As the curtain falls on the 2025 season of Strictly Come Dancing, the excitement is far from over. The BBC’s beloved dance competition is set to leap from television screens to packed arenas across the UK, with the final line-up for the 2026 Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour now officially confirmed. The announcement, made on December 15, 2025, has set fans abuzz, promising a spectacle featuring household names, dazzling routines, and the same blend of glitz, glamour, and good-natured rivalry that has made the show a staple of British entertainment.
Among the new additions to the tour are some familiar faces for viewers who have followed the intense journey of the 2025 TV series. Social media star George Clarke will join professional dancer Alexis Warr, while Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope returns to the dance floor with Katya Jones. Football legend Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who previously competed in the TV show, pairs up with Lauren Oakley for the tour. And in a move sure to delight long-time fans, Layton Williams—finalist from the 2023 series—will return as a special guest, reuniting with Nikita Kuzmin to perform some of their most-loved routines for live audiences.
These new additions round out an eight-couple bill for the 2026 tour, which also features Harry Aikines-Aryeetey with Karen Hauer, La Voix and Aljaž Škorjanec, Ellie Goldstein and Vito Coppola, and Vicky Pattison with Kai Widdrington. The line-up, as reported by Ticketmaster and The Independent, is being billed as one of the biggest arena runs in the show’s history.
The tour kicks off at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on January 23, 2026. Over the course of 30 shows, it will criss-cross the UK, making stops in Newcastle, Leeds, Manchester, Sheffield, Liverpool, Glasgow, Nottingham, and ultimately wrapping up at London’s iconic O2 Arena on February 15. Each city will get a taste of the full Strictly spectacle, complete with live music, intricate choreography, and, of course, the famously sharp-tongued judges.
Speaking of judges, the panel will feature the ever-popular Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, and Craig Revel Horwood, whose witty remarks and expert critiques have become as much a part of the show as the dancing itself. Hosting duties fall to Janette Manrara, who returns after her successful stint on It Takes Two and brings her own experience as a former Strictly professional.
But the excitement isn’t limited to watching from the stands. In true Strictly fashion, the live tour invites audience members to cast their votes each night, ultimately deciding which couple lifts the coveted Glitterball Trophy. While the judges will provide scores and commentary, it’s the crowd whose voices will ring out in the final decision, ensuring every performance is charged with real stakes and genuine suspense.
Accessibility is also front and center, with every performance set to feature a British Sign Language interpreter. The interpreters will be displayed on large screens flanking the stage, making sure that the magic of Strictly is available to all, regardless of where fans are seated in the arena.
Not every star will be present at every stop, however. Lewis Cope and George Clarke will miss certain shows due to prior commitments—a detail outlined in the official tour schedule. Still, the sheer scale and variety of the tour promise that every night will be a unique and memorable experience.
The anticipation for the live tour is fueled by the drama and triumphs of the recently concluded TV series. On December 14, 2025, the three finalists for the 2025 Strictly Come Dancing TV series were confirmed after a tense dance-off. EastEnders actor Balvinder Sopal and her partner Julian Caillon were eliminated, leaving reality TV star Amber Davies (paired with Nikita Kuzmin), George Clarke (with Alexis Warr), and former England Lionesses footballer Karen Carney (with Carlos Gu) to battle it out in the grand final.
Carney and Gu topped the leaderboard in the semi-final with a near-perfect score of 78 out of 80, making Carney the first footballer to reach the show’s final—a notable milestone in the program’s history, as highlighted by BBC Wales. Meanwhile, Amber Davies, who previously won Love Island and has built a successful career in musical theatre, overcame a wave of online criticism to secure her place in the final. Her partner Nikita Kuzmin praised her resilience, saying, “You had so much hate this week and yet you came every single day into the training room with a big smile ignoring everybody and just giving me love.”
Davies’s journey has not been without controversy. Some viewers argued that her background in the West End gave her an unfair advantage, but her former teacher, Catherine Jones, dismissed these claims, noting that none of Davies’s prior training was at the level of ballroom dancing. The backlash sparked a wave of support online, with fans and former teachers alike defending her talent and character. As Jones put it, “It doesn’t take a lot to be kind. It’s an entertainment programme, there is no need to be nasty about people.”
The semi-final also brought emotional moments for departing presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who were each awarded their own golden Glitterball Trophy in a surprise tribute. The night was further enlivened by performances from Kylie Minogue—debuting her new single “XMAS” alongside 16 professional dancers—and the band James, who treated audiences to their classic “Sit Down.”
With the grand final airing on December 20, 2025, at 7:00 PM GMT on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, fans are eager to see who will claim the TV series’ Glitterball Trophy. But for many, the excitement is just beginning, as the live tour offers a chance to see their favorite stars and routines up close, and even influence the outcome themselves.
For Lewis Cope, the invitation to join the tour after his earlier elimination is a welcome encore. “I’m not ready to hang up my dancing shoes just yet,” he said, capturing the spirit of a show that celebrates perseverance, transformation, and sheer joy.
Tickets for the 2026 Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour are already on sale, and with an all-star cast, beloved judges, and a format that puts fans at the heart of the action, the tour looks set to carry the show’s magic well into the new year. Whether in the arena or at home, audiences can expect more unforgettable moments, standing ovations, and—who knows—a few surprises along the way.
