Dani Dyer is back in the Strictly Come Dancing line-up a year after a broken ankle forced her out before the competition began. The 29-year-old has been named the second celebrity for the 24th series, with the new run expected to start in September.
She said she was “so excited to be back in the ballroom this September” and added that she could not wait to get her dancing shoes back on and, this time, “make it to week one”. That line carries the story’s weight: last year, Dyer appeared in the launch episode but fractured her ankle in rehearsals with Nikita Kuzmin after landing funny, ending her first attempt before the live contests even started.
The return matters because Strictly has only just begun building its next series. EastEnders actress Lacey Turner was announced on Wednesday as the first celebrity in the 24th series, leaving Dyer as the latest name on a list that is still very short. Turner said she was “so excited to being making my way to the dance floor” and described herself as “a huge fan” of the show.
Dyer’s comeback also rewrites a small piece of recent Strictly history. When she pulled out last year, former Love Island winner Amber Davies stepped in and went on to reach the final. Dyer now gets another chance after the disappointment of watching her place disappear before the competition even began.
There was immediate reaction online. Josh Widdicombe welcomed her with “YES DANI!!!!” and Shirley Ballas posted “Welcome back @danidyerxx”, a reminder that her return lands with more than routine fanfare. Dyer, who first found fame on Love Island in 2018 and has since built a large following of 3.7 million on Instagram, has stayed busy away from the dance floor, including winning Channel 4’s Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins earlier this year and appearing with her father in The Dyers’ Caravan Park.
The unanswered question now is the practical one that will shape the next few weeks: who else will join the line-up, and who will Dyer be paired with when the new series begins in September? For now, the story is that she is back, and this time she gets another shot at the ballroom she never reached.
