Who are the Strictly Come Dancing celebritiy contestants 2024? Everything you need to know about them

Series 22 of the popular ITV contest show Strictly Come Dancing starts this weekend and whilst the presenters -Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman- and the judges return again, a whole new host of stars are taking to the dance floor.

From music icons to sports stars and TV’s most familiar faces, the 2024 celebrity contestants are a varied bunch but in case you’re not well versed on who they all are, we’re here to help you.

Take a look below at a mini profile for each of the Strictly Come Dancing celebritiy contestants 2024.

Chris McCausland

Chris McCausland is a 47-year-old comedian who was born in Liverpool and will be Strictly’s first ever blind contestant.

Originally a web developer, Chris’ deteriorating eyesight - he has retinitis pigmentosa - prompted a change of direction and he first started doing stand-up comedy in 2003 whilst working in sales.

Since taking up comedy full time, Chris has performed all over the world, appeared in countless TV shows including Cbeebies’ Me Too!, Have I got News for You, and Live at the Apollo - even hosting the show in 2023-, and has launched his own ITV chatshow The Chris McCausland Show.

Chris currently lives with wife Patricia and daughter Sophie, and is a Liverpool F.C. supporter in his spare time.

JB Gill

JB Gill is a singer, TV presenter and author who is best known as a member of the boyband JLS.

Born in Croydon in 1986, the now 37-year-old joined the group UFO in 2007 alongside bandmates Oritsé Williams, Marvin Humes and Aston Merrygold.

In 2008 they auditioned for The X Factor where they changed their name to JLS and ended up coming runner’s up to Alexandra Burke under Louis Walsh’s mentorship.

Since leaving The X Factor, JLS released four top 3 albums and 12 top 20 singles -including five UK number 1s - between 2009-2013 when they then split up.

During their split JB appeared in a variety of TV shows (including Celebrity MasterChef and Dance Dance Dance) then when JLS reunited in 2020, they released a new album in 2021 which got to number 4 in the charts and embarked on two headline tours.

JB married backing dancer Chloe Tangney in 2014 and together they have a son called Ace Jeremiah Gill and a daughter called Chiara Sapphire Gill.

Wynne Evans

Wynne Evens is a Welsh broadcaster, presenter, and professionally trained opera singer who you will probably know best from those Go Compare adverts.

The 52-year-old, who was born in Carmarthen, studied at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and the National Opera Studio before going on to have a 25-year operatic career which saw him become a principal at most of the major opera houses around the world and release two number one classical music albums.

Wynne came to the wider public’s attention however in 2009 when he first starred in an advertising campaign for the insurance comparison website Go.Compare, playing the flamboyant, operatic tenor Gio Compario.

As well as his music career, father of two Wynne has a daily radio show on BBC Radio Wales and was crowned the Celebrity MasterChef Champion 2023

Toyah Willcox

Toyah Willcox is a 66-year-old singer and actress who has a career spanning an impressive forty plus years.

Originally from Birmingham, Toyah rose to fame in the late Seventies when she fronted the self-titled band Toyah, who produced various chart tipping hits including “It’s A Mystery”, “I Want to Be Free” and “Brave New World”.

Considered a pinnacle of the new-wave punk movement, Toyah then pursued a solo career in the mid-Eighties and over her msuic career has had a total of eight top 40 singles and released over 20 albums.

Aside from music, Toyah - who has been married to musician Robert Fripp since 1986 - has also appeared in over 40 stage plays and 10 feature films, voiced and presented numerous television shows, and also written two books.

Dr Punam Krishan

Dr Punam Krishan is a media medic and broadcaster who was born and raised in Glasgow.

The 41-year-old doctor first entered the media world in 2019 when she went viral on Twitter for sharing a racial exchange she witnessed at work and she then began presenting Laid Bare for BBC Scotland that same year.

During the Covid-19 pandemic she wrote for the Glasgow Times and by October 2021 she had begun making appearances on Morning Live and on BBC Radio Scotland - now being the resident GP on both platforms.

Punam, who is married to doctor and politician Sandesh Gulhan, has also published a children's book called How to Be a Doctor and Other Life-Saving Jobs, with two more books commisioned for publication next year.

Tasha Ghouri

Tasha Ghouri is a 26-year-old model and TV personality who first rose to fame after appearing on the eight series of ITV’s Love Island in 2022.

Since finishing joint fourth in the show with her partner Andrew Le Page, Tasha, who was born deaf but wears a cochlear implant, became eBay’s first 'pre-loved' ambassador and also became an ambassador for Cadbury Fingers, Ann Summers, the fashion label Sisters & Seekers and Lullabellz, a hair care and beauty brand.

The Yorkshire local, who last month celebrited her two year anniverary with Andrew, has also appeared on the Weakest Link, Britain Get Singing and CelebAbility, and also uses her platform to raise awareness of the death community and encourage people to learn sign language.

Pete Wicks

Pete Wicks is a TV personality, author, radio and podcast host from Essex.

The 36-year-old, who is also a successful businessmen, was a cast member on the ITVBe reality series The Only Way Is Essex between 2015 and 2022.

Aside from Towie, Pete has appeared in a string of other reality shows including Celebrity Island with Bear Grylls, Celebs Go Dating, Celebrity MasterChef and Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.

Since 2022, Pete has also been the co-host of the podcast Staying Relevant with his best friend Sam Thompson of Made In Chelsea and I’m a Celebrity fame.

Shayne Ward

Shayne Ward is a 39-year-old singer who first rose to fame after winning series two of The X Factor in 2005.

The Manchester local went on to release four studio albums and nine chart hitting singles including ‘No Promises’, ‘No U Hang Up’ and the double platinum ‘That’s My Goal’.

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In 2015, Shane switched the stage for the cobbled streets playing Aidan Connor in Coronation Street for the next three years, winning three television awards.

The father-of-two, whose partner is the former Hollyoak’s star Sophie Austin, most recently starred in the Channel 5 drama The Good Ship Murder.

Sarah Hadland

Sarah Hadland is an actress whose stage and screen career spans thirty years.

Born in Hertfordshire, the now 53-year-old made her first television appearance in 1994 and went on to star in a whole host of shows including The Bill, Doctors, Casualty, Peep Show and the It Crowd before landing series regular appearances in Moving Wallpaper, That Mitchell and Webb Look, Horrible Histories and Waterloo Road.

She is probably best known for her role as Stevie Sutton in the BBC One BAFTA-nominated comedy Miranda (2009–2015) and Trish in The Job Lot (2013–2015), whilst her most recent role was in the BBC comedy Daddy Issues.

Sarah has also starred in films such as Quantam of Solace and Leap Year as well as various stage plays and radio shows.

Jamie Borthwick

Jamie Borthwick is a 30-year-old actor who has played Jay Brown on the BBC soap Eastenders since 2006, when he was just 12.

The Barking born actor has won three television awards for this portrayal of Jay, most recently winning the Best Actor Award at the 2023 Inside Soap Awards.

Jamie has also appeared in the TV shows Not Going Out and Gina's Laughing Gear whilst last year he won the 2023 Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special alongside his partner Nancy Xu.

Tom Dean MBE

Tom Dean MBE is a three-time Olympic swimming champion from London.

The 24-year-old won gold individually in the 200 metre freestyle at the 2020 Summer Olympics and as part of a team in 4 × 200 m freestyle relay at the 2020 Summer Olympics and the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Tom has also won a gold medal -amongst other medals- at the World Championships, the European Championships and the Commonwealth Games.

Montell Douglas

Montell Douglas is a Gladiator and multi-sports Olympian from London.

Originally a sprinter and former British record holder for the 100 metres at 11.05 seconds,the now 38-year-old competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Montell then took up bobsleigh in 2016 and competed at the 2022 Winter Olympics as part of the Great Britain two-woman bobsleigh team, becoming one of only two athletes, to participate in both Olympic Games hosted by Beijing.

Outside of athletics, this year Montell appeared as ‘Fire’ in the 2024 BBC One reboot of Gladiators.

Nick Knowles

Nick Knowles is a Bafta-winning TV presenter perhaps best known for presenting BBC One’s DIY SOS since 1999.

The 51-year-old, who was born in Southall, has also presented various other BBC shows including Who Dares Wins (2007–2019), Break the Safe (2013–2014), 5-Star Family Reunion (2015–2016) and Real Rescues (2007–2013).

As well as presenting various self-titled programmes in recent years, Nick starred in I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2018, finishing in 6th place, and has released a studio album.

Nick has two children from his first marriage, a third from another relationship and a fourth child from his marriage to his second wife, whilst he is currently engaged to his partner Katie Dadzie.

Paul Merson

Paul Merson is a 56-year-old former footballer and broadcaster from London.

He started his football career playing for Arsenal between 1985 and 1997, during which time he went on loan to Brentford for a year in 1987, before later having spells at Middlesbrough (1997-1998), Aston Villa (1998–2002), Portsmouth (2002–2003), and Walsall (2003–2006), whre he took on a player/manager role.

Chelsea fan Paul also played for the England U21’s between 1988-1990 and moved up to the England squad in 1991, going on to have 21 caps for his country over the next seven years.

The father of eight has also publicly spoken about his previous struggles with drug addiction, alcoholism and gambling.

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Since retiring from professional football, Paul is now a sports television pundit for Sky Sports, featuring regularly on their Gillette Soccer Saturday programme, and he won the second series of the 5Star competition Celebs on the Farm in 2019.

The father of eight, who has publicly spoken about his previous struggles with drug addiction, alcoholism and gambling, now lives in Harlesden, London with his third wife Kate and their three children.