BREAKING NEWS: Strictly Come Dancing’s Sarah Storey details ‘nerves’ before dancefloor debut
Dame Sarah Storey has admitted she is stepping into completely unfamiliar territory as the countdown begins to the new series of Strictly Come Dancing.
The 48-year-old athlete, Britain’s most decorated Paralympian with 19 gold medals, is among 15 celebrities preparing to enter the BBC ballroom when the launch show airs on September 19.
Despite decades of competing at the highest level of sport, Sarah has confessed that Strictly presents a very different kind of challenge — one where she will be relying heavily on others and learning skills from scratch.
Asked what made her most nervous about taking part, she did not single out one particular part of the competition.
“The whole thing!” Sarah admitted.
She explained that nerves were not necessarily a bad sign, but instead showed how much she cared about doing well.
“I think nerves are always a sign that you care and are invested in giving your best,” she said.
Sarah Storey Faces a Very Different Competition
For Sarah, one of the biggest adjustments will be giving up the control she is accustomed to having as an elite athlete.
She explained that competitors in professional sport usually understand their disciplines in extraordinary detail, from preparation to what a strong performance should look like.
Strictly, however, will require a completely different approach.
“This is a different type of experience and competition from being an athlete, though, because the preparation is completely led by others,” she said.
Sarah added that athletes are used to knowing their events “inside out”, making the uncertainty surrounding ballroom dancing particularly unfamiliar.
She described competing on national television in something she knows little about as “completely out of my comfort zone”.
But that challenge is also a large part of the appeal.
“That’s one of the reasons I am so excited too!” she said.
Sarah said her priority throughout the series will be enjoying the experience while learning new skills and discovering more about dancing.
“I think it’s good to challenge yourself, and there’s no better place to do that than live on national TV!” she added.
Full Strictly 2026 Line-Up Revealed
Sarah joins a varied group of celebrities hoping to impress the judges and ultimately compete for the glitterball trophy.
The 2026 line-up includes EastEnders star Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Will Best, Lawrence Robb, John Nellis, Bethany Antonia and Melanie Walters.
Also taking to the dancefloor are Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer, Jaime Winstone, former footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips, Tabby Stoecker and Graeme “The Dogfather” Hall.
Each contestant will face weekly performances as they attempt to remain in the competition and reach the finale.
This year also marks a major change away from the dancefloor, with a new presenting team taking over the programme.
Emma Willis, professional dancer Johannes Radebe and comedian Josh Widdicombe will front the series following the departure of longtime hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman.
Emma previously admitted that stepping into such an established programme was difficult to comprehend after years of watching from home.
“It’s no secret that I’m a huge fan of Strictly — I’ve cheered and danced along from my sofa for years,” she said.
She also acknowledged the legacy left by Tess and Claudia, calling them “two wonderful, iconic women” who had been at the heart of the programme for years.
Emma said the new team hoped to guide Strictly into its next chapter while respecting what had come before.
With a completely refreshed presenting line-up and 15 new celebrities preparing to dance, the countdown is now firmly under way.
For Sarah, however, the challenge is especially clear: after mastering elite sport, she is about to find out how she handles a competition where almost everything feels new.
