TV presenter Helen Skelton is the final celebrity to join Strictly Come Dancing 2022

She will compete against other stars in the dance show

BBC
(Image credit: BBC)

Helen Skelton has been announced as the final celebrity to join the line of this year's Strictly Come Dancing.

The ex-Blue Peter presenter will get her dancing shoes on to learn the tango and ballroom dancing with other celebrities including comedian Ellie Taylor and actress Kym Marsh for the lineup of Strictly Come Dancing 2022.

Helen, 39, was tipped to be dancing in this year's show, but the mother-of-three, says she only signed on the dotted line, to take part in the show, in the last few days.

The BBC dance show will celebrate its 20th anniversary - incredibly, the show started in 2002 and has since filmed 366 shows and has won tons of TV awards. It also sparked 50 similar shows around the world - with the show being named Dancing with the Stars in the US and Australia.

The first Strictly contestant for 2022 was confirmed earlier this month, with English actor and singer Will Mellor delighting fans. The English actor, who's best known for his role in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, confirmed the news in a statement.

While Helen's announcement didn't come as shock to fans, who said they were 'excited' for her appearance. The BBC Countryfile singer also said she was "really excited to get stuck into a fun adventure".

The presenter has had a warm-up for the show though, "I did the Christmas one the other year," she said. 

She carried on with, "The hair is the best, the makeup is incredible, the costumes are incredible. Who gets to go to work and be made to look a bit like Beyonce and have a fun time?'.

"I thought this is madness to not do it, of course I should do it, it will be so much fun."

It's already been announced that Will and Helen will dance alongside Kym Marsh, Richie Anderson, Kaye Adams, Jayde Adams, Ellie Simmonds, Hamza Yassin, Fleur East, Tyler West, James Bye, Tony Adams, Molly Rainford, Elly Taylor and Matt Goss.

In June it was revealed that Strictly fan Duchess Camilla will host the live episode from Buckingham Palace. It was thought that the royals, Camilla and Charles, have been in secret talks to hold the show in the ballroom at Buckingham Palace.

If you're a big fan of BBC's dancing show you may already know that the royal is a big fan - and even appeared on the Strictly Come Dancing final in 2020 - watching the celebrities as they did their final dances.

The first episode of Strictly 2022, which will be filmed on September 7, is expected to be broadcast on the weekend of September 10.

Sarah Finley

Sarah is a freelance journalist - writing about the royals and celebrities for Woman & Home, fitness and beauty for the Evening Standard and how the world of work has changed due to the pandemic for the BBC. 

 

She also covers a variety of other subjects and loves interviewing leaders and innovators in the beauty, travel and wellness worlds for numerous UK and overseas publications. 

 

As a journalist, she has written thousands of profile pieces - interviewing CEOs, real-life case studies and celebrities - interviewing everyone from Emma Bunton to the founder of Headspace.