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Strictly Come Dancing 2016: Launch Date And Musical Guests Confirmed

Sequins on standby: BBC One have confirmed the return of Strictly Come Dancing for Saturday 3rd of September 2016.

We don’t have an exact time for the glamourous red carpet launch yet but presumably it will be scheduled as direct competition with ITV’s The X Factor, which will make its comeback a week earlier at 8pm.

Copyright [BBC]

It’s also been revealed that this year’s cast will include a total of 15 celebrities, which means two of this year’s 17 professional dancers will be left without a partner, and will traditionally serve as substitutes in case of injuries or illness.

During the Strictly launch show we will discover which celebrities and which pros have been partnered together, before the stars take to the floor for the first time to perform a group number.

Additionally, former X Factor stars Olly Murs and Rebecca Ferguson will both appear as musical guests on the opening show.

Copyright [Getty/Karwai Tang]

Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman will be on hosting duties while the panel - featuring Darcey Bussell, Bruno Tonioli, Craig Revel Horwood and Len Goodman - will preside over the evening’s events.

So far 10 famous faces have been confirmed for the Strictly 2016 line-up, including Ed Balls, Will Young, Laura Whitmore, Ore Oduba, Melvin Odoom, Louise Redknapp, Danny Mac, Daisy Lowe, Naga Munchetty and Anastacia.

Five more celebrity announcements will follow – so watch this space!

Strictly Come Dancing’s red carpet launch show will air on Saturday, September 3 on BBC One.