Chris Appleton has been unveiled as the latest contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, adding another high-profile name to the show's 2026 line-up on Friday, 19 June 2026. The celebrity hairstylist said he was "thrilled" to be joining and said he was "coming home to the UK" for the experience.
The 43-year-old is best known for working with Kim Kardashian, but his client list also includes Jennifer Lopez, Sofía Vergara, Ariana Grande and Katy Perry. The announcement was shared across Instagram, TikTok, Facebook and YouTube, with Appleton saying he has always believed "the best things happen when you take a chance and try something new" and adding that while he knows his way around a salon floor, "the dance floor is a whole different story".
His arrival puts him alongside Delta Goodrem, Dani Dyer and Lacey Turner in a cast that is still being filled out ahead of the show's return later this year. Strictly Come Dancing remains one of the 's most successful entertainment programmes, and the early reveal is clearly designed to keep attention on the series as the rest of the celebrity names are gathered one by one.
Appleton's public profile is already built well beyond celebrity hair. He was previously named a "Hair Star" by Vogue UK, and his memoir Your Roots Don’t Define You reached Best Sellers list. That makes him one of the most recognisable figures to enter the dance contest this year, even before he takes a single step on the floor.
There was also a smaller burst of drama around the cast reveal when Emma Barton appeared on The One Show alongside Roman Kemp and Rob Rinder. After Barton said of another contestant, "She's such a gorgeous wonderful woman and the audience are going to love her," and then hinted, "Roman you know as well," Kemp pushed back, saying, "I have never done it. I've never done it."
That exchange matters because it shows how quickly the line-up chatter can turn from friendly teasing to straight denial, and it also underlines how closely viewers are tracking every hint as the summer rollout continues. The remaining celebrity contestants are expected to be revealed during the summer, which means Appleton is likely only the first of several names still to come.
