The Rest Of The Line-Up

In addition to those already announced – Vanessa Feltz, Abbey Clancy, Tony Jacklin, Rachel Riley and Susanna Reid – the full line-up has now been revealed.

Hollyoaks actor Ashley Taylor Dawson should do quite well. He was a member of pop group allSTARS*. If he passed the audition process for a band like that, he must have a few moves.

England rugby player Ben Cohen follows a long list of rugby players to have graced the dancefloor. Some have been better than others, but they’ve all had that sportsman’s will to do well.

Dave Myers, who is half of the Hairy Bikers, could be one to watch. I think he’ll be up for fun, and with the right partner could do OK.

Dragon’s Den’s Deborah Meadan has already given dancing a go on Let’s Dance For Comic Relief in 2009. She wasn’t too bad on that, and with a lot of work she could do OK on Strictly.

Actress Fiona Fullerton is a bit of a curve ball. She’s not really done very much, and certainly not in recent years. I think she’ll have to work harder to get the public on side, as being a former Bond girl is really not going to be enough.

Designer Julien McDonald spent most of last series on It Takes Two, but I don’t think he was very well received. He too will have to work hard to get the viewers on his ‘fablous’ side.

Mark Benton is a name you might not know, but a face you definitely do. He’s been in loads of things, although I know him mostly from the Nationwide ads a couple of years ago. He’s also in that awesome E-Lites ad (Google it now!). If he has anywhere near as much talent as that baby, he’s a shoe-in.

I don’t know much about Natalie Gumede, other than she was in Corrie, and I don’t watch that. She studied Musical Theatre, though, she she’ll probably be a bit good.

Patrick Robinson is not the first Casualty actor to have a go at Strictly, and I’m sure he won’t be the last.  Like Deborah, he’s already had a taste of Saturday night fever in Let’s Dance For Comic Relief.

Being a musical performer, Sophie Ellis-Bextor should at least be able to keep time. I just hope she can let go and relax. She always comes across as so poised. I think she’ll be great at ballroom, but will she be able to shake off those inhibitions for a Latin, or send herself up in the Charleston? How long until we get the first Murder On The Dancefloor pun?

So there we have it. Fifteen celebrities excited and terrified. Find out who they are partnered in Saturday’s launch show, 6.50pm, BBC One.