Strictly Come Dancing bosses have announced the lineup for this year’s show and there are two new dancers are returning to the cast.
Dianne Buswell, who lifted the glitter ball in December with Chris McCausland, will be joining Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk and Jowita Przysta in returning to the dance floor this September.
They will be joined by Johannes Radebe, Aljaž Škorjanec Nancy Xu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas and Vito Coppola who will all take to the floor once more alongside two new stars.
Amy Dowden, who pulled out in the opening weeks of last year’s show, due to a foot injury will also be back on Strictly for 2025.
Meanwhile, Carlos Gu and Kai Widdrington will be returning after not appearing in the 2024 edition.
Despite rumours that he might be making a return after missing out on last year’s series, Giovanni Pernice will not be heading back to the ballroom this time around.
Strictly Come Dancing bosses have announced the lineup for this year’s show and there are two new dancers returning to the cast
It comes after MailOnline revealed that Strictly Come Dancing professional Karen will return to the BBC show this year
Sarah James, Executive Producer, BBC Studios says: ‘The excitement is already building ahead of the new series and in addition to welcoming back our fantastic returning Pros, we are looking forward to welcoming two brand new Professional Dancers to the line up who will help bring another unforgettable series of dazzling dance and loads more besides to viewers later in 2025.’
It comes after MailOnline revealed that Strictly Come Dancing professional Karen will return to the BBC show this year.
It was rumoured that the programme’s longest-serving dancer was axed by bosses, sparking an ‘ageism’ row among the cast but it has been confirmed that the star, 42, will be back as normal when the series returns in September.
Karen, who joined the lineup in 2012, is yet to win the glitter ball trophy but has reached several finals including with celebrity partners Made In Chelsea’s Jamie Laing and former TOWIE star Mark Wright.
Last year, Karen was partnered with former footballer Paul Merson, 57, but the pair were eliminated in week five and the previous season the dancer performed with DJ Eddie Kadi.
The Venezuelan, who was previously married to ex-pro Kevin Clifton, returns to the show alongside the likes of Strictly favourites Gorka Marquez, Johannes Radebe, and Jowita Przystal, who reached the semifinal stages last year with Pete Wicks.
In November, it was reported that Karen was at ‘risk’ of losing her place on the show because of her age when dancers like Dianne Buswell, 35, and Michelle Tsiakkas, 29, are younger participants.
A TV source told MailOnline: ‘Karen is a well loved and respected member of the Strictly cast and there’s no way she would be axed, especially not because of her age.
Amy Dowden, who pulled out in the opening weeks of last year’s show, due to a foot injury will also be back on Strictly for 2025
Meanwhile, Carlos Gu and Kai Widdrington (pictured) will be returning after not appearing in the 2024 edition
‘She has dedicated years to the programme and can’t wait to get back in the training room with a new partner in the next coming months.’
Following speculation surrounding whether she would axed from the long running series due to being in her 40s, Karen spoke about not being ‘threatened’ by younger competitors.
Indeed, she said performing alongside new joiners makes her feel empowered and she is ‘inspired’ by the younger generation.
In February, she said: ‘Of course, Strictly brings in younger female dancers. I’m the longest serving on the show, but new dancers don’t threaten me – I watch them and I learn from them.
‘They inspire me and build my confidence. I’ve become the person for them that I didn’t have when I joined the show. I’m always there to help because there is a big spotlight on you on Strictly.’
As well as competing on the show with celebrity contestants Jeremy Vine, Simon Rimmer, Greg Wise and Chris Ramsey, Karen also danced with comedian Jayde Adams, which was her first female partnership.
On competing with a female for the first time in 2022, Karen said: ‘I’ve danced with a lot of male dancers, but it’s finding what works for them. This is more natural.
MailOnline has contacted the BBC and Karen’s representative for comment.
It was rumoured that the programme’s longest-serving dancer Karen was axed by bosses, sparking an ‘ageism’ row among the cast but it has been confirmed that Karen will be back
Last year, Karen was partnered with former footballer Paul Merson but the pair were eliminated in week five and the previous season the dancer performed with DJ Eddie Kadi (pictured 2024)
‘It is female empowerment for me to be dancing with Jayde. I feel the most comfortable because there is that friendship.
‘We are girls and we talk about everything. We cry together, we laugh together. We share so many things.
‘When it comes to the dancing we are able to put that emotion into it.’
It was alleged last year that a Strictly ‘cull’ of the professional dancers would see a change in the lineup, with Gorka rumoured not to be coming back for the upcoming season.
