Strictly Come Dancing 2026 is getting another star from the world of sport. Olympic gold medallist Tabitha “Tabby” Stoecker has joined the celebrity line-up for the upcoming season of the BBC dance competition. The skeleton racer will swap her racing sled for the ballroom floor after an extraordinary year that saw her win gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics.
Stoecker’s addition to the cast was announced on Monday, August 10, through the official Strictly Come Dancing social media accounts. She becomes the 13th celebrity contestant confirmed for the new series.
Who Is Tabby Stoecker?
Tabitha “Tabby” Stoecker is a British skeleton athlete who represents Team GB. She made her international debut in the sport in 2021 but has already built an impressive record in a relatively short period.
Her biggest achievement came earlier this year at the Milano-Cortina Winter Olympic Games where she won gold in the inaugural mixed team skeleton event alongside teammate Matt Weston. The victory marked Britain’s first Olympic gold in the mixed team skeleton event.
Stoecker has also competed successfully at the World Cup where she has won races and has collected medals at the World Championships and European Championships.
Before taking up the sport, Stoecker was a British Schools Gymnastics Champion and also trained at circus school where she worked on the flying trapeze. Her experience with gymnastics and acrobatics has contributed to the balance, coordination and fearlessness she brings to skeleton racing.
What Did Tabby Stoecker Say About Joining Strictly Dancing 2026?
For Stoecker, appearing on Strictly Come Dancing is particularly significant because the ballroom has been a childhood dream.
She told BBC, “I am over the moon to be joining the cast of Strictly 2026. I’ve had the wildest year of my life so far, so to be rounding it off with a childhood dream of dancing in the Strictly ballroom is surreal and I can’t wait to get stuck in!”
Strictly Come Dancing 2026: Full Contestant List
Stoecker joins a celebrity cast featuring personalities from television, music, sport, reality shows and entertainment.
The confirmed contestants are Lacey Turner, known for EastEnders; Dani Dyer, reality television personality and former Love Island star; Delta Goodrem, Australian singer and actress; Chris Appleton, celebrity hairstylist; Cach Mercer, Love Island star; Will Best, television presenter; Dame Sarah Storey, Paralympic champion; Jaime Winstone, actress; Bethany Antonia, known for House of the Dragon; Shaun Wright-Phillips, former England footballer; Graeme Hall, known as “The Dogfather”; Laurence Robb, Emmerdale actor; and now Tabby Stoecker, Olympic skeleton champion.
The new season of Strictly Come Dancing is scheduled to premiere on September 19, 2026, on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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