Strictly Come Dancing UK’s new series is finally starting to feel like reality, as the show has shared the first picture of the entire professional dancer line-up.
Fans have been given their first glimpse into rehearsals for the show – and it’s made us even more excited because there are now 2 SA dancers in the mix!
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Pictured alongside regulars Anton Du Beke, Pasha Kovalev, former couple Karen and Kevin Clifton, and South African dance-floor queen Oti Mabuse, among many others, is local Dancing With The Stars favourite Johannes Radebe.
Oti recently visited SA and she posted this gorgeous video of a rehearsal with Johannes, with this excited caption:
“First of all just look at my smile then wait till the end dear @bbcstrictly so excited!!! So excited about this rehearsals with @johannesradebe for Strictly #bbcbritsa#strictly it’s going to be a fun year…” [sic]
Johannes posted a pic of himself in a London phone-booth on social media last week, saying: “Packed my life and headed out to one of the most incredible countries in the world. #unitedkingdom. I’m very chuffed to be here.”
The other professional Strictly stars have also shared their excitement as they started rehearsals for the forthcoming series.
Dancer Gorka Marquez was among those taking to the dance floor, and he tweeted, ‘We are back!! @bbcstrictly 2018 starts today. Excited for my 3rd series.
The judges and celebrity contestants for this year’s Strictly have yet to be revealed.
In May, the BBC announced the names of the three new professional dancers who will be joining the line-up.
They are Italian Latin champion Graziano Di Prima, our own Latin champion Johannes and four-time winner of the Italian Dance Championship, Luba Mushtuk.
Brendan Cole will not be returning for the new series and neither will Chloe Hewitt, who joined in 2016.
The show’s executive producer, Louise Rainbow, also revealed that this year’s total of 18 dancers is the biggest ever line-up of professionals on Strictly, which does not yet have a start date.
