Strictly Come Dancing's policy on past contestants returning after first 2025 star named

The line-up for the new series of Strictly Come Dancing is now starting to be unveiled ahead of the launch. The first contestant was named this morning by the BBC amid much speculation over who will take to the dancefloor this year.

Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, who's also known as Nitro, is the first celebrity confirmed for the next series of Strictly, which is expected to launch in the coming weeks. His dance partner has yet to be announced though.

It isn't the first time that the former Olympic athlete has competed on the dancefloor though, with him having appeared in last year's Christmas special, so we've taken a look at the show's history of bringing back contestants. It comes amid reports of all the celebrities rumoured to be joining BBC Strictly Come Dancing 2025.

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Harry was on Strictly's Christmas special in December last year. Partnered with Nancy Xu, he got one of the highest scores in the episode but lost to RuPaul's Drag Race UK star Tayce, who had danced with Kai Widdrington.

There's also speculation that Girls Aloud's Nicola Roberts, who appeared on a festival special back in 2022, could be on the main series this year too. She's reportedly set to share some "news" on BBC Radio 2 tomorrow morning.

So what are the rules on past contestants returning? Strictly has allowed a number of celebrities who have appeared in specials to later compete on the main, with there seemingly no restrictions on previous contestants coming back.

Several celebrities who competed in Christmas specials have gone on to appear on the main show, including some who even won the festive spin-off. They include EastEnders star Jamie Borthwick won the special in 2023 with Nancy.

Last year, Jamie appeared on the main show but partnered with Michelle Tsiakkas. Although some pros have left by the time their former celebrity partner has returned, Nancy was still on the show when Jamie came back, with returning stars not guaranteed to be in the same partnership.

JLS member JB Gill won a Christmas special in 2012 alongside dance partner Ola Jordan. He returned last year but was partnered with Amy Dowden and then Lauren Oakley. Ola had left the show years before his second stint.

JB had competed against the likes of Helen Skelton during his first appearance. She later returned herself, with her back on the dancefloor as a contestant on the main show in 2022, a decade on from her debut on the spin-off.

They aren't the only Christmas special stars to have later been on the main show. Former This Morning host Fern Britton competed in 2010 and then 2012, Blue member Simon Webbe appeared in 2011 and then 2014, whilst Bros' Matt Goss was a contestant in 2013 and then 2022.

Although none of the contestants who returned after competing in a Christmas special have ever won the main show, some have reached the final. JB, Helen and Simon all became runners-up when they returned to the dancefloor.

It isn't just the annual Christmas special has that opened the door for future contestants on the main show. Some celebrities have competed on other Strictly specials in the past before ending up in the line-up for the main show.

Alex Scott, for example, won a footballers special for Sport Relief in 2018 and returned for the main series in 2019. Susanna Reid was in a Children in Need newsreaders special in 2011 and later on the main show in 2013. Whilst Maisie Smith won an EastEnders special in 2019 and then placed as a runner-up on the main series of Strictly in 2020.

McFly's Harry Judd and the Saturdays' Rochelle Humes competed against each other in a Children In Need special in 2010, which was won by the former. He later returned for the main show in 2011, which he won, whilst Rochelle made a second appearance herself in a Christmas special in 2013.

Contestants have also been known to appear on the main show and then return for one of the spin-offs. EastEnders star Louisa Lytton competed on Strictly back in 2006 and then appeared in a Children In Need special in 2019.

There has even been specials dedicated to returning contestants over the years. A Christmas special in 2016, for example, saw six contestants who had once competed on the main show, including runner-up Frankie Bridge and Gethin Jones, with Melvin Odoom crowned the winner.

Additionally, reality TV star Jamie Laing had been unveiled as part of the line-up for Strictly in 2019 but later withdrew due to an injury before his first performance. He then got to return as a contestant on the show the following year.

Announcing his return for the new series, Harry Aikines-Aryeetey said: "After the Christmas Special, it was so nice I just had to do it twice! I'm so excited to be part of the Strictly family this series and I'm ready to give it all I've got. I'll be bringing tons of energy to light up the dance floor. Let's hope I'm as quick picking up the routines as I am on the track."

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