Strictly Come Dancing: Jacqui Smith completes 2020 line-up

Former residence secretary Jacqui Smith has been confirmed because the 12th and closing movie star contestant on this 12 months’s Strictly Come Dancing.

Smith will be a part of with stars together with Invoice Bailey, Clara Amfo, and HRVY.

The 2020 collection will start in October however will likely be shorter than standard, and decide Bruno Tonioli could have a lowered position amid coronavirus restrictions.

The contestants will likely be staying in a lodge for 2 weeks forward of pre-recording all of the the group dances.

The BBC additionally confirmed they may be capable to rehearse, carry out and go residence to their household every night time – following authorities pointers.

The contestants

Jacqui Smith was confirmed as the ultimate movie star dancer on Steve Wright’s Radio 2 present on Friday afternoon.

The previous Labour politician grew to become the UK’s first feminine residence secretary in 2007 – beneath then-Prime Minister Gordon Brown – and has since labored as a political broadcaster.

“I used to be speechless with pleasure at being requested to hitch Strictly – and that is very uncommon for me,” mentioned Smith.

“Fifty years in the past, I bought a bronze medal for Scottish Highland Dancing and it feels about time to return to dancing.”

“I could not be in higher arms with the Strictly workforce and I will throw myself into the problem. Be careful!” she added.

Smith is now the chair of the College Hospitals Birmingham NHS Basis Belief and Sandwell Youngsters’s Belief. She additionally has a podast, referred to as For the Many, that she presents with broadcaster Iain Dale.

HRVY was revealed as a contestant on the Kiss breakfast present and mentioned he was “so grateful to be participating”.

The pop singer, whose actual title is Harvey Leigh Cantwell, has greater than a billion mixed streams to his title.

He has a social media following of greater than 10 million and carried out at BBC Radio 1’s Huge Weekend in Middlesbrough final 12 months.

The 21-year-old rose to fame after importing his music movies to Fb. He has since bought out UK and European excursions and his debut album will likely be out later this 12 months.

“Being on Strictly goes to be such a tremendous expertise and I am so grateful to be participating this 12 months,” he mentioned.

“I feel my mum is extra excited that she’ll be capable to see me each Saturday night time now!”

Maisie Smith is an actress and singer is greatest identified for enjoying Tiffany Butcher-Baker in EastEnders.

“Get me in these sequins,” she mentioned, reacting to the information of her announcement.

“I am unable to wait to dive into the Strictly fancy gown field this winter!”

Earlier than storming into Albert Sq. as Bianca’s daughter, Tiffany, Smith made her appearing debut within the 2008 movie, The Different Boleyn Woman – alongside Scarlett Johansson and Eddie Redmayne.

Her position within the long-running BBC cleaning soap noticed her scoop the award for greatest dramatic efficiency from a younger actress, on the 2009 British Cleaning soap Awards.

Jamie Laing returns to the present this 12 months, after having to drag out of final 12 months’s collection earlier than it started as a consequence of an harm.

He grew to become a family title in 2011 on the Channel four actuality present, Made in Chelsea, and this 12 months launched his personal podcast, 6 Levels from Jamie and Spencer, alongside Spencer Matthews.

He additionally based the sweets model, Sweet Kittens, in 2012.

“Right here we go once more, hopefully this time I can final lengthy sufficient so my mum can see me dance,” mentioned Laing.

He added: “The explanation I am doing it, is to make my mum proud however all I did final 12 months was make her much more upset. Let’s change that this 12 months, cannot wait!!”

JJ Chalmers‘ profession as a Royal Marine Commando was reduce brief after he suffered life-changing accidents following an IED explosion in Afghanistan.

The blast crushed an eye fixed socket, burst his eardrums, destroyed his proper elbow, blew off two fingers on his left hand and left holes in his legs.

After years of rehabilitation, together with greater than 30 operations, he went on to compete within the 2014 Invictus Video games the place he captained the Trike Biking workforce and took residence three medals.

He later launched into a profession in broadcasting, presenting protection of the Rio Paralympics and anchoring BBC One’s protection of the Invictus Video games.

Evaluating Strictly to his navy expertise, he advised ITV’s Lorraine: “I am all the time in search of a problem, I am all the time trying to push myself exterior of my consolation zone.”

Regardless of his accidents, Chalmers mentioned he needed to be handled like “another contestant” and did not need any “particular therapy”.

“Whoever I companion with they have their work reduce out,” he added.

Invoice Bailey is an comic, actor and musician is thought for appearances on TV reveals like QI, Black Books and By no means Thoughts the Buzzcocks.

“In these unusual occasions we’re dwelling by way of, it feels proper to do one thing totally different and tackle a brand new problem,” he mentioned in a press release.

“I have never been to stage faculty and learnt to bounce. I have never lived for the dance… I am not likely Lord of the Dance. I am caretaker of the dance,” he joked. “It may be fairly a problem however then that is what that is about, taking up a brand new ability.”

Bailey, 55, made his title on the stand-up circuit earlier than turning into an everyday panel present visitor, TV and movie actor, documentary presenter, and host of the BBC sketch present Is It Invoice Bailey?

He’s additionally a classically-trained musician and has printed a information to British birds. On Wednesday, in a evaluation of his first reside gig for six months, The Each day Telegraph mentioned he “stays one of many funniest, most brilliantly authentic comedians within the UK”.

Clara Amfo, who hosts BBC Radio 1’s late morning slot, assist she “could not wait to completely embrace” the expertise of Strictly.

Lately, Amfo has introduced protection of Glastonbury, the Brit Awards, Radio 1’s Huge Weekend, the Bafta TV Awards and The Proms.

“As we all know this 12 months has been an actual problem and escapism by way of dancing is one thing I do know all of us get pleasure from,” she mentioned.

“So to be taught by a professional and reside a fantasy is one thing that I am unable to wait to completely embrace, see you on the dancefloor!”

Ranvir Singh is Good Morning Britain’s political editor and occasional host, and likewise seems on different ITV programmes together with Unfastened Ladies, Tonight and Eat, Store, Save. She is about to begin co-hosting a brand new Sunday morning present, All Round Britain.

Singh mentioned she felt “full terror” on the concept of participating, likening it to “embarking on a rollercoaster”.

She beforehand labored as a producer and reporter for the BBC for 12 years, and introduced BBC North West Tonight.

Singh mentioned: “The preliminary feeling of being confirmed for Strictly is certainly one of full terror – appears like embarking on a rollercoaster, the place you actually need to do it however you might be equally scared.

“Hopefully after the primary dance I’ll really feel exhilarated moderately than sick!”

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Olympic boxer Nicola Adams will make Strictly Come Dancing historical past by turning into the primary contestant to be a part of a same-sex pairing.

She advised BBC Breakfast she was the one who prompt having a feminine companion when producers requested her to participate.

• Strictly to characteristic first ever same-sex pair

“I feel it is actually essential,” she mentioned. “It is positively time for change.

Adams received a gold medal for Nice Britain on the London 2012 Olympics, and once more in Rio in 2016. She retired from the game final 12 months.

Award-winning actress and presenter Caroline Quentin is thought for a variety of appearing roles, together with Maddie in Jonathan Creek and DCI Janine Lewis in Blue Homicide.

She has additionally starred in Kiss Me Kate, Life Begins and Lifetime of Riley.

Nonetheless, arguably her most well-known position was taking part in Dorothy within the hit 90s sitcom Males Behaving Badly.

She not too long ago introduced the documentary collection Extraordinary Houses for BBC Two.

Quentin mentioned she was “thrilled and terrified in equal measure to be participating” on this 12 months’s Strictly Come Dancing.

Broadcaster Jason Bell is a former skilled American footballer.

He performed as a cornerback/security within the Nationwide Soccer League for the Dallas Cowboys.

Bell then performed for the Houston Texans, the place he was named a recipient of the Ed Block Braveness Award, one of many league’s highest honours. He completed his skilled profession with the New York Giants.

Bell now co-hosts The Jason & Osi Podcast with one other former NFL star, Osi Umenyiora, and the pair seem as pundits on the NFL Present on the BBC.

“Strictly is the epitome of British tv and this 12 months, greater than ever, I am so proud and humbled to be taking part,” he mentioned.

“Strictly was the primary present I ever watched once I moved to the UK and I am an enormous fan. My six-year-old daughter by no means bought the possibility to see me run out on the sector at an NFL recreation however she may be very enthusiastic about me taking to the dance ground. I hope I can do her proud.”

Singer and actor Max George shot to fame as a member of boy band The Needed.

His former bandmate, Jay McGuiness, beforehand received Strictly Come Dancing in 2015.

George mentioned he was “buzzing to be on Strictly this 12 months”, joking: “I am not likely one for the dance ground, however I take lots of consolation in the truth that Jay McGuiness set The Needed’s bar so low.”

The Needed had two primary singles within the UK – All Time Low and Glad You Got here – with the latter reaching the highest three within the US Billboard chart.

After The Needed took a break, Max moved to Los Angeles to pursue an appearing profession and starred within the sixth season of Glee as Clint. He not too long ago returned to music as a solo artist.

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