishing 13th with Jody Cundy last year.

Przysta? is only the fifth pro to win their first series with a celebrity partner.

Punam Krishan and Gorka Márquez

Gorka Marquez will be hoping Dr Punam Krishan will be the first celeb to accompany him to the podium. The pro has finished second three times – with Alexandra Burke in 2017, Maisie Smith in 2020 and Helen Skelton in 2022.

BBC Morning Live GP Krishan has vowed to put the work in, saying when it was announced she was taking part: “This is so out of my comfort zone, but I'm up for the journey and will give it my absolute all.”

Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones

Singer Toyah Willcox has said being part of Strictly made 2024 feel like "a landmark year" after having played Glastonbury and becoming a pensioner. And pro Neil Jones, who she has been paired with, will be hoping he is a part of that special streak.

Jones has been a part of the programme since 2016 but has only had two celeb partners – Alex Scott and Nina Wadia. But this year he told the Daily Mail he didn’t mind and that he trusts Strictly bosses and they had to do what was right for the show.

“I would say, do what you need to do, if you find the right partner for me, I'm there for you,” he said.

Sam Quek and Nikita Kuzmin

Nikita Kuzmin has had quite the run in his three years on Strictly, finishing sixth with Tilly Ramsay, 10th with Ellie Simmonds and then second with Layton Williams last year. Will hockey ace Sam Quek be the celeb to help him get his hands on the prize?

While the sports star has admitted her dance experience is limited, she has promised to give it her all. When she joined the show she told The One Show viewers that she "can't not be competitive".

Sarah Hadland and Vito Coppola

Actor Sarah Hadland has the privilege of dancing with the show's reigning champ Vito Coppola, who dazzled everyone on the dancefloor with Ellie Leach last year.

Coppola only joined Strictly in 2022, coming second with Fleur East in his first series before going on to win the following year.

Shayne Ward and Nancy Xu

X Factor star Shayne Ward will be guided through the process by Nancy Xu, who has been on the show since the 17th series. She didn’t get a celeb partner until the 19th series, when she danced with Rhys Stephenson.

Xu had a disappointing time last year, as she and her celeb partner Les Dennis were the first duo to be eliminated from the contest.

Wynne Evans and Katya Jones

Opera singer Wynne Evans will be dancing with Katya Jones, a Strictly veteran with eight celeb partners so far.

Jones made a big splash on the dancefloor when she won series 15 with Joe McFadden. But it was the following year that most people probably remember, when she was snapped locking lips with her celebrity dance partner Seann Walsh, when she was married to fellow pro Neil Jones and he was in a relationship.

Strictly Come Dancing airs on BBC One every Saturday and Sunday nights from next week, and streams on iPlayer.