STRICTLY COME DANCING TONIGHT: ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THIS YEAR'S LAUNCH SHOW

Strictly is back! Join Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman as they welcome 15 new famous faces to the ballroom.

The launch show starts with a bang as the entire Strictly family hit the dance floor for an epic opening performance. Two new professionals arrive in style with a sizzling poolside routine, Jessie J provides music and 2024 Strictly champions Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell return for one last dance together.

Judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke keep a watchful eye over proceedings as 15 new partnerships are formed, but who will be paired with whom? The brand new couples then take to the floor as our celebrities show off their moves for the very first time.

Professional Dancers Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Amy Dowden, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Jowita Przystal, Johannes Radebe, Aljaž Škorjanec, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas and Vito Coppola will all take to the floor once more, alongside two brand new professional dancers!

American-born Alexis is best known for winning US dance series So You Think You Can Dance in 2022 and was crowned as ‘America’s Favourite Dancer’, becoming the first female Ballroom and Latin dancer to claim the title.

Australian-born Julian has been dancing since the age of 10, specialising in Ballroom and Latin American, and going on to represent Australia on the international stage. He appeared as a Professional Dancer on three seasons of Australia’s Dancing With The Stars, has toured the globe with hit dance show Burn The Floor, and also competed on So You Think You Can Dance in Australia.

Strictly Come Dancing returns Saturday 20th September at 6:40pm on BBC One and iPlayer.