BREAKING NEWS: Dianne Buswell launching surprise Strictly Come Dancing spin-off show
The BBC has announced a brand-new Strictly Come Dancing spin-off as the main series prepares to return for 2026.
Titled Strictly Pro Dance Off, the new programme will launch on Saturday, September 19, the same day Strictly Come Dancing kicks off its new series.
The spin-off will put the professional dancers at the centre of the action, with the stars going head-to-head in a series of short dance battles.
Viewers will be encouraged to get involved from home, although they can also simply watch as the professionals demonstrate different routines to well-known songs.
The format has been designed particularly with younger audiences in mind, with the BBC hoping it will encourage children to get up and move.
Strictly Pros Take Centre Stage
Each episode will last around seven minutes and will transport the professionals into a virtual Strictly ballroom.
One pro will take on the role of instructor, guiding viewers step by step through a specific dance style.
Two fellow professionals will then become the “students” and face one another in a dance-off.
Their instructor will score the performances before one of them is declared the winner.
The BBC synopsis explains: “Combining competitive performance with a lot of behind-the-scenes fun, young viewers will be taken step by step through the different Strictly dance styles by their favourite Pros.”
The short format means the series will offer a very different experience from the full Saturday night programme.
Instead of focusing on celebrity contestants, Strictly Pro Dance Off will allow viewers to see the professionals teaching, learning and competing against one another.
Dianne Buswell Leads First Episode
Fan favourite Dianne Buswell will take the lead in the first instalment.
She will be joined by Kai Widdrington and Lauren Oakley for a Jive-themed episode.
Dianne will act as part of the new spin-off before later returning to the main Strictly ballroom, where she will discover which celebrity she will be paired with for the 2026 competition.
The programme will air as part of CBBC’s Saturday Mash-Up!, with new episodes broadcast weekly.
Each instalment will also be linked to the theme of that week’s main Strictly Come Dancing episode.
BBC Says Show Is Made Especially for Children
BBC executive Sarah Muller said the new format had been created to bring the excitement of Strictly to a younger audience in a much shorter package.
“Strictly Pro Dance Off brings everything children love about Strictly into a short, energetic new format made especially for them,” she said.
“Viewers will see the Professional Dancers learning, teaching and getting competitive, while discovering more about the different styles and techniques that bring the ballroom to life.”
The series will feature all of the returning professional dancers as well as five new pros joining the show this year.
It will also give viewers a closer look at the skill and preparation behind the performances seen each week on the main programme.
Strictly 2026 Brings Major Changes
The spin-off arrives during one of the biggest periods of change for Strictly Come Dancing in years.
The 2026 celebrity line-up includes actresses Jaime Winstone and Lacey Turner, Love Island star Dani Dyer and singer Delta Goodrem.
But the most significant change will be away from the dancefloor.
Long-serving presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman have departed, leaving the BBC to introduce a completely new hosting line-up.
Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe are taking over presenting duties for the new series.
Johannes is making an especially notable transition after previously appearing as one of the programme’s professional dancers.
The changes mean viewers will be introduced to a new presenting team, new professional dancers and now an entirely new sister programme within the same weekend.
For younger fans, Strictly Pro Dance Off will offer a more interactive way of learning about the routines they see on television.
For established viewers, it provides another chance to see the professionals show off their skills away from their celebrity partners.
With the spin-off launching on the same day as the main series, the BBC is clearly expanding the Strictly brand in a major way for 2026.
