HomeTVThree new female pros confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing 2017

Three new female pros confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing 2017

Three new female professional dancers have been added to the line-up for this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.

Series 15 of the popular weekend show will feature Dianne Buswell from Australia, Nadiya Bychkova from Ukraine and Amy Dowden from Wales.

Dianne is an Australian Open Champion and four-time Amateur Australian Open Finalist, who has appeared on Dancing with the Stars Australia and been part of the Burn The Floor production on Broadway since 2011.

She said, ā€œWhat an honour it is to be a part of Strictly Come Dancing! Words canā€™t describe how excited I am to take on this amazing challenge and give it my everything! See you on the dance floor!ā€

Nadiya is a two-time World Champion and European Champion in Ballroom and Latin ā€˜10ā€™ Dance. She is a multiple-time Slovenian Ballroom and Latin Champion and has taken part in the Bosnian version of Strictly.

She said, ā€œI’m extremely happy to be joining the Strictly Come Dancing family this year. One of my biggest dreams is to be part of this great show and I can’t wait to get started!”

Amy began dancing at the age of eight and she is the current British National Champion, and one of the highest-ranking Ballroom and Latin American professional dancers in the UK. She is also a four-time British National Finalist and in 2015, she reached the semi-final of the World Championship.

She said, ā€œBecoming a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing has made my wildest dreams come true, it does not feel real! I have always been proud of my Welsh roots and feel so honoured to be the first Welsh professional dancer on the most loved show on TV!ā€

The BBC has also confirmed that male dancers, Anton Du Beke, Brendan Cole, Kevin Clifton, Neil Jones, Pasha Kovalev, Gorka Marquez, Giovanni Pernice, AJ Pritchard and Aljaž Škorjanec will return alongside female dancers Karen Clifton, Chloe Hewitt, Katya Jones, Oti Mabuse and Janette Manrara.

Joanne Clifton, who won the show with Ore Oduba last year, and Oksana Platero who joined the show in 2016 will not be part of the line-up of the new series. Natalie Lowe already confirmed that she would not be back this year.

Joanne said, “Being part of the Strictly experience has been one of the best things that has ever happened to me and I will miss the show so much. Itā€™s been a tough decision but I am looking forward to facing new challenges and focusing on my musical theatre career.ā€

Strictly Come Dancing 2017 is due to kick off this autumn on BBC One.

Pip Ellwood-Hughes
Pip Ellwood-Hughes
Pip is the owner and Editor of Entertainment Focus, and the Managing Director of PiƱata Media. With over 19 years of journalism experience, Pip has interviewed some of the biggest stars in the entertainment world. He is also a qualified digital marketing expert with over 20 years of experience.

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