Lacey Turner confirmed as first Strictly contestant

Actress Lacey Turner volition vie connected the caller bid of Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC has confirmed.

The EastEnders prima is the archetypal personage contestant to beryllium announced for the 2026 series, which begins successful the autumn.

Turner said she was "so excited to being making my mode to the creation floor", adding that she was a "huge fan" of the show.

The caller bid of Strictly will beryllium presented by Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe, aft the departure of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.

The announcement of the archetypal personage has travel importantly earlier than accustomed - the BBC usually confirms the line-up successful August.

The corp did not explicate wherefore it had started announcing the line-up early, but said further contestants would beryllium revealed "throughout the summer" earlier the bid launches successful September.

Turner is champion known for her relation arsenic Stacey Slater connected EastEnders, which she joined successful 2004.

She has won a British Soap Award and National Television Award for her relation connected the show, and has besides starred successful TV dramas including the BBC's Our Girl.

In a statement, she said: "I americium truthful excited to being making my mode to the creation level this twelvemonth to beryllium a portion of Strictly Come Dancing!

"I americium a immense instrumentality and can't rather judge I volition beryllium taking portion and not watching astatine location this year! I look guardant to gathering everyone and learning a caller skill."

Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke volition each instrumentality to the bid arsenic judges.

But different regulars including Amy Dowden, Dianne Buswell, Katya Jones, Vito Coppola and Aljaz Skorjanec volition beryllium backmost connected the creation floor.