Ninth celeb confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing
The line-up is nearly complete!
Last updated 14 minutes ago
House of the Dragon actress Bethany Antonia has been announced as the ninth celeb for this year's Strictly Come Dancing!
Bethany, who plays Lady Baela Targaryen in the HBO fantasy show, said: "I can’t quite believe that I will be heading to the Strictly ballroom this September! I have grown up watching Strictly, and I am so excited to take the challenge on and (hopefully!) learn a new skill. See you on the dancefloor!"
Starting her acting career at the age of just 14-year-old, Bethany appeared in a short film adaptation of The Tempest, before being cast as a guest role in the BBC’s Doctors.
She then went on to play the role of Margot Rivers in teen thriller Get Even in 2020, before parts in shows such as Nolly, Stay Close, Stath Lets Flats, and Doctor Who.
In 2022, Bethany gained global fame from her portrayal of the dragon-rider Lady Baela Targaryen in HBO’s Game of Thrones prequel, House of the Dragon.
She's also currently starring as Eurydice in Tony Award-winning musical Hadestown in London’s West End.
Bethany joins Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer, Will Best, Dame Sarah Storey, and Jaime Winstone in the 2026 Strictly Come Dancing line-up.
Check out the Strictly Come Dancing line-up so far:
Lacey Turner
Best known for: Actress
Lacey said: "I am so excited to being making my way to the dance floor this year to be a part of Strictly Come Dancing! I am a huge fan and can't quite believe I will be taking part and not watching at home this year! I look forward to meeting everyone and learning a new skill!"
Dani Dyer
Best known for: TV personality
Dani said: "I am so excited to be back in the ballroom this September! I just cannot wait to get my dancing shoes back on and hopefully this time around I can actually make it to week one! I'm just over the moon and cannot wait to find out who else is doing it!"
Delta Goodrem
Best known for: Singer and actress
Delta said: "I've been incredibly honoured to perform on many different stages throughout my career - from tv, theatre, film sets, to touring my own shows around the world, there is however one stage I've never stepped onto and that is the ballroom floor! I'm absolutely thrilled to be joining Strictly and can't wait to get started!"
Chris Appleton
Best known for: World-renowned conceptual hair stylist
Chris said: 'I'm thrilled to be joining Strictly Come Dancing and coming home to the UK for this incredible experience. I've always believed that the best things happen when you take a chance and try something new. I may know my way around a salon floor, but the dance floor is a whole different story - and I can't wait to get started.'
Cach Mercer
Best known for: Love Island winner
Cach said: "I have grown up watching the show with my family and am so excited to now be part of the cast. Dancing is a huge passion of mine and I can't wait to learn Ballroom and do the Foxtrot for the first time!"
Will Best
Best known for: Radio presenter and Big Brother host
Will said: "I can't quite believe it…I'm doing Strictly! What an absolute dream. Albeit a pretty terrifying one. I've been lucky to do lots of live telly before, but absolutely nothing like this. And I cannot wait! I have no idea if I can actually dance, but bring on the sequins, bring on the quicksteps, bring on the dance floor! I'm going to try to enjoy every minute of it."
Dame Sarah Storey
Best known for: Paralympic athlete
Sarah said: "Embarking on a new challenge so soon after stepping down as an athlete is hugely exciting. I have always loved watching Strictly and my daughter Louisa is a very talented dancer, so to be able to learn from the best and hopefully understand even more about her world, is incredibly motivating! I can't wait to get started!"
Jaime Winstone
Best known for: Actress
Jamie said: "I am so excited to announce that I will be joining the Strictly Come Dancing cast this year. I am no stranger to a dance floor, but the ballroom is a whole new world for me. 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!"
Bethany Antonia
Best known for: Actress
Bethany said: "I can't quite believe that I will be heading to the Strictly ballroom this September! I have grown up watching Strictly, and I am so excited to take the challenge on and (hopefully!) learn a new skill. See you on the dancefloor!"
Further casting news is set to be announced in due course.
Strictly Come Dancing will return in September on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.