{"id":36695,"date":"2026-08-10T15:46:32","date_gmt":"2026-08-10T10:46:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=36695"},"modified":"2026-08-10T15:46:32","modified_gmt":"2026-08-10T10:46:32","slug":"strictly-come-dancing-unveils-olympic-gold-medallist-tabby-stoecker-as-the-13th-celebrity-contestant-amid-fan-disappointment-over-weak-line-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/?p=36695","title":{"rendered":"Strictly Come Dancing unveils Olympic gold medallist Tabby Stoecker as the 13th celebrity contestant amid fan disappointment over &#8216;weak&#8217; line-up"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><script>\r\n  atOptions = {\r\n    'key' : '644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6',\r\n    'format' : 'iframe',\r\n    'height' : 90,\r\n    'width' : 728,\r\n    'params' : {}\r\n  };\r\n<\/script>\r\n<script src=\"https:\/\/www.highperformanceformat.com\/644b717812d811d6a1c1fc5b6ccd6fa6\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div itemprop=\"articleBody\">\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Olympic gold medallist Tabby Stoecker is the latest celeb to join the 2026 <a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/tvshowbiz\/strictly_come_dancing\/index.html\" id=\"mol-508cc960-94a3-11f1-a9d1-455dbc735855\">Strictly<\/a> Come Dancing lineup.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">The news was announced on Monday via the show&#8217;s official social channels.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Tabby, 25, is a highly decorated <a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/sport\/team-gb-olympics\/index.html\" id=\"mol-5097c5e0-94a3-11f1-a9d1-455dbc735855\">Team GB<\/a> skeleton athlete, who famously won gold at the Winter Olympic Games earlier this year.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Despite only making her international debut in the sport five years ago, Tabby&#8217;s long list of accolades also includes being a World Cup race winner, a double World Championship medallist, a <a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/sport\/uefa-euro\/index.html\" id=\"mol-50988930-94a3-11f1-a9d1-455dbc735855\" class=\"\">European Championship<\/a> medallist, and many more.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Tabby said: &#8216;I am over the moon to be joining the cast of Strictly 2026.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;I&#8217;ve had the wildest year of my life so far, so to be rounding it off with a childhood dream of dancing in the Strictly ballroom is surreal and I can&#8217;t wait to get stuck in!&#8217;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Tabby joins Lacey Turner, <a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/tvshowbiz\/dani-dyer\/index.html\" id=\"mol-507d6010-94a3-11f1-a9d1-455dbc735855\">Dani Dyer<\/a>, <a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/tvshowbiz\/delta-goodrem\/index.html\" id=\"mol-50680350-94a3-11f1-a9d1-455dbc735855\">Delta Goodrem<\/a>, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer, Will Best, Dame Sarah Storey, <a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/tvshowbiz\/jaime-winstone\/index.html\" id=\"mol-50612580-94a3-11f1-a9d1-455dbc735855\">Jaime Winstone<\/a>, Bethany Antonia, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Graeme Hall and Laurence Robb in the line-up.<\/p>\n<div class=\"artSplitter mol-img-group\" style=\"\">\n<div class=\"mol-img\">\n<div class=\"image-wrap\"> <img decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-bcebd78d06c45d26\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/08\/10\/11\/110537269-16041293-image-a-1_1786356398149.jpg\" height=\"355\" width=\"634\" alt=\"Olympic gold medallist, Tabby Stoecker is the latest celeb to join the 2026 Strictly Come Dancing lineup\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" style=\"max-width:100%\" loading=\"lazy\" \/> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"imageCaption\">Olympic gold medallist, Tabby Stoecker is the latest celeb to join the 2026 Strictly Come Dancing lineup<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">While some fans have been excited by the latest additions to the lineup, the general consensus has been that a lot of people have struggled to recognise many of the names.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">After\u00a0<a target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/tvshowbiz\/emmerdale\/index.html\" id=\"mol-04e70880-917f-11f1-8e67-edf697d60508\" class=\"\" style=\"font-weight: bold;\">Emmerdale<\/a><span style=\"font-size: 16px;\">&#8216;s Lawrence Robb was the twelfth celebrity to be announced last week, one\u00a0<\/span>wrote: &#8216;I generally know one person out of everyone that&#8217;s been announced. Where are the celebrities?<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">&#8216;I might skip Strictly this year. All my favourite dancers have discontinued, I don\u2019t recognise any of the celebrities. The hosts are new and it just seems like a damp squibb.&#8217;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Others were more positive and commented on Tabby&#8217;s annoucement post: &#8216;We wanted this so much! Winter Olympics crew rise up!&#8217; and &#8216;A gold medal Winter Olympian &#8211; how exciting!&#8217;<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">One of the biggest names, EastEnders star Lacey was the first contestant announced as she is currently on an extended break from playing her iconic character Stacey Slater in the soap and is keen to use her time to train for the BBC competition, which will start in September.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Meanwhile the show has been\u00a0embroiled in a fresh &#8216;fix&#8217; row as it&#8217;s claimed nine of the celebrities have past dance experience.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Throughout the years, the <a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/news\/bbc\/index.html\" id=\"mol-9b98e510-9363-11f1-a6b4-85b87c14e33c\" class=\"\">BBC<\/a> dancing show has come under fire for signing up stars who have some form of dancing or performance history, and it appears that this year is no different if new reports are to go by.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\"><a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" class=\"\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" target=\"_blank\" href=\"https:\/\/www.thesun.co.uk\/tv\/40005159\/strictly-fresh-fix-row-nine-celebrities-dance-experience\/\">The Sun<\/a>\u00a0reports that nine of the celebrities having past experience.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Among those who have dance or performing arts experience, <a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/tvshowbiz\/emmerdale\/index.html\" id=\"mol-9ba56830-9363-11f1-a6b4-85b87c14e33c\" class=\"\">Emmerdale<\/a> star Lawrence Robb was a former pupil at The Dance School of Scotland for two years.<\/p>\n<div class=\"artSplitter mol-img-group\" style=\"\">\n<div class=\"mol-img\">\n<div class=\"image-wrap\"> <img decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-6a358f9e0d6aba6b\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/08\/10\/11\/110537449-16041293-Tabby_25_is_a_highly_decorated_Team_GB_skeleton_athlete_who_famo-a-12_1786357024226.jpg\" height=\"1035\" width=\"634\" alt=\"Tabby, 25, is a highly decorated Team GB skeleton athlete, who famously won gold at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" style=\"max-width:100%\" loading=\"lazy\" \/> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"imageCaption\">Tabby, 25, is a highly decorated Team GB skeleton athlete, who famously won gold at the 2026 Winter Olympic Games<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">He then went on to the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama before making appearances in the West End.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Prior to appearing on Love Island,\u00a0Cach Mercer worked as a professional dancer with a specialism in Hip-hop and Afrobeats, while <a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/tvshowbiz\/dani-dyer\/index.html\" id=\"mol-9b927c70-9363-11f1-a6b4-85b87c14e33c\">Dani Dyer<\/a>\u00a0was quoted as calling herself a &#8216;qualified dancer&#8217; in her 2019 autobiography.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">As a child, the fellow Love Island winner\u00a0attended O\u2019Farrell\u2019s Stage School in East London on weekends for 12 years.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Meanwhile, EastEnders star Lacey Turner also had experience in her younger years, attending\u00a0Sylvia Young Theatre School, while as a child, singer Delta Goodrem had lessons in dancing, singing and acting.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Jaime Winstone did a BTEC National Diploma in Performing Arts at Harlow College, Essex, with the course covering\u00a0dancing, musical theatre and production.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Another star with educational experience includes House of the Dragon&#8217;s Bethany Antonia, who attended the\u00a0BOA Creative, Digital and Performing Arts Academy in Birmingham where she\u00a0studied musical theatre.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">An insider told the publication: &#8216;There is no rule that celebrities cannot have dance experience before taking part and it would be near impossible to find a cast of celebrities who have no previous dance experience as many people in the entertainment industry go to stage school.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">The Daily Mail has\u00a0contacted representatives of Strictly Come Dancing for comment.\u00a0<\/p>\n<div class=\"artSplitter mol-img-group\" style=\"\">\n<div class=\"mol-img\">\n<div class=\"image-wrap\"> <img decoding=\"async\" id=\"i-56f6dfd813b8e586\" src=\"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/08\/10\/11\/110537447-16041293-Tabby_said_I_am_over_the_moon_to_be_joining_the_cast_of_Strictly-a-13_1786357059188.jpg\" height=\"758\" width=\"634\" alt=\"Tabby said: 'I am over the moon to be joining the cast of Strictly 2026.' 'I've had the wildest year of my life so far'\" class=\"blkBorder img-share\" style=\"max-width:100%\" loading=\"lazy\" \/> <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p class=\"imageCaption\">Tabby said: &#8216;I am over the moon to be joining the cast of Strictly 2026.&#8217; &#8216;I&#8217;ve had the wildest year of my life so far&#8217;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Elsewhere, <a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" target=\"_self\" class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/tvshowbiz\/article-16010313\/Amy-Dowden-shows-toned-abs-Dianne-Buswell-leaves-baby-son-day-one-Strictly-Come-Dancing-pro-rehearsals.html\">the returning Strictly professional dancers shared a glimpse inside the first days of rehearsals<\/a> for the 2026 series on Instagram.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\"><a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/tvshowbiz\/amy-dowden\/index.html\" id=\"mol-c5206c50-8a71-11f1-b99c-1708223a0083\" class=\"\">Amy Dowden<\/a>, <a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/tvshowbiz\/dianne-buswell\/index.html\" id=\"mol-c4d22540-8a71-11f1-b99c-1708223a0083\">Dianne Buswell<\/a> and <a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/tvshowbiz\/jowita-przystal\/index.html\" id=\"mol-c4cec9e0-8a71-11f1-b99c-1708223a0083\">Jowita Przystal<\/a> are among the stars returning to the dancefloor this year after the <a style=\"font-weight: bold;\" target=\"_self\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dailymail.com\/news\/bbc\/index.html\" id=\"mol-c5608290-8a71-11f1-b99c-1708223a0083\">BBC<\/a> show underwent a major shake-up.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">The stars were also joined by returning pro Carlos Gu, 33, who scooped the coveted Glitterball Trophy with footballer Karen Carney.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">As well as Katya Jones, Kai Widdrington, Aljaz Skorjanec, Lauren Oakley, Nancy Xu, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Alexis Warr, Julian Caillon and Vito Coppola.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Five new faces were recently announced to the pro line-up, months after the Strictly axe \u2018bloodbath\u2019 saw bosses ditch stars Michelle Tsiakkas, Karen Hauer, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk and Gorka Marquez.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Making their Strictly dancer debut this Autumn will be\u00a0Ukrainian Aleksandra Isaeva, Italian hunk Cristian Priori, South African latin champion Lethabo Monametsi as well as\u00a0Canadian dancer Mark Karmalita and UK National Ballroom Champion Maddie Ingoldsby.<\/p>\n<p class=\"mol-para-with-font\">Hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who announced they were quitting the show last year, have been replaced by Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and pro-dancer favourite\u00a0Johannes Radebe.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<script async=\"async\" data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"https:\/\/pl30214220.effectivecpmnetwork.com\/9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\/invoke.js\"><\/script>\r\n<div id=\"container-9ab3d4df8a7e1a6171e16ddbf732cc19\"><\/div>\r\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Olympic gold medallist Tabby Stoecker is the latest celeb to join the 2026 Strictly Come Dancing lineup. The news was announced on Monday via the show&#8217;s official social channels. Tabby, 25, is a highly decorated Team GB skeleton athlete, who famously won gold at the Winter Olympic Games earlier this year.\u00a0 Despite only making her&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":36696,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/i.dailymail.com\/1s\/2026\/08\/10\/11\/110537269-16041293-image-a-1_1786356398149.jpg","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-36695","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrity-gossip"],"brizy_media":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36695","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=36695"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/36695\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/36696"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=36695"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=36695"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/usnews-14267fa.ingress-comporellon.ewp.live\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=36695"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}