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

From training unruly canines to learning the cha-cha-cha, Graeme Hall is about to head out onto the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 dance floor.

For Hall, competing on Strictly Come Dancing is a "dream come true" after a stroke made him think he'd never dance again.

The TV presenter previously danced in local competitions, including Strictly Northampton but had to give it up after falling ill in 2019.

"There are not a lot of people in the world that have had the chance to do this. So I'm just going to love every minute, enjoy it for what it is and hope it keeps going as long as possible," he said.

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

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.

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 begins on Saturday 19 September at 7:25pm on BBC One and iPlayer.

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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.