Strictly 2026: What time does tonight's launch show start?

Strictly Come Dancing is back tonight, bringing with it all the usual glitter, pizzazz and show-stopping routines.

Alongside the new trio of hosts, there are also five new professional dancers gearing up to make their entrance onto the dance floor.

The new hosts and judges of Strictly Come Dancing

PA

Saturday’s show will see the 15 celebrities paired up with 15 dancers, before they are sent off to rehearse ahead of the first live show on Saturday, September 26, ready to be judged by Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse, Craig Revel Horwood and head judge Shirley Ballas.

This year, the launch show begins at 7.25pm on BBC and BBC One. This is slightly later than last year, when the show began at 6.40pm.

This will then be followed by the first live show a week later on Saturday, September 26, which is the first time that the new couples will perform in front of the judges and be given scores.

Just days before the launch show drops, new host Emma Willis revealed that fans can expect a never-seen-before twist.

This year, the launch show will begin at 7.25pm on BBC and BBC One

PA Media

During an appearance on The One Show on Thursday, September 17, Willis teased how “exciting” the first episode will be while appearing alongside her new co-hosts.

The celebrities will meet their professional partners for the first time on the dance floor, rather than during a pre-recorded video, as the show returns to a format similar to how it operated before Covid.

“This is something that they’ve never done on the show before,” Willis said.

“Everybody is paired during a dance,” she explained, likening the new format to “speed dating”.

Emma Willis revealed that there will be a new format of selecting the couples

PA Wire

Here is the list of celebrities who will be hitting the dance floor for the first time tonight.

• Lacey Turner - EastEnders star
• Dani Dyer - Love Island winner and daughter of actor Danny Dyer
• Delta Goodrem - Australian singer
• Chris Appleton - Celebrity hairstylist
• Cach Mercer - Love Island winner and content creator
• Will Best - Presenter
• Dame Sarah Storey - Paralympic cyclist and swimmer
• Jaime Winstone - Actor and daughter of Ray Winstone
• Bethany Antonia - House of the Dragon star
• Shaun Wright-Phillips - Former footballer and pundit
• Graeme Hall - Dogs Behaving Badly host
• Lawrence Robb - Emmerdale star
• Tabby Stoecker - Skeleton racer
• John Nellis - YouTuber
• Melanie Walters - Gavin and Stacey star

And here are the professional dancers here to guide the stars to success.

• Dianne Buswell
• Julian Caillon
• Amy Dowden
• Katya Jones
• Neil Jones
• Nikita Kuzmin
• Jowita Przystał
• Aljaž Škorjanec
• Alexis Warr
• Kai Widdrington
• Nancy Xu
• Carlos Gu
• Lauren Oakley
• Vito Coppola
• Aleksandra Isaeva
• Cristian Priori
• Lethabo Monametsi
• Maddie Ingoldsby
• Mark Karmalita