How Taylor Swift and Madonna gave Jaime Winstone "clear signs" to do Strictly Come Dancing

Jaime Winstone has credited none other than Taylor Swift and Madonna for her decision to say yes to Strictly Come Dancing. The Made in Dagenham and EastEnders star is one of 15 celebrities taking to the famous ballroom later this month.

Speaking to the BBC ahead of the upcoming launch show, she revealed she has been "asked before" but struggled to find the time.

"There were some clear signs that this should be my Strictly year," she said. "One of them being Madonna's new album and its track with the lyrics 'everybody get up and dance' ['Danceteria']. I took that as a personal sign as I'm such a huge Madonna fan - there's not a room in my house without a disco ball!"

Related: Best streaming services UK 2026 – including Disney+, Netflix, iPlayer and Apple TV

She added: "Another very clear sign came when I went to my friend Poppy Delevingne's birthday party a few months back, and Taylor Swift was there! I was just dancing as I do, and she came up to me out of nowhere and just said, 'Oh my lord, how do you dance so freely?'

"When someone of her calibre and status says that, it's a very clear sign!"

Winstone, who played Barbara Windsor in the BBC biopic Babs before then playing Peggy Mitchell in a flashback special of EastEnders, also explained that she already has a bond with multiple co-stars.

"I know Dani Dyer, and she is such a mega babe – she’s so sweet and so easy to get along with," she said. "I've worked with her dad, and our dads have worked together, and our kids have bonded, so I feel like I'm in really good company.

Related: Strictly Come Dancing presenter auditions were "pandemonium", Sara Cox reveals

"Also Lacey Turner, who I worked with on a Dominic Savage film, and I obviously did a couple of episodes of EastEnders where I played Peggy Mitchell. There seems to be a really good girl gang taking part. I’m excited to meet new friends!"

In a change to the launch show's format, this year the celebrities will find out their pro partners during three choreographed dance routines. Yes, during.

Presiding over the whole thing will be three new hosts, taking over from Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman: Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and seasoned pro dancer Johannes Radebe.

Strictly Come Dancing returns for its launch show on 19 September on BBC One and streams on BBC iPlayer.

Visit our Streaming Guide now to see at a glance where you can view ALL your favourite shows and movies.

The new edition of Legends, a 100-page all-colour celebration of Ariana Grande, is here! Buy Ariana Grande in newsagents or online.

Shaun is an Evening News Editor at Digital Spy, with over a decade of experience reporting on all things pop culture. He has written for outlets including Metro, Attitude, Huffington Post, The Mirror, Yahoo!, Pink News and Express Online, specialising in TV, movies, soaps, music and LGBTQ+ issues. He is also a BAFTA Rocliffe-winning scriptwriter, having written episodes of the soap Hollyoaks, the official Steps musical Here & Now and multiple Offie Award-nominated plays. He studied English Literature and Drama at the University of East Anglia, and will happily talk at length about Desperate Housewives to anyone who'll listen.