Strictly Come Dancing: Ross King confirmed for BBC show

Strictly Come Dancing 2025: Ross King is confirmed for celebrity line-up

Natasha Rigler | 9:59am Fri 15 Aug | Updated 10:24am Fri 15 Aug

Ross King is the latest celebrity to be confirmed for this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.

The Hollywood showbiz broadcaster’s identity was revealed during Friday morning’s episode of ITV’s Lorraine.

Ross, 63, told presenter Ranvir Singh: “My dear old mum used to say, ‘You’ll never know until you give it a go’. I’m never going to win. I’ve done musicals but I don’t dance!”

Lorraine’s Hollywood reporter Ross King has signed up to Strictly Come Dancing [Credit: Cover Images]

The journalist, who works on Lorraine, said he hopes to be “the most improved”.

Ross is the 13th celebrity to be revealed for Strictly Come Dancing.

Strictly Come Dancing: Who is Ross King?

Although he now lives in Los Angeles, Ross was born in Scotland. He began his television career in 1993 as the LA correspondent on ITV breakfast show GMTV. He has continued with the job on its successors, Daybreak, Good Morning Britain and Lorraine.

Ross has also enjoyed an acting career. He took on the role of Frank n Furter in the stage production of The Rocky Horror Show and starred at the London Palladium in Night of the Stars. He has also had leading parts in touring productions of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat and Guys and Dolls.

Ross was awarded an MBE in 2018 for services to broadcasting, the arts and charity.

Strictly 2025: The line-up so far

The BBC has now confirmed 13 celebrities for Strictly Come Dancing 2025. Ross’ big reveal comes after three names were announced in a single day.

On Thursday, Apprentice star Thomas Skinner was confirmed for Strictly during the Breakfast Show on Hits Radio. Reality star Vicky Pattison was then unveiled during ITV’s This Morning, before Neighbours legend Stefan Dennis also made his appearance on the show to confirm his signing.

Gladiator Nitro – real name Harry Aikines-Aryeete – was the first celebrity for Strictly 2025 to be announced at the beginning of the week. The professional athlete was followed by ER and Doctor Who actress Alex Kingston, Love Islander Dani Dyer and retired football Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink.

EastEnders’ Balvinder Sopal has also been confirmed for the 2025 series. Balvinder joins social media influencer George Clarke. Drag Race UK’s La Voix and rugby legend Chris Robshaw were next to be announced. The BBC then confirmed model and actress Ellie Goldstein for the line-up.

Neighbours legend Stefan Dennis is taking part in Strictly Come Dancing [Credit: BBC]

Still to come

Fifteen celebrities take part in Strictly Come Dancing each year. This means there just two more star dancers left to be revealed by the BBC.

Check out TV Guide’s full list of rumoured Strictly Come Dancing celebrities here.

New faces and old

All of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing pro dancers have already been confirmed by the BBC. They include the usual Strictly favourites, including Aljaz Skorjanec, Amy Dowden, Vito Coppola and Johannes Radebe.

There are also two new pros joining the dancing line-up in 2025. They are Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon. American dancer Alexis has already appeared on So You Think You Can Dance? and Dancing With The Stars. Julian, from Australia, has appeared on the show’s counterparts Down Under, too.

Last week, Gorka Marquez announced he will miss a big chunk of this year’s series. Gorka will also be without a celebrity partner for 2025.

The dancer has a clash of schedules after being given a job on the Spanish version of Strictly, called Bailando Con Las Estrella. It means he will only be able to pre-record the group dances for Strictly UK and then bow out until later in the series.

The judging panel is remaining the same for 2025. Shirley Ballas will be back as Head Judge, sitting alongside Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood and Motsi Mabuse.

Shirley Ballas will be back with Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse and Craig Revel Horwood [Credit: BBC]

When does this year’s Strictly start?

Earlier this week, BBC Breakfast confirmed that this year’s Strictly Come Dancing will start on Saturday September 20. Last year’s pre-recorded launch show aired six days earlier on September 14, with the first live show following the week after.

This year’s series will air every Saturday in the run up to Christmas. The dreaded results show airs on a Sunday night. The 2024 finale aired on December 14. Last year, Chris McCausland and his professional partner Dianne Buswell scooped the Glitterball Trophy.