Presenter Will Best has become the latest celebrity to join the glittering line-up for Strictly Come Dancing 2026, as the BBC dance competition continues to reveal the stars preparing to step onto the famous ballroom floor later this year.

The Big Brother host, 41, was announced as the sixth celebrity contestant for the upcoming series on Tuesday, confirming that he will trade live television presenting for sequins, rehearsals and the pressure of performing in front of millions of viewers.

Will, who currently co-hosts ITV’s Big Brother alongside AJ Odudu and presents the Hits Radio Breakfast Show, admitted he was both thrilled and nervous about taking on the challenge.

Sharing his excitement after the announcement, Will said: “I can’t quite believe it… I’m doing Strictly! What an absolute dream. Albeit a pretty terrifying one.”

The presenter revealed that while he has plenty of experience performing live on television, nothing compares to the challenge of competing on the BBC’s flagship dance show.

“I’ve been lucky to do lots of live telly before, but absolutely nothing like this. And I cannot wait!” he continued.

“I have no idea if I can actually dance, but bring on the sequins, bring on the quicksteps, bring on the dance floor! I’m going to try to enjoy every minute of it.”

The announcement was made through Strictly Come Dancing’s official social media channels, with fans quickly welcoming Will to the 2026 cast.

He joins an increasingly high-profile group of contestants, including EastEnders actress Lacey Turner, television personality Dani Dyer, Australian singer Delta Goodrem, celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton and Love Island star Cach Mercer.

However, Will’s announcement comes during a year when Strictly has already faced controversy over some of its casting decisions, particularly surrounding contestants with previous dance experience.

The biggest backlash so far has surrounded Cach Mercer, who was revealed as the fifth celebrity signing.

The Love Island winner, 25, has built a huge online following through his dancing content, with fans pointing out that he already has experience in styles including Afrobeat, hip hop and street dance.

Before joining Strictly, Cach was known for his social media performances, modelling work and DJ career. He has also hosted dance classes for aspiring performers, leading some viewers to question whether he has an advantage over other contestants.

Following the announcement, some Strictly fans expressed frustration online, comparing the situation to previous controversies involving contestants such as former JLS star JB Gill and dancer Tasha Ghouri, who also faced criticism because of their dance backgrounds.

One viewer wrote: “Had to google who he was, and the first thing that came up was ‘professional dancer’!!! wtf @bbcstrictly.”

Others questioned whether the BBC should choose celebrities with less experience.

“He’s a professional dancer,” one fan complained, while another added: “Can we get some proper celebrities? Never heard of him.”

Despite the criticism, Cach received support from fellow Love Island star Tasha Ghouri, who previously faced similar backlash when she competed on Strictly.

Tasha commented on Cach’s announcement with words of encouragement, writing: “Huge good luck!! Take it all in and enjoy it, it’s the best feeling and experience ever!”

The dancer-turned-reality star also faced an awkward moment during his announcement when Strictly’s official Instagram account accidentally tagged the wrong person instead of Cach’s profile.

The mistake quickly caught fans’ attention, with several users pointing out the error in the comments.

“Don’t think that’s his account u tagged there babs x,” one person wrote.

Another added: “Not the wrong handle.”

Cach himself appeared to acknowledge the mistake, responding with a confused reaction GIF.

While Cach’s casting has sparked debate, Will Best’s announcement has largely been met with excitement, with many viewers looking forward to seeing how the experienced presenter handles the challenge.

Will has spent much of his career in front of cameras, beginning his television journey as a presenter on Channel 4’s youth entertainment programme T4.

He later became a familiar face across British television, appearing on shows including This Morning, BBC Three programmes and Viva.

More recently, he gained renewed popularity after becoming one of the faces of Big Brother’s return to ITV, helping guide viewers through the reality show’s revival.

He also recently showed off his general knowledge skills by winning Celebrity Mastermind, where his specialist subject was actor Danny Dyer.

Despite his confidence on screen, Will admitted that dancing represents an entirely different challenge.

The presenter will now have to learn demanding routines, master complicated choreography and perform live each week under the watchful eyes of Strictly’s judges.

The announcement follows the return of Dani Dyer to the Strictly line-up after she was forced to withdraw from last year’s competition due to injury.

The television personality was originally announced for the 2025 series but suffered a fractured ankle during rehearsals, preventing her from taking part.

At the time, BBC bosses confirmed they hoped Dani would return, and she is now preparing for another chance at the ballroom.

“I am so excited to be back in the ballroom this September!” Dani said.

“I just cannot wait to get my dancing shoes back on and hopefully this time around I can actually make it to week one!”

She added that she was looking forward to discovering which other celebrities would join her in the competition.

Meanwhile, Lacey Turner became the first celebrity announced for Strictly 2026.

The EastEnders favourite, best known for playing Stacey Slater, revealed she was both excited and terrified about joining the show.

In a video announcing the news, Lacey said: “I can’t believe it. I’m so excited and terrified at the same time.”

She explained that after watching many of her friends take part, she finally decided it was time to challenge herself.

Another major signing came with the announcement of Delta Goodrem.

The Australian singer, actress and Eurovision star will bring international fame to the ballroom after recently representing Australia at the Eurovision Song Contest, where she finished fourth.

Strictly also attracted attention with celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton joining the line-up.

The stylist, known for working with some of the biggest names in entertainment, will now attempt to impress the judges with his dancing rather than his beauty expertise.

The remaining contestants are expected to be revealed over the summer ahead of the show’s return in September.

The BBC competition continues to attract huge audiences each year, combining celebrity personalities, professional dancers and dramatic live performances.

For Will Best, the challenge represents a major departure from his usual role behind the microphone and television desk.

But with his experience hosting live shows and connecting with audiences, fans will now be waiting to see whether he can transform those presenting skills into ballroom success when Strictly Come Dancing 2026 begins.