Exclusive: Dani Dyer on whether or not dad Danny is keen to do Strictly

Dani Dyer has revealed whether the Strictly Come Dancing gene runs in the family and if her dad, Rivals star Danny Dyer, would ever take to the dance floor on the beloved BBC show.

Speaking to Digital Spy at the 2026 Pride of Britain Awards, Dani shared having had the Strictly chat with her dad Danny, who's been supporting her current ballroom stint from the audience in the studio.

"He just couldn't do it. He said, 'I can't be doing all those hours a day, baby'," Dani said.

Related: Exclusive: Strictly's Kai Widdrington shares crucial Delta Goodrem update

Weighing in on her own Strictly training with pro partner Nikita Kuzmin, Dani added: "I like to work hard, so we work really, really hard. We have our coffees, our ginger shots, we have a bit of lunch, and then we go again. That's just the way I like it."

Nikita chimed in, saying: "I think we have the right balance between laughing and serious training."

"Really serious training, yeah, I did SAS, so I can deal with Nikita!" confirmed Dani, adding about returning to the show after pulling out in 2025: "I'm just so happy to be back. I'm so grateful."

The Love Island star reflected on the best part of being on Strictly Come Dancing, saying she enjoyed "all of it".

"It's just the best learning something new. We have the best time just laughing all day," she said.

Dani then shared the song she would love to dance to, explaining she'd be ready to dance to Ariana Grande's 'Dangerous Woman'.

"I wanna dance to 'Dangerous Woman' by Ariana Grande. Everyone knows that," she said, with Nikita already envisioning the choreography.

"That would be a Viennese Waltz probably," the pro dancer suggested.

Strictly Come Dancing airs on weekends on BBC One and streams on 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 celebration of Dolly Parton's life, is here. Buy Dolly in newsagents or online.

Reporter, Digital Spy

Stefania is a freelance writer specialising in TV and movies. After graduating from City University, London, she covered LGBTQ+ news and pursued a career in entertainment journalism, with her work appearing in outlets including Little White Lies, The Skinny, Radio Times and Digital Spy. 

Her beats are horror films and period dramas, especially if fronted by queer women. She can argue why Scream is the best slasher in four languages (and a half).