Sunday, September 20, 2026 - Dani Dyer is officially getting another shot at Strictly Come Dancing, and this time she is back with the professional partner she never got to compete with.
The 30-year-old has been reunited with Nikita Kuzmin for the 2026 series after an ankle fracture forced her to withdraw before last year’s live competition began. The pairing was confirmed during Saturday’s launch show, immediately putting Dyer’s comeback among the season’s biggest talking points.
The reunion carries extra significance because Dyer had previously said she would love another opportunity to take part after her injury ended her first attempt. Kuzmin subsequently competed with replacement partner Amber Davies, reaching the 2025 final, while Dyer watched her Strictly journey unfold from the sidelines.
Now, the former Love Island winner is back on the dancefloor, with Kuzmin describing his reaction to their reunion as one of “tears of joy”.
But Dyer and Kuzmin are not the only pairing grabbing attention. House Of The Dragon star Bethany Antonia has been partnered with Nancy Xu, creating the third all-female couple in Strictly history after Nicola Adams and Katya Jones in 2020 and Jayde Adams and Karen Hauer in 2022.
With 15 celebrity-professional partnerships now confirmed and the first live performances approaching next weekend, the 2026 series is already generating major interest before the competition truly begins.
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