Nick Knowles, Sam Quek and Paul Merson full line-up

Sam Quek, Nick Knowles and Paul Merson have joined Strictly Come Dancing, finishing the 2024 line-up.

The trio be part of beforehand introduced celebrities together with singer Toyah Willcox, comic Chris McCausland and actor and singer Shayne Ward.

Merson, Quek and Knowles had been revealed as the ultimate three contestants on Monday’s episode of The One Present.

Quek mentioned she was “happy to be part of this legendary present”, however added the prospect of competing was “fairly daunting”.

Merson is a former skilled footballer and supervisor who now works as a pundit for Sky Sports activities

Knowles is a TV presenter, greatest identified for internet hosting property programmes corresponding to DIY SOS.

And Quek is an Olympic hockey participant and TV presenter who additionally served as a crew captain on panel present Query of Sport.

Strictly Come Dancing, now in its twentieth yr, airs on BBC One and iPlayer from September by to December.

Right here is the 2024 line-up in full:

Sam Quek gained 125 worldwide caps for the England and Nice Britain ladies’s hockey groups, together with a gold medal on the 2016 Rio Olympics.

In 2017, Quek was awarded an MBE for companies to hockey.

She is now a broadcaster and tv persona, and has offered the BBC’s Morning Dwell in addition to protection of soccer, American soccer, rugby and cricket.

Between 2021 and 2023, she was crew captain on Query of Sport – a revamped model of the panel present A Query of Sport.

Paddy McGuinness hosted the more moderen iteration, whereas Quek’s opposing crew captain was Ugo Monye, who has beforehand competed on Strictly.

Quek mentioned: “As a former hockey participant I’m used to enjoying as a part of a crew, however the considered dancing on the ballroom flooring in entrance of a stay viewers is sort of daunting!

“I’m happy to be part of this legendary present and quickstep into the sneakers of a performer, it feels completely surreal however I’m prepared for each little bit of the journey.”

Nick Knowles has been the face of DIY SOS for twenty-four years – together with its latest iteration DIY SOS: The Huge Construct.

He has additionally fronted journey programmes, many for Channel 4, corresponding to Into the Grand Canyon, The Mighty Mississippi and Nick Knowles in South America.

Knowles mentioned he was “so, so excited to be doing Strictly this yr”.

“Individuals could also be extra used to me getting caught in on a constructing website or travelling the world, however dancing stay on TV will likely be a complete new journey,” he mentioned.

“I’ve spent my complete life studying new abilities and I’ve by no means been afraid of a problem – there’s life within the outdated canine but to tackle yet one more large one – being taught the right way to dance!”

Paul Merson made his debut enjoying for Arsenal Soccer Membership aged 17 and went on to win the PFA Younger Participant of the Yr.

Merson performed for the membership for over a decade, enjoying 424 occasions, scoring 99 objectives and profitable all home trophies, in addition to the European Cup Winners’ Cup.

He performed 21 occasions for England, scoring thrice and went on to play for Middlesbrough, Aston Villa, Portsmouth and turning into participant supervisor at Walsall Soccer Membership. Merson is now a soccer pundit and commentator.

He mentioned: “Becoming a member of Strictly is a complete new ball sport for me, however I’m going to sort out this problem head on.

“I’m able to swap the pitch for the Ballroom flooring, so right here’s hoping my two left toes can be taught some strikes and also you by no means know, perhaps I’ll be taking residence the Glitterball!”

Former Olympian Montell Douglas is maybe best-known to audiences for her function as Hearth within the BBC One collection Gladiators.

Douglas is the previous holder of the British lady’s 100m dash file and competed on the Beijing Winter Olympics bobsleigh crew in 2022.

In 2010, Douglas gained Commonwealth Gold within the 4x100m relay race. Her look on the Beijing Winter Olympics within the Bobsledding crew noticed her turn into the primary feminine UK athlete to compete at each the Summer season and Winter Olympic Video games.

In an announcement, Douglas invoked Gladiators’ most well-known catchphrase, joking: “Strictly ARE YOU READY?”

“Hearth is right here to gentle up the Ballroom. Wow I’m so honoured to have been requested to do the present. It’s such an incredible factor to be part of and I can’t wait to get began.”

She added: “Hopefully a couple of of my Gladiator strikes will come in useful with the Tango or Paso Doble!”

Dean is a three-time Olympic champion. On the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, he made historical past as the primary British man to win a gold medal for the boys’s 200m swim freestyle in additional than 100 years.

He went on to win an extra gold medal in Tokyo and turn into England’s most embellished athlete on the subsequent 2022 Commonwealth Video games, profitable a complete of seven medals.

Extra lately, Dean introduced residence his third gold medal for Workforce GB from the Paris 2024 Olympic Video games within the crew 4 x 200m freestyle relay.

Dean mentioned he had by chance let the information slip throughout an interview earlier this month, however the BBC later confirmed his participation.

In an announcement, he mentioned: “I’m collaborating in Strictly Come Dancing 2024!

“You might have heard me by chance say it poolside first… however now I can formally discuss how excited I’m to get caught into one thing new, meet some sensible folks and get dancing. Carry it on!”

Borthwick rose to fame for his portrayal as Jay Brown/Mitchell in BBC cleaning soap EastEnders.

He has starred in since 2006, making him one of many longest-serving actors on the present.

He has beforehand gained a British Cleaning soap Award for greatest dramatic efficiency from a younger actor, and an Inside Cleaning soap Award for greatest actor.

Borthwick’s participation in Strictly marks a return to the Elstree ballroom, after he gained the 2023 Christmas particular.

In an announcement, Borthwick mentioned: “I had a ball doing the Strictly Christmas particular final yr, so after I was requested to hitch for this collection it was the best sure!

“It is a contemporary problem and it will likely be so completely different to be studying a brand new dance each week and for the general public to have their say. “

He added: “I’m hoping to be Salsa-ing round Albert Sq. very quickly and I’ll be asking my Walford Strictly alumni for some phrases of knowledge. See you on the dancefloor!”

Actress Sarah Hadland is greatest identified for showing in movies and TV collection like Miranda Hart’s BBC sitcom Miranda, in addition to youngsters’s present Horrible Histories.

She has additionally appeared in ITV’s comedy collection The Job Lot, for which she was nominated for a Royal Tv Society Award, and her movie credit embrace James Bond movie Quantum of Solace.

Hadland mentioned she was “notably excited to be a part of such an iconic present in its twentieth yr”.

“I can not imagine I’m a part of Strictly, I am so prepared for the glitz, glam and glitter and hopefully I could make everybody watching at residence proud.”

Ward’s debut single That is My Aim was the UK’s Christmas primary after he gained the second collection of ITV singing competitors The X Think about 2005.

Since then, he has turn into effectively often known as an actor, enjoying Aidan Connor in ITV cleaning soap Coronation Road – profitable him greatest newcomer on the Nationwide Tv Awards.

He has additionally carried out in musicals like Rock of Ages within the West Finish and at present seems in crime drama collection The Good Ship Homicide on Channel 5.

Ward says he was “buzzing to see all the sparkles and magic that’s Strictly in actual life”.

“I am no stranger to stay TV, however dancing Latin and Ballroom in entrance of hundreds of thousands is a complete new degree. No guarantees on my dancing capability, however I’ll give it my greatest shot.”

Ghouri is a mannequin {and professional} dancer, and she or he mentioned she’s excited to be taught dance types she’s not educated in on Strictly.

She starred on the 2022 collection of Love Island, the place she met her boyfriend Andrew Le Web page.

The 25-year-old was born deaf, and makes use of a cochlear implant – a small digital system that helps her to listen to.

She additionally lately co-authored a romance novel, Hits Totally different, which incorporates a deaf character.

Her look comes three years after Rose Ayling-Ellis turned Strictly’s first deaf contestant, and went on to win.

“Pinch me, I am unable to imagine I’ll be on Strictly Come Dancing!” Ghouri mentioned. “I’ve been watching the present since I used to be little – it is a agency Ghouri household favorite – so this can be a whole dream come true.”

Pete “the Pirate” Wicks first appeared on screens on The Solely Means Is Essex in 2015.

He additionally recurrently seems alongside his greatest good friend, Made In Chelsea’s Sam Thompson, and the pair have a podcast collectively, Staying Related.

Wicks has mentioned showing on Strictly is “terrifying”, however that he is “genuinely wanting ahead to getting caught in”.

He’s additionally mates with Zara McDermott, who has spoken about having damaging experiences on the present final yr.

On Tuesday, sharing the announcement that Wicks can be on the present, she wrote: “I’ve by no means been so excited. Love you.”

Eighties popstar Toyah Willcox is liable for 13 prime 40 singles, together with hits It is A Thriller, I Wish to Be Free and Courageous New World.

And this yr, she performed Glastonbury together with her husband, Robert Fripp.

She’s additionally appeared in over 40 stage performs.

The Solar on Sunday beforehand reported that Willcox can be starring on Strictly, and she or he mentioned in April that she “wouldn’t say no” to the chance.

She advised Kay she had been “mendacity” to everybody as an try to maintain the key, and that she was wanting ahead to the common spray tans.

Lots of people would possibly recognise Wynne Evans because the face, and the voice, behind the Go Evaluate adverts.

Evans has had two primary classical music albums, and has given over 200 performances on the Royal Albert Corridor in London.

He’s additionally turned his hand to presenting, he has a each day radio present on BBC Radio Wales, and has offered on BBC Radio 3 and Traditional FM.

He additionally has a zest for cooking, as he gained Celeb Masterchef final yr.

Evans says he’s “pinching” himself on the information, and “goals to make Wales proud”. He additionally advised Kay he’d be taking inspiration from Invoice Bailey, who gained the present in 2020 with Oti Mabuse.

Dr Punam Krishan is switching medical doctors’ scrubs for sequins.

The practising NHS GP is the resident physician on BBC Morning Dwell and BBC Radio Scotland, and she or he’s additionally written a youngsters’s e book, in addition to newspaper columns.

“This nonetheless doesn’t really feel actual, I’m overjoyed to be a contestant on this yr’s present,” she mentioned.

“I’ve watched Strictly yearly with my household and it feels further particular that it’s the twentieth yr, I can’t imagine I would be the one getting Strictly-fied now.

“That is so out of my consolation zone, however I’m up for the journey and can give it my absolute all.”

Chris McClausland was the primary celeb to be confirmed for this yr’s collection, which additionally made him the present’s first blind contestant.

The comic is a daily face on flagship comedy exhibits corresponding to Have I Acquired Information for You and QI.

Talking to ITV’s This Morning on Monday, he mentioned his participation in Strictly was the “worst saved secret” in showbusiness following weeks of newspaper stories.

The nationwide incapacity charity, Sense, welcomed information that he was becoming a member of the present, calling it a “pivotal second” for incapacity illustration.

“I do not dance, I have never danced, I am unable to dance, I am unable to see the dancing I must do. What can presumably go improper?,” joked McCausland, who misplaced his sight in his 20s.

JLS singer JB Gill was unveiled because the second celeb contestant confirmed for Strictly’s subsequent collection.

Gill mentioned he was wanting ahead to “displaying off some new abilities” to his fellow bandmates.

He’s one a part of the wildly profitable boy band JLS, who rose to fame on The X Issue and went on to have hits together with Beat Once more and All people In Love.

The singer mentioned he liked his time dancing within the Strictly Christmas particular over a decade in the past.

However talking on This Morning, he admitted that a number of the routines like ballroom dancing had been “fairly alien” to him.

“So it will be a studying curve for me,” he mentioned.

Strictly has been on the centre of controversy as claims have emerged concerning the remedy of a number of the celebrities on the present.

The actress Amanda Abbington, who was paired with Giovanni Pernice, has mentioned she discovered his alleged behaviour “pointless, abusive, merciless and imply”.

Pernice’s spokesperson has beforehand denied any allegations of threatening or abusive behaviour. He won’t be returning for the present’s collection this yr.

McDermott has mentioned she was concerned in incidents within the Strictly Come Dancing coaching room that she now finds “extremely distressing” to observe again.

A spokesman for her skilled dancer, Graziano Di Prima, later admitted to BBC Information that he had kicked McDermott as soon as in a rehearsal final yr. Di Prima has additionally left the present.

The BBC has mentioned it would introduce measures to “strengthen welfare and help” on the present, together with a chaperone who will likely be current “always” throughout coaching room rehearsals.