Who is Graeme Hall? Meet Strictly Come Dancing 2026 contestant and presenter

From training unruly canines to learning the cha-cha-cha, Graeme Hall has headed onto the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 dancefloor.

Better known to TV viewers as the Dogfather, Hall has been stepping outside of his comfort zone alongside professional partner Lauren Oakley.

Head judge Shirley Ballas recently sung his praises, as she told Radio Times: "Every week somebody in the bottom two has been different. The top of the leaderboard keeps changing, but I am a little bit in awe of Graeme because I watch him training the dogs, and then to watch him be trained as a dancer with so much discipline is quite captivating for me."

Read on to find out more about Strictly Come Dancing 2026 contestant Graeme Hall.

Age: 60

Job: Dog trainer, author and broadcaster

Instagram: @dogfather.graeme

Partner: Lauren Oakley

Graeme Hall is a TV presenter and professional dog trainer, known to many as The Dogfather.

He fronts Channel 5’s hit show Dog’s Behaving (Very) Badly and The Dog Hospital with Graeme Hall.

Hall has also written several books, including the Sunday Times Bestseller All Dogs Great and Small, is a regular contributor to ITV’s This Morning and BBC Radio, and made a cameo appearance in the hit drama All Creatures Great and Small last year.

Graeme Hall's Strictly journey so far

Scoreboard

Week 1: Cha Cha (6 + 6 + 6 + 6 = 24)

Week 2: Waltz (8 + 8 + 8 + 7 = 31 = 55)

Week 3: Jive (6 + 6 + 6 + 7 = 25)

Week 4: Salsa (7 + 7 + 7 + 7 = 28)

What has Graeme Hall said about Strictly Come Dancing?

On the announcement that Graeme would be joining this year's series, he said in the announcement: "I have always loved dancing, so to have the opportunity to learn from the best in the business is a dream come true.

"I have watched the show for years, so to be a part of it feels like a very exciting challenge, albeit more than a bit nerve-wracking! I can't wait to get started. Bring it on!"

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday 24 October at 6:30pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

Add Strictly Come Dancing to your watchlist on the Radio Times: What to Watch app – download now for daily TV recommendations, features and more.

Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on. For more TV recommendations and reviews, listen to The Radio Times Podcast.

Authors

Tilly Pearce is a freelance TV journalist whose coverage ranges from reality shows like Love Is Blind to sci-fi shows like Fallout. She is an NCTJ Gold Standard accredited journalist, who has previously worked as Deputy TV Editor (maternity cover) at Digital Spy, and Deputy TV & Showbiz Editor at Daily Express US.