Jaime Winstone has been confirmed as the eighth celebrity in the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 line-up, taking her from character-led film, television and theatre roles into an unscripted ballroom challenge. The BBC announced her participation at 2pm on Thursday, July 23, through Strictly’s official Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube accounts.
She joins Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer, Will Best and Dame Sarah Storey. More celebrity names will be announced during the summer before the series begins in September.
From Peggy Mitchell to a new kind of performance
Winstone began acting in 2004 and has appeared in films including Kidulthood, Bullet Boy, Made in Dagenham, Wild Bill and Tomb Raider. Her television credits include Dead Set, Poirot, Mad Dogs, Torvill & Dean, Count Abdulla and the BBC drama Four Lives.
The daughter of actor Ray Winstone received particular recognition for portraying Barbara Windsor in the BBC biopic Babs. She later played a younger Peggy Mitchell in EastEnders flashback episodes, most recently during the soap’s 40th-anniversary celebrations in 2025.
That anniversary episode went on to win Best Single Episode at the British Soap Awards. Winstone has also worked as a model and appeared in the West End production of 2:22 A Ghost Story.
What Jaime Winstone said about joining Strictly
Winstone said she was excited to join the cast, describing ballroom as “a whole new world” despite being familiar with an ordinary dance floor.
“I love a challenge though, so can’t wait to enter my showgirl era and get super sparkly! Let’s get physical—see you on the dance floor!”
Her acting and theatre experience could help with expression, character and live performance. Ballroom success, however, will also depend on technical footwork, posture, timing, stamina and her partnership with a professional dancer.
Eight celebrities with different starting points
Lacey Turner, 38, is best known for playing Stacey Slater in EastEnders. Dani Dyer, 29, returns after an ankle fracture forced her to withdraw from the 2025 competition before its first competitive week.
Delta Goodrem, 41, brings experience as an Australian singer, Neighbours actress, former The Voice Australia coach and Eurovision 2026 performer. Chris Appleton is a celebrity hairstylist whose clients have included Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Ariana Grande and Sofia Vergara.
Cach Mercer won Love Island in 2025 and is known online for Afrobeat, hip-hop and street-dance performances. Will Best, 41, co-hosts Big Brother and presents the Hits Radio Breakfast Show.
Dame Sarah Storey, 48, recently retired from elite sport after winning 19 Paralympic gold medals across swimming and cycling, making her Britain’s most successful Paralympian. She is also the first dame to compete on Strictly.
The progression from the opening announcements to the present cast can be followed through the first Strictly Come Dancing 2026 cast reveal.
Why the line-up remains difficult to predict
Goodrem and Mercer have experience performing to music, Storey brings elite sporting discipline, and Turner and Winstone understand character-led performance. Those qualities may help, but they are not substitutes for formal ballroom and Latin technique.
No professional partnerships or training footage have been released. It is therefore too early to identify a frontrunner because progress will depend on choreography, weekly dance styles, judges’ scores and public voting.
A different-looking Strictly for 2026
The celebrities will enter the competition during a major presenting transition. Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe are replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Their backgrounds and proposed roles are covered in the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 presenter change.
The new cast will be attempting to succeed footballer Karen Carney and professional partner Carlos Gu, who won the Glitterball Trophy in 2025.
When does Strictly Come Dancing 2026 start?
The series will begin in September 2026 and air on Saturday and Sunday nights on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The exact launch date, remaining celebrities and professional pairings have not yet been announced.
Viewers can add the programme to their watchlist and check confirmed schedules on the official BBC Strictly Come Dancing page. The series is produced by BBC Studios Entertainment for BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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