Lacey Turner is the first celebrity contestant for Strictly Come Dancing 2026, and the announcement landed on Wednesday 10 June. lacey turner said she is excited to join the show, with the 2026 series due back in September on One and iPlayer.
The move gives the new series its first named booking before the autumn launch. It also puts one of EastEnders’ best-known faces at the center of the rollout while the rest of the line-up is still to come.
Turner’s first Strictly slot
Turner’s addition is the first concrete sign of how the 2026 cast will take shape. The show’s producers now have a headliner to build around as further names are introduced through the summer.
That matters because the opening contestant often sets the tone for the rest of the reveal cycle. A familiar television lead with a long-running audience base can help the series land its first wave of attention before the full cast is in place.
From EastEnders to the dance floor
Turner joined EastEnders in 2004 and is best known for playing Stacey Slater. She has also won multiple awards for her EastEnders work, including several British Soap Awards and National Television Awards, and has appeared in stage productions and television dramas including Our Girl.
Her statement matched the scale of the booking: “I am so excited to being making my way to the dance floor this year to be a part of Strictly Come Dancing! I am a huge fan and can’t quite believe I will be taking part and not watching at home this year! I look forward to meeting everyone and learning a new skill!”
One in September
Strictly Come Dancing is a Studios Entertainment production for One and iPlayer, and the 2026 series is due to return in September. Further news about the line-up will arrive throughout the summer, which means Turner’s announcement is the first marker in a wider casting rollout rather than a one-off reveal.
For viewers, the useful takeaway is simple: one of the show’s most recognizable names is now locked in, and the rest of the cast should follow in stages before the September launch. That gives the series a clear starting point and leaves the remaining lineup as the next thing to watch.
