Strictly Come Dancing 2020 will grace our screens in September, running until December. Fortunately, the BBC has revealed which professional dancers will be returning to the dancefloor for another year but the celebrity line-up all not be revealed until August 2019. Sadly, one professional who will not be returning to the series is Kevin Clifton, who announced he was leaving to “focus on other areas of my life and career.”
Who is returning to Strictly Come Dancing?
AJ Pritchard
AJ has been part of Strictly Come Dancing for the past four years and has danced with the likes of Claudia Fragapane, Mollie King and Lauren Steadman.
Last year, he was partnered with social media star Saffron Baker, coming in sixth place.
Before joining Strictly, he won one of the biggest championships in the world to become British Open Youth Latin Champion and European Youth Latin Champion.
He was also National Youth Latin Champion for three years in a row from 2012-2014.
Aljaž Škorjanec
Aljaž joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 and during his first year, he lifted the Glitterball Trophy with Abbey Clancy.
His other partnerships have included Alison Hammond, Helen George, Gemma Atkinson and most recently Viscountess Emma Weymouth.
Slovenian born Aljaž has been dancing since the age of five and has won 19 Slovenian championships in Ballroom and Latin and represented Slovenia at a world level.
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Gorka Marquez
Gorka Marquez has represented Spain in the World Latin Championships in 2010 and reached the semi-finals of the 2012 WDSF World Cup.
He has been a professional dancer on Strictly since 2016 and has danced with Tameka Empson, Alexandra Burke and Katie Piper.
Graziano Di Prima
Graziano Di Prima is an Italian Latin Champion, who joined Strictly Come Dancing two years ago.
His first partner was radio presenter Vick Hope, but last year, he did not have a celebrity partner.
Before Strictly, as well as competing for his home country, Graziano also represented Belgium at the World Championships and made the top 24 at the Under 21 Latin World Championships.
Graziano has also toured the world with the dance company Burn The Floor.
Janette Manrara
American dancer Janette Manrara joined the Strictly Come Dancing family in 2013.
Janette’s Strictly partners have included Jake Wood, Peter Andre, Dr Ranj and most recently, paralympian Will Bayley.
She has also won the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special twice with partners Melvin Odoom and Aston Merrygold.
Janette is married to Strictly Come Dancing professional Aljaž Škorjanec.
Luba Mushtuk
Luba Mushtuk is a four-time winner of the Italian Dance Championship and is also an Italian Open Latin Show Dance champion and Latin European Championship finalist.
Luba has worked on Strictly Come Dancing for several years as an assistant choreographer, before becoming a professional dancer on the programme in 2018.
Last year she was paired with her first celebrity partner, Olympian James Cracknell.
Nadiya Bychkova
Ukrainian dancer Nadiya Bychkova has been part of the Strictly Come Dancing family for the past three years, patterning Davood Ghadami, Lee Ryan and most recently David James.
Professionally, Nadiya is a multiple-time Slovenian Ballroom and Latin Champion, a two-time World Champion and European Champion in Ballroom and Latin ‘10’ Dance.
Nancy Xu
Nancy Xu made her Strictly Come Dancing debut last year, performing in all the series group numbers as well as dancing or guest music acts.
Xu is a world-class Latin dancer who was a finalist in the U21 World Championships in 2010, took third place in the 2010-2012 CBDF National Amateur Latin Championships and was a runner up at the 2013 International Singapore Championship.
Neil Jones
Neil Jones is a four-time undefeated British National Professional Champion and three-time winner of the World Amateur Latin Championships.
Neil has been a Strictly professional since 2016, dancing in the series’ group numbers and Christmas Specials but last year, he had his first celebrity partner.
He was paired with footballer Alex Scott, reaching week 11 of the competition.
Oti Mabuse
Oti Mabuse won Strictly Come Dancing 2019 with soapstar Kelvin Fletcher.
She was originally supposed to be partnered with Jamie Laing, but he had to withdraw from the competition after he sustained a foot injury.
Oti became a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing in 2015 and has enjoyed memorable partnerships including with Danny Mac, Jonnie Peacock and Graeme Swann.
Oti is also a dance captain on BBC One’s The Greatest Dancer.
Sarah James, Executive Producer, BBC Studios, says: “It’s wonderful to welcome back so many talented individuals within this year’s line-up of Strictly Come Dancing professional dancers.
“They are each at the top of their game and as a cast are simply incredible. We can’t wait to see what magic they will bring to the ballroom this year. Strictly 2020 promises to be an unforgettable series, with more exceptional choreography and world-class dancing.”
Kate Phillips, Controller of BBC Entertainment, says: “We are very proud of Strictly Come Dancing and our professional dancers.
“They are undoubtedly in a class of their own and they’ll be back in force this autumn to put our class of 2020 through their paces, providing another series of unmissable TV!”
Strictly Come Dancing 2020 will return in September
