The celebrity contestants confirmed for this year’s Strictly Come Dancing so far include a well-loved actress, NFL pundit and pop star.
Here is a rundown of who will be putting their best foot forward on the dancefloor:
- Actress Caroline Quentin
One of the nation’s best-loved actresses, Quentin has 40 years experience in showbusiness.
The 60-year-old found fame as Dorothy in 90s comedy Men Behaving Badly before starring in dramas including Jonathan Creek and crime series Blue Murder.
She has also fronted a number of documentaries and two series of The World’s Most Extraordinary Homes for BBC Two.
Quentin, originally from Surrey, performed with the Royal Shakespeare Company in 2019.
She was married to Have I Got News For You comic Paul Merton from 1990 until their divorce in 1998.
The same year she met her current husband Sam Farmer on the set of Men Behaving Badly, where he was a runner.
They married in 2005 and share two children.
2. NFL star Jason Bell
Former American footballer and BBC pundit Bell, 42, finished his career playing for the New York Giants in 2007.
But the California-born sportsman will step into a different arena when he debuts on Strictly this year.
Bell played as a cornerback/safety for the Dallas Cowboys, before moving to the Houston Texans, where he won the Ed Block Courage Award, one of the league’s highest honours.
Alongside fellow NFL alumni Osi Umenyiora, he presents the NFL show on the BBC and The Jason & Osi Podcast.
Bell welcomed a daughter, Anaiya, with Girls Aloud star Nadine Coyle in 2014 but they later split after an 11-year relationship.
3. The Wanted’s Max George
Manchester-raised George, 31, started out as a footballer for Preston North End but after an injury ended his sporting career he decided to pursue music.
He found fame as a member of pop group The Wanted, who scored two number one singles in the UK before going on indefinite hiatus in 2014.
George, who previously dated actress Michelle Keegan, moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting, appearing in the sixth season of Glee as Clint, before returning to the spotlight as a solo musician.
He follows in the footsteps of former bandmate Jay McGuiness, who won Strictly in 2015 with professional partner Aliona Vilani.