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The blazing sunshine<\/a> might make you feel otherwise, but Strictly Come Dancing<\/a> season is actually just around the corner.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Don\u2019t go thinking it\u2019s time to stock up on hot chocolate and knitwear or get a head start on your Christmas shopping just yet, though \u2013 while many of us associate the BBC dance show with the end of the year, it actually gets underway in the early autumn, with live shows continuing on Saturday nights leading up to the festive season.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n The line-up for the upcoming 23rd series of Strictly is slowly being unveiled \u2013 with five stars from across the world of TV, sport and beyond having already been announced.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Here\u2019s a quick look at how the line-up is shaping up so far\u2026<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Olympic-gold-medal-winning-sprinter-turned-Gladiators-hero Harry Aikines-Aryeetey<\/a> (who you might know better as his alter-ego Nitro) was the first Strictly star confirmed for the new series, having already made a big impression on last year\u2019s one-off Christmas episode<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n He enthused: \u201cAfter the Christmas Special, it was so nice I just had to do it twice! I\u2019m so excited to be part of the Strictly family this series and I\u2019m ready to give it all I\u2019ve got.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cI\u2019ll be bringing tons of energy to light up the dance floor. Let\u2019s hope I\u2019m as quick picking up the routines as I am on the track.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Since winning Love Island<\/a> in 2018, Dani Dyer<\/a> is now probably best known for the podcast she hosts with her dad, the similarly-named actor Danny Dyer<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cGetting the opportunity to be on Strictly is the second most amazing thing I\u2019ve done this year!\u201d she said after she was announced for the show, referring to her recent wedding.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cI feel very very blessed and cannot wait to get my dancing shoes on.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Doctor Who<\/a> fans will best know Alex Kingston<\/a> for her prominent role as River Song, while ER<\/a> viewers will recognise her as Dr Elizabeth Corday.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Her additional acting credits are as varied as Blue Bloods, Law & Order: SVU, Douglas Is Cancelled, Lost In Austen and The Cook, The Thief, His Wife & Her Lover, in which she played a minor role.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Expressing her mixed feelings about signing up for Strictly, Alex said simply: \u201cAaaaagghhh!!!!!!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Dutch footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink has previously played for the likes of Chelsea, Leeds United, Middlesbrough and Cardiff City.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n He explained: \u201c<\/span>Swapping the pitch for the ballroom is certainly not something I\u2019ve done before but I\u2019m looking forward to tackling a fun challenge!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cBring on a new type of footwork, with hopefully no own goals,\u201d he added. <\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n While EastEnders<\/a> fans will best know Balvinder Sopal for her long-running performance as Suki Panesar, she\u2019s one of the few actors to have racked up appearances on all four of the UK\u2019s leading soaps \u2013 with past roles in Coronation Street<\/a>, Hollyoaks<\/a> and Emmerdale<\/a> (as well as, even more impressively, the now-defunct Doctors<\/a>).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cBeing on Strictly is a dream that I held on to, with no proof that it would ever happen,\u201d she admitted after her casting was confirmed.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u201cWorking on EastEnders and being a part of Strictly Come Dancing is the stuff that dreams are made of. I\u2019m far too excited to put into words how I feel but I\u2019m incredibly excited at the prospect of dancing across the ballroom!\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n More Strictly cast members are due to be unveiled later this week. Click here<\/a> for all of the latest rumours about which celebs could be taking part.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nHarry Aikines-Aryeetey (aka Nitro)<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Dani Dyer<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Alex Kingston<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n
Balvinder Sopal<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\n