EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick and Olympic champion swimmer Tom Dean are the latest famous faces to be announced for the Strictly Come Dancing 2024 line-up.
The pair were unveiled on BBC Radio 1’s Matt and Mollie show on Thursday after singer Shayne Ward and Miranda actress Sarah Hadland were revealed on ITV’s Lorraine.
Dean accidentally confirmed he would be appearing on the BBC dance competition after reaching the final of the men’s 200m individual medley in the Paris 2024 Olympics last week.
The three-time Olympic champion won the men’s 200m freestyle title at Tokyo 2020 and, earlier this week, the 24-year-old from Bath, plus James Guy, Matt Richards and Duncan Scott made history in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay final.
In winning gold, they became the first swimming team ever to defend an Olympic relay title with the same quartet.
Dean was also England’s most decorated athlete at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, winning a total of seven medals.
Reflecting on whether his athletic experience will help him on Strictly, he said he will have to start running and walking more because he is not used to being on his feet.
“I think it’s so different. I’m so used to being in the water where there’s no gravity, there’s no impact”, he said.
“I don’t run, I don’t go for walks anywhere. I just do my swimming, and then I’m in the gym a bit, and that’s it.
“So, just worried about being on my feet for that long, so I’m going to start going for a few more walks, trying to get a few runs in.”
However, he hopes his swimming background will have prepared him for the intense training days and competition element of the show.
Meanwhile, Borthwick rose to fame for his role as Jay Brown in the BBC soap opera, in which he has starred since 2006.
This will not be the actor’s first time taking to the dancefloor – he won the Strictly Christmas special last year after impressing the judges and audience with his quickstep with professional dance partner Nancy Xu.
The 30-year-old has said he hopes his years of drama will serve him well in the dance competition.
“I’m used to drama so I’m really looking forward to it, it’s going to be a really good adventure”, he said.
He also revealed that he signed up for the main show after having “such a fantastic time” on the Christmas special.
Earlier on Thursday, actor and musician Ward said he was “buzzing” to see all of the “sparkles and magic” in real life.
“I’m no stranger to live TV, but dancing Latin and ballroom in front of millions is a whole new level,” he added.
“No promises on my dancing ability, but I will give it my best shot.”
The 39-year-old rose to fame after winning the second season of TV singing competition The X Factor and later went on to star in ITV soap Coronation Street as former Underworld factory owner Aidan Connor.
He was announced alongside Hadland, who has appeared in the Daniel Craig-starring James Bond film Quantum Of Solace, comedy film Magicians and comedy Learners starring David Tennant.
She also had a main role on the ITV sitcom The Job Lot as the nervous and lovelorn manager of a job centre Trish Collingwood, but is perhaps best known as comedian Miranda Hart’s best friend Stevie Sutton in semi-autobiographical BBC comedy Miranda.
The 53-year-old actress said: “I cannot believe I am part of Strictly. I feel particularly excited to be part of such an iconic show in its 20th year. I’m so ready for the glitz, glam and glitter and hopefully I can make everyone watching at home proud.”
The show will also welcome its first blind contestant, comedian Chris McCausland, JLS star JB Gill, Go Compare opera singer Wynne Evans, singer and actress Toyah Willcox, Morning Live resident doctor Punam Krishan, Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and The Only Way Is Essex Pete Wicks.
The popular BBC dancing show has made headlines recently after a storm of controversy over the alleged treatment of contestants on the show.
The results of an investigation, launched by the BBC following allegations made about Giovanni Pernice by former participant Amanda Abbington, have not yet been published by the corporation.
Pernice rejects the allegations and fellow dancer Graziano Di Prima has also left the show.
