Lacey Turner today: EastEnders star leads Strictly 2026 cast

Lacey Turner has been named as the first celebrity contestant for Strictly Come Dancing 2026, an unusually early reveal for a series that does not return until September. The BBC confirmed the news at 3:00 pm on Wednesday 10 June through Strictly's official social channels. Turner, best known as Stacey Slater in EastEnders, now moves from Albert Square to the ballroom as the show prepares for a visibly changed season.

What We Know So Far

Turner is the first official name on the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 celebrity line-up. The BBC said the new series will return to BBC One and iPlayer in September, with further announcements planned throughout the summer.

The casting has landed earlier than Strictly fans are used to. Yahoo News UK reported that the show traditionally begins announcing celebrity names in early August, while The Independent noted that last year's line-up was not unveiled until August. Confirming Turner in June gives the BBC a longer runway to build attention around a series already being positioned as a new chapter.

Turner joined EastEnders in 2004 and has won several British Soap Awards and National Television Awards for playing Stacey Slater. Beyond the soap, the BBC said she has appeared in stage productions and television dramas, including the lead role in Our Girl. That history matters for Strictly: contestants arrive with different levels of public affection, and Turner brings more than two decades of recognition from BBC viewers.

The programme around her will look different. Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe have been confirmed as the new presenting trio, replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. The judging panel remains Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and head judge Shirley Ballas.

Glitterball trophy

The prize awarded to the winning celebrity and professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing.

Professional dancer

A trained dancer paired with a celebrity contestant for weekly performances during the series.

The Response

Turner framed the announcement as both thrilling and daunting, telling viewers she is moving from watching the show at home to taking part in it herself.

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!

Shirley Ballas also signalled that the production has several fresh elements this year. Speaking to ITV's Good Morning Britain before Turner was announced, the head judge said there would be people in the line-up that would make viewers go "wow". She said she was "very excited" to see what the new presenters bring, while suggesting the format would still remain recognisable.

I don't think they'll change the show too much, maybe tweaks here and there, but no major changes.

The professional roster has also shifted. The BBC and Newsround reported that Dianne Buswell, Amy Dowden, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Jowita Przystał, Johannes Radebe, Aljaž Škorjanec, Alexis Warr, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley and Vito Coppola are among those returning. Gorka Marquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk, Karen Hauer and Michelle Tsiakkas will not be back.

What It Means for You

For UK viewers, this is the first concrete sign of how Strictly's 2026 series will be sold: familiar celebrity appeal wrapped inside a refreshed presentation. Turner is a safe but high-interest first reveal because her BBC profile is long-established, and her EastEnders role gives casual viewers an immediate point of recognition.

The timing also matters. Announcing a first contestant in June turns the summer into a staged roll-out rather than a short burst of casting news. That gives fans more time to track the line-up, compare rumoured names with confirmed contestants and adjust to the new hosts before the first live performances arrive.

There is a practical change for viewers as well: Strictly 2026 will be watched through a new presenting dynamic. Daly and Winkleman had fronted the show together since 2014, according to Newsround. Their departure means the programme must balance continuity with a different on-screen rhythm, while keeping the dancing, judging and weekly scoring familiar.

Coming Up

The BBC has confirmed that more Strictly Come Dancing 2026 news will be revealed throughout the summer. The new series is scheduled to begin on BBC One and iPlayer in September, with Turner currently the only celebrity contestant officially named in the provided sources.

Rumoured contestants have been reported elsewhere, including Dani Dyer, Sarah Jayne Dunn, Delta Goodrem and Tom Parker-Bowles, but those names are not confirmed in the BBC material. The confirmed cast list, professional pairings and full launch details are therefore still to come.

At a Glance

• Lacey Turner is the first confirmed celebrity contestant for Strictly Come Dancing 2026.
• The BBC announced the news on Wednesday 10 June at 3:00 pm.
• Strictly returns to BBC One and iPlayer in September.
• Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe are the new presenters.
• Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and Shirley Ballas return as judges.
• Several professional dancers, including Karen Hauer and Gorka Marquez, will not return.