By Strictly Come Dancing is still months away, but the rumours about which celebrities could be taking part this year are really starting to heat up now - and they've been going since January. So it felt like a good time to start to put together all the speculation we've heard to see if we can figure out who'll be hitting the ballroom in the new series.
Strictly Come Dancing: This is how they keep the celebrities taking part a secret
Strictly Come Dancing 2015 winner: We rank the celebrities' changes of topping BBC One's dance-off
With all the contestants now confirmed, check out the lineup below - and lament what could have been with the rumours that didn't become a reality. Oh well, there's always the Christmas special...
Jeremy Vine
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King of the swingometer Jeremy became the first celebrity confirmed for Strictly on August 10.
The broadcaster has joked that he's looking forward to embarrassing his family, quipping: "I am doing it for my two young daughters who jumped behind the sofa when I told them. It seems Dad on Strictly is more scary than Doctor Who!"
Ainsley Harriott
"I think it's the best booking ever on Strictly," said One Show guest Jack Whitehall when Ainsley Harriott was unveiled as Strictly's second contestant on August 11.
Jack has a good point - the Ready Steady Cook star sure knows how to entertain. But Ainsley is taking the competition very seriously indeed, saying: "It doesn't matter how good you are dancing in front of the mirror... it's about the discipline and the effort you put in."
As for his fellow competitors? If he does know who any of them are, then he's keeping very quiet. "I have absolutely no idea," he said. "Until Jeremy was revealed yesterday, I didn't know anything."
Kellie Bright
Kellie Bright is the first female celebrity to be confirmed for Strictly and what a good one! The EastEnders star has joked that she had to say yes to the Strictly offer because her character Linda Carter would never forgive her if she didn't.
She has also revealed that she wanted to take part in the show before turning 40 next year, saying: "I think it is the perfect time for a new, exciting challenge." And her on-screen husband Danny Dyer has already expressed his support, tweeting that Kellie will be the "mutt's nuts".
Georgia May Foote
Georgia was the fourth celebrity to be confirmed for Strictly - and the first that had been widely rumoured (in fact, she says she's known about becoming a contestant since April!) Georgia has time to take part in the show after leaving Coronation Street earlier this year but says she's always wanted to do it.
"I just can't wait to get started!" she said. "I love dancing and I love a challenge so this is the perfect experience for me."
Katie Derham
Another one the Strictly lot managed to keep a secret! BBC Radio 3 and BBC Proms presenter Katie Derham was the fifth celeb to be confirmed for the show this year - and we reckon she might have a shot given she spends all her time around classical music.
Katie, who dubbed the show a "national treasure", said: "I spend hours admiring professional musicians and performers at the Proms and BBC Radio 3, so I'm thrilled to have the chance to throw myself into an equally demanding and beautiful world. It will be a totally new experience for me and I can't wait to get going."
Carol Kirkwood
Ooh, they couldn't keep Carol a secret! The BBC Breakfast's cheery weather presenter was on our list of rumours, and this is one we're really pleased has turned out to be true. Carol Kirkwood is just such a happy person and we're excited to see whether she can bring that joy to the dancefloor (and we're also kind of intrigued about whether the stress will show a different side to her...)
"I am beyond excited to be taking part in the best programme on British telly and have been a huge fan since it started!" Carol said. "I can't wait to learn to dance and hope my experience on Strictly will be a breeze. Whether it will be or not is one forecast I cannot predict!" Amazing.
Peter Andre
Peter is one of the celebrities who got the most rumours this series, and we still didn't quite believe it was true - but it is! The 'Mysterious Girl' crooner will be hitting the dance floor this series as he became the seventh star to be confirmed. We're just sad that Flavia Cacace is no longer a pro so we can't make any 'Flava' jokes (it's probably for the best).
"Strictly Come Dancing is an incredible show," Peter said. "I've always loved watching it on TV and to be honest I'm flattered to have been asked to take part before, but due to certain work commitments was unable to. I now feel the time is right to give it a go - everything has just clicked into place to do it this year. Wish me luck please…argh!"
Daniel O'Donnell
Well, this one surprised us! We had no idea that housewives' favourite Daniel had signed up for the show, but what a good secret. The Irish crooner has a huge fan base, so it will be interesting to see how he does on the dancefloor.
"Earlier this year, I decided to take a short break from touring and told myself that I would only consider doing something if it was both different and exciting," Daniel explained. "What could be more exciting than Strictly Come Dancing? I love to dance and boy, am I looking forward to getting started and being the best that I can be!"
Anthony Ogogo
No Strictly lineup is complete without a sportsman, and this year it's the turn of boxer Anthony Ogogo. The Olympic bronze medallist has experience on reality TV (he's been on Big Brother: Celebrity Hijack and Splash) and presumably his competitive spirit is going to carry through when it comes to the ballroom.
"I've faced a lot of tough opposition in the past, but I've never faced anyone as tough as the Strictly judges before," Anthony joked. "My mum is a massive fan of the show so I will be trying my hardest to make her proud." Let's be honest, if he keeps talking about his mum he's probably going to win over the audience, isn't he?
Jay McGuiness
Well, we weren't expecting this one (though, weirdly, our music editor suggested Jay's former The Wanted colleague Siva the other day. Maybe he knows something we don't). But with The Wanted over, we're not surprised Jay took up the offer - though he was never really known for his slick moves in the band, was he? And will he be able to beat fellow pop star Peter Andre?
"My family are such huge Strictly fans, I know I've made them very happy by taking part - I can't wait to get started!" Jay said. "I love to dance but this is going to be so different from anything I have done before, I'm up for it!"
Anita Rani
Another one we weren't expecting! But the question has to be whether Anita can do as well as her Countryfile co-star Matt Baker and reach the final.
"So many elements of Strictly terrify me but I shall try and think #BeyonceAlwaysOnBeat as I hit the dance floor," she said. "I'm so excited to indulge that fantasy and hopefully learn some mean moves in the process. Let's get our groove on!" Namechecking Bey? She's won us over already.
Jamelia
Well, someone couldn't keep quiet about Jamelia - she was one of the most heavily rumoured contestants, and sure enough, she's now been confirmed for the lineup! The 'Superstar' (eh, eh) will be taking to the floor to prove her moves, and if there's not a paso doble to 'Beware of the Dog' we will be having some serious words.
But it seems that Jamelia might not be the best dancer in the bunch as she said: "My girls are huge fans of Strictly, but when I told them I was doing it they laughed as they know that dancing is not my forté! The girls are amazing dancers though so I definitely want to learn a new skill so that I'll be able to give them a run for their money, and end them teasing me once and for all!"
Helen George
Helen was a late addition to the rumours, but sure enough, she ended up being confirmed for the show! Best known for her role as Trixie on Call The Midwife, George has previously trained in musical theatre - so she should be pretty good, right?
"I'm really excited to be joining Strictly," she said. "I know it's going to be a challenge and if I'm honest I'm slightly terrified, but I can't wait to get my tan and sequins on!"
Kirsty Gallacher
Here's another one who had been rumoured! Sky Sports News presenter Kirsty had been tipped for the show for a while and we now know that she'll be heading for the dancefloor this series. She's athletic, so will she have an automatic advantage on the dance floor?
"I've always been a huge fan of Strictly so am very excited to be taking part in the show this year," Kirsty said. "Sport and fitness have always been a big part of my life but dancing is an entirely new challenge for me! I can't wait to get started!"
Iwan Thomas
Another athlete to round out the Strictly cast this year! Iwan is a running champion from the 90s who now presents features on The One Show and magazine programme Moto GP on BT Sports. But how are his moves?
"I'm extremely excited and scared at the thought of taking part in Strictly," Iwan said. "I love watching the show and I can't believe I'm swapping my running spikes for dancing shoes. I used to be quick at running around the track and I'm just hoping my dance partner doesn't leave me behind."
Ayda Field
Who? Actress (and Robbie Williams's wife)
The rumour: Ayda is the first person we spotted being linked to this year's Strictly... all the way back in January, less than a month after last year's series finished! Apparently, she was approached for the show last year but had to pull out because she became pregnant. We'd normally say that Ayda could be a good bet, but she and Robbie have recently been hit with a sexual harassment lawsuit - the couple have strenuously denied the claims, but we can imagine it might hold her back from Strictly this year.
Likelihood: 2/5
Angie Best
Who? Model and former Playboy bunny who was married to George Best (and is mum to Calum)
The rumour: Angie was another early rumour, but we think she's a bit more likely. Apparently, BBC bosses have wanted her on the show for a while, and she's finally agreed (thanks to that old standard, the "big money deal"). Angie's a former personal trainer, so while she'd probably be one of the older contestants (she's 62), she could be one to watch.
Likelihood: We can believe it. 3/5.
Amy Jackson
Who? Model and Bollywood actress
The rumour: This is a bit of a quieter rumour, but we've seen Amy's name being bandied about in a couple of places and it's not the craziest rumour. As a Bollywood actress, we're guessing she's not a stranger to a bit of dancing - which could put some viewers off - but whether she has the time to do Strictly when she's apparently filming more movies this year is another question.
Likelihood: 3/5 (we're really torn about this one)
Adrian Chiles
Who? Television presenter
The rumour: Could this be Adrian Chiles's big return to the Beeb? Adrian didn't have the easiest time of it after ditching the BBC for ITV - first he struggled on Daybreak (remember Daybreak?) and then he got sacked from his job as a football presenter in January. He's not really in the public eye at the moment so he'd have the time, and he basically just seems like prime Strictly fodder, doesn't he?
Likelihood: 4/5
Tom Ellis
Who? Actor
The rumour: We keep hearing the rumour that Tom Ellis could be taking part in Strictly - certainly he'd be a good name for the show to get. But with the news that he's playing Lucifer in the new US drama of the same name, is he seriously going to be able to take time off to dance about? Lucifer is admittedly not hitting US screens until 2016, but we'd imagine the filming schedules could clash significantly.
Likelihood: 2/5
Richard & Judy
Who? Legendary husband-and-wife TV presenting double act
The rumour: This rumour just popped up last week, but we're already obsessed with the possibility. To be honest, the speculation doesn't have the most solid basis in the world - apparently Richard was seen leaving a meeting with "media types", humming the Strictly theme tune - but wouldn't it be wonderful? It would mix things up to have a husband and wife competing on the show, and Richard and Judy are both such massive characters that it would surely lead to some iconic moments.
Likelihood: 2/5 (praying it's 5/5)
Ben Shephard
Who? Television presenter
The rumour: This one's been circling for a while - after all, we all saw Ben's Good Morning Britain co-host Susanna Reid take on the show! Strictly pro Ola Jordan's suggested that he would be great on Strictly too, and the bookies seem to like the look of him. But given that Ben's such an ITV personality at the moment - Ninja Warrior, Good Morning Britain - would the BBC be able to lure him away?
Likelihood: 3/5
Dermot O'Leary
Who? Television presenter
The rumour: All signs point to yes on this one. Dermot is known for his dances on The X Factor (and he danced for 24 hours for Comic Relief). And Dermot has now left The X Factor, so has some spare time (hey, if it works for Caroline Flack...). Honestly, though, that is pretty much it when it comes to the basis for the rumours - well, that and Craig Revel Horwood saying he'd like Dermie on the show. The only problem? We just don't think he'd do it.
Likelihood: 3/5 (points for all the signs that say this makes sense; minus points for the fact that we can't see it happening)
Sam Bailey
Who? Singer and former X Factor winner
The rumour: Sticking with the X Factor theme, Sam Bailey is being linked to Strictly a lot at the moment - largely because after she was dropped by Simon Cowell's record label earlier this year, she mentioned that she'd like to give it a go. We honestly think that's the only reason for the rumour - and it was probably just Sam's parting shot at her former boss.
Likelihood: 1/5
Karen Danczuk
Who? Councillor and wife of Labour MP Simon Danczuk, possibly best known for her love of saucy selfies
The rumour: We thought of Karen as more of a Celebrity Big Brother kind of contestant, but she's been repeatedly linked to Strictly recently. The speculation so far hasn't gone any further than "bosses have approached her", but she's one of the names we keep on hearing.
Likelihood: 4/5, purely based on how often her name pops up
Vernon Kay
Who? Television presenter
The rumour: This one started when Vern said that he would "seriously consider" taking part. We think that given his wife hosts the show, it might be a slight conflict of interest... but it depends how much the BBC wants that story. Our feeling is that it probably wouldn't be worth the inevitable 'fix' claims.
Likelihood: 1/5
Sharon Osbourne
Who? TV personality
The rumour: Ooh, another one with an X Factor connection! Speculation that Sharon could be joining Strictly has again mainly come from her saying that she'd like to give it a go - though she admitted she's "too lazy" to do well. That said, it's not out of the realms of possibility that Sharon could do the show - both Jack Osbourne and Kelly Osbourne finished third in the show's US equivalent, Dancing with the Stars...
Likelihood: 3/5
Shane Richie
Who? EastEnders star and game show host
The rumour: Could Alfie Moon be following in Max Branning's footsteps? According to reports, bosses are so keen to have him on the show that they're willing to pay him way more than they usually would - up to £150,000. Shane's opened up about turning down the show before, but since he'll be on a break from EastEnders and will be appearing in his spinoff with Jessie Wallace at the time, could they actually get him this time?
Likelihood: 4/5
CONFIRMED: Georgia May Foote
Who? Former Coronation Street star
The rumour: Since Georgia left Corrie earlier this year, she certainly has the time to appear on Strictly - if she wants to. Georgia left the soap to pursue a modelling career, but Strictly only lasts for a few weeks and might bring her to a whole new audience, so we wouldn't rule this one out.
Likelihood: 4/5
Ed Balls
Who? Former MP (who says 'Ed Balls' a lot on Twitter)
The rumour: Ed Balls's wife Yvette Cooper started this one - she said that someone suggested Ed should go on the show after he lost his seat in the recent General Election. To be fair to Yvette, she also said it was a "terrifying idea" - but she didn't rule it out, either. We don't think it's likely, to be honest, though he would hardly be the first politician to take part - he'd be following in Ann Widdecombe and Edwina Currie's footsteps (and even Vince Cable did the Christmas special one year). Maybe we shouldn't rule it out completely.
Likelihood: 2/5
CONFIRMED: Peter Andre
Who? 'Mysterious Girl' crooner (and Katie Price's ex-husband)
The rumour: According to reports, Peter's always been too busy for Strictly and has turned it down four times - but now he's close to signing one of those notorious "big money deals" to take part this year. This one is believable to us - Peter's never been afraid of a bit of reality telly, and he's surely still got some moves from those six-pack wiggling days back in the 90s.
Likelihood: 4/5.
Natalie Anderson
Who? Emmerdale star
The rumour: Natalie is leaving Emmerdale later this year, so she should be free for Strictly - and she has said that she would love to take part. The only snag is that she's leaving the soap to spend more time with her son and says she'd have to take that into consideration.
Likelihood: 3/5. A believable rumour, but mostly based on Natalie saying she'd like to do it rather than the show wanting her (so far).
CONFIRMED: Carol Kirkwood
Who? Everyone's favourite BBC Breakfast weather presenter
The rumour: The buzz around Carol joining Strictly has really ramped up lately, largely because her odds were dramatically slashed. And let's be honest, she fits the mould, doesn't she? After BBC types like Chris Hollins and Natasha Kaplinsky, it seems basically inevitable.
Likelihood: 4/5. We see this happening so much.
CONFIRMED: Kirsty Gallacher
Who? Sky Sports News presenter
The rumour: Apparently it's a done deal! Reports have suggested that Kirsty has already signed up for a boogie in the ballroom - and we do believe it. She's athletic, for one thing, and we reckon she could be a hot contender if she does take part.
Likelihood: 4/5
CONFIRMED: Jamelia
Who? Popstar and TV personality
The rumour: Reports have suggested pretty strongly that Jamelia has signed up to take part in the show (with sources saying she's expected to do well). Adding to the whole rumour? The fact that she was apparently meant to be going on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here but has opted for the ballroom over the jungle.
Likelihood: 4/5. Jamelia's no stranger to reality TV and this seems to fit.
Andrew Ridgeley
Who? Wham! star
The rumour: Now, this is one of those rumours that Andrew himself has started by saying that he'd be interested in taking part - in fact, he claimed it was one of the few things that could lure him back to the spotlight. Hopefully his interest has given producers an idea, because we kind of love the thought of Andrew taking to the floor.
Likelihood: 2/5. This is just Andrew saying he'd like to do it... so far.
Jamie & Louise Redknapp
Who? Former footballer and former Eternal singer
The rumour: According to reports, the duo are in final talks - and who blurted out the news but Jack Whitehall? Apparently he blabbed to the studio audience while filming A League of Their Own with Jamie and guest Claudia Winkleman (who, y'know, hosts Strictly). So could this pair be joining up and battling it out? We'd obviously hope that this wouldn't interfere with the possibility of Richard & Judy joining up, but we can see it being a possibility (at least one of them, if not both).
Likelihood: 3/5
Shane Filan
Who? Former Westlife crooner
The rumour: This is all very much speculation, but Shane posted a message on his Facebook page promising some "really exciting news" coming on Monday (August 10). Do you know what else is being announced on Monday morning? The first Strictly celeb. This could be pure coincidence - and in fact probably is - but on the other hand Shane does seem like a prime candidate for Strictly, doesn't he?
Likelihood: 3/5
CONFIRMED: Helen George
Who? Call The Midwife actress
The rumour: A late arrival to the rumours, this one, but according to The Daily Telegraph she's close to being announced. Since she's on Call The Midwife, Helen is very BBC and a believable rumour - and given the popularity of the show, we wouldn't be surprised if she became a fan favourite. The question is whether she's happy to put her acting on hold for a few months.
Likelihood: We're torn: 3/5.
Gok Wan
Who? TV personality
The rumour: Gok's also a last-minute rumour, popping up in the same report as Helen. We actually had to double check he hadn't been rumoured before, because he seems like an obvious choice: fun and confident on camera, and on a 'Strictly level' of fame. He's done a couple of reality shows in the past, too (like Hotel GB and The Great Comic Relief Bake Off) so he's certainly not averse to it.
Likelihood: 4/5.
Strictly Come Dancing will air on BBC One later this year. What do you make of these rumours? Who would you like to see on the show? Let us know below!
