Last weekend, BBC audiences were treated to the much-anticipated pairing of this year's Strictly Come Dancing contestants with their professional dance partners. The excitement was palpable as fan-favourites like Johannes Radebe, Dianne Buswell, Karen Hauer, and Nikita Kuzmin made their return. This season also sees Neil Jones and Nadiya Bychkova back in the spotlight, each paired with a celebrity after sitting out the competition last year.
Despite participating in group performances previously, they hadn't been given the opportunity to vie for the glitterball trophy. Unfortunately, Kai Widdrington finds himself in a similar position this year, having been partnered with Angela Rippon for the 2023 series. With the first live show set to dazzle viewers on Saturday night, Erin Boag shared insights into the selection process.
Representing Spin Genie , she remarked: "I don't think you can take this personally as a professional, because all of the professionals are fabulous. "I can't name any professional that's ever been on that show that shouldn't have been there, because they're all fabulous, and they all work hard, but sometimes it's nice to showcase somebody else." Erin also touched upon Neil's sporadic appearances, as he's only competed twice despite joining in 2026.
She also teased that there is yet another professional dancer whom fans are eager to see take to the floor, reports the Express . Erin commented on the role of 'benched' professionals on Strictly Come Dancing, .