Strictly Come Dancing 2021 celebrity contestants revealed

EXCLUSIVE

Another year has flown by but importantly the question for many viewers of Stricly is “Who are this year’s celebrity dancers?’

As the famous glitter ball is about to start spinning again, which celebrities are definitely taking part in Strictly 2021. Here at MarkMeets, It’s one of the best parts of the run-up to Strictly Come Dancing for the show’s superfans – trying to work out which celebrities will be joining the cast for the new series.

There are always a few curveballs and the show is notoriously good at keeping its line-up a secret, but that doesn’t stop us from having some fun with guessing at who’s signed up.

Here’s our round-up of the confirmed celebrity dancers – and all the latest rumours out there for the class of 2021.

Strictly Come Dancing 2021 confirmed celebrity contestants

Tom Fletcher

BBC

The first celebrity contestant for Strictly 2021 was revealed on the One Show on Wednesday August 4 as singer, songwriter and author Tom Fletcher. As a founder member of the band McFly, Fletcher has sung lead vocals and played guitar and piano for the band since 2003, enjoying seven No.1 singles in that time including 5 Colours in Her Hair, Obviously and All About You.

Fletcher, 36, has also written more than 20 books for children. He has three tough acts to follow on the Strictly dancefloor. Not only did McFly bandmate Harry Judd win Strictly in 2011, but wife Giovanna Fletcher was crowned Queen of the Castle on I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! last winter – a title previously held (as King of the Jungle), by another McFly pal, bassist Dougie Poynter.

Robert Webb

BBC

The second Strictly 2021 contestant to be unveiled was comedian and actor Robert Webb. Webb is best known as one half of a comedy double-act alongside David Mitchell, the pair starring in long-running sitcom Peep Show as well as sketch series That Mitchell and Webb Look.

Webb, 48, has also appeared on panel shows including Have I Got News for You, Never Mind the Buzzcocks and QI, in sitcoms The Smoking Room and Fresh Meat and alongside Mitchell in comedy-drama Ambassadors and a film, Magicians.

AJ Odudu

The third 2021 contestant to be revealed on The One Show on August 4 was TV presenter AJ Odudu. Blackburn-born AJ is best known for co-presenting the Channel 5 reality show spin-off Big Brother’s Bit on the Side, alongside Emma Willis and Rylan Clark.

AJ, 33, has also co-presented The Voice and The Voice Kids, and has appeared on panel shows Richard Osman’s House of Games and Would I Lie to You. She also has previous experience of taking on celebrity challenges, her appearance on The Chase proving slightly more sedate than her early elimination on gruelling reality challenge Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins in 2019.

John Whaite

Chef and TV presenter John Whaite was revealed as Strictly 2021’s fourth celebrity dancer on Matt Lucas’ Radio 2 show on August 5.

In 2012, Whaite won the third series of The Great British Bake Off and since raising the cake stand has opened a cookery school in his native Lancashire and has published five cook books. His TV career has also taken off, and Whaite, 32, has appeared as the regular chef on ITV’s Lorraine and Channel 4’s Steph’s Packed Lunch as well as co-presenting Chopping Block with Rosemary Shrager.

Whaite will make Strictly history this year as one half of the show’s first all-male partnership.

Rhys Stephenson

CBBC presenter Rhys Stephenson was revealed as the fifth member of Strictly’s class of ’21 on the BBC’s children’s channel on August 6. Stephenson has appeared on CBBC since 2016, presenting such shows as Blue Peter, Newsround, Dengineers and Saturday Mash-Up. He was previously a member of the National Youth Theatre and is an ambassador for Place2Be, a charity which provides mental health services in schools.