The next series of Strictly Come Dancing is still some time away, but the rumour mill is already working at full speed speculating about who will have the chance at the Glitterball trophy this year.
Many well known faces have been tipped as potential contestants on the iconic dancing competition, now in its 18th series.
Despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it has been reported that BBC bosses are keen to bring back the studio audience after going ahead without it last year.
As excitement mounts, here’s a look at all the stars rumoured to be hitting the dancefloor…
Gregory Piper
Gregory Piper has been thrust into the limelight with his role as bad cop Ryan Pilkington in popular BBC drama series Line of Duty.
The Sun reported that his name is already on a shortlist of stars bosses hope to bring on board for the series.
Chris Whitty
Chris Whitty has been a feature of our lives throughout the pandemic, and there are suggestions that bosses want someone on board with the show who has supported the country through coronavirus.
According to The Sun, the chief medical adviser was “top of the list”.
Next cha cha slide please…
Jonathon Van Tamm
Whitty’s colleague Jonathon Van Tamm also had rumours circulating that he could be a candidate, despite him appearing to rule himself out on an interview with ITV News.
The Deputy Chief Medical Officer said: “I think it would be rather like watching Jumbo [the elephant] on ice. But I don’t want to spoil the bookmakers’ books, so I’ll say no more than that.”
Nonetheless, professional dancer Janette Manrara does not think this to be an obstacle, telling Channel 5’s Jeremy Vine: “If we had Ed Balls, we’ve had Ann Widdecombe, then why not? Bring him on.
“It comes down to height and styles. I feel like he could be really good in ballroom because he’s quite elegant.”
Tom Malone
Star of hit Channel 4 show Gogglebox announced recently that he would be leaving Channel 4 to “explore new opportunities”.
Tom Jr already has dance experience, having been a professional break dancer since he was 14 years old.
Speaking to the Express, he said: “If the opportunity came up to go on Strictly as a contestant, I’ve never done Ballroom in my life, so it’d be interesting to see how as someone who breaks, I’m used to dancing upside down, how those two worlds could come together.
“And, how I could use skills from breaking in Ballroom or if there is even anything you can use from breaking in Ballroom.”
Alex Beresford
The presenter of Good Morning Britain stepped further into the spotlight after his exchange with co-presenter Piers Morgan, who then walked off set in a huff.
The Sun has since claimed that BBC bosses were keen to sign Alex for the show after he competed on Dancing on Ice in 2018.
Alluding to the rumours on social media, he tweeted: “Do I need to brush up on my 2 step and shuffle?”
Laura Tobin
Fellow star of GMB Laura Tobin has also been rumoured for the series, the Sun reported that they were both “in the mix”.
John Bercow
A surprise entry, the former Speaker of the Commons was thrust into the public eye during Britain’s negotiations with the EU, including his insistence on following parliamentary procedure.
Known for his unique and varied way of shouting “order!”, Bercow was tipped by the Sun, which claimed that bosses had approached him in the past and are still keen for him to be the next in a long line of political figures who have appeared on the show.
Tomasz Schafernaker
(Image: Ulrika Jonsson /Instagram)
BBC weatherman Tomasz Schafernaker could be heading to Strictly this year after becoming a fan favourite during lockdown with his shaggy hair ‘do.
The BBC meteorologist’s hair grew out after barbers shops closed, and his scruffy barnet led to him being compared to a “seventies porn star” by viewers.
The Sun has reported Strictly Come Dancing bosses are eager to bring in the weatherman onto the 2021 series after he gained popularity throughout lockdown.
An insider said: “Strictly producers have had him in their sights for several years but he’s now high up on their wish-list of contenders for the 2021 series.”
Originally from https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/strictly-come-dancing-2021-line-23973176