Strictly Come Dancing 2016 celebrity couples revealed
Each of the 15 celebrities has been paired off with a professional partner after the pairings were revealed on the Strictly launch show. Now, the real work begins
Strictly Come Dancing 2016 is go – and all the celebrities now have a professional partner to put them through their paces.
Saturday's launch show was the perfect start to Strictly season. We saw last year’s winner Jay re-perform his classic Pulp Fiction jive, knockout performances from Olly Murs and Rebecca Ferguson, the birth of #HelpWill, Judge Rinder pulling out the sass, Ed Balls existing, Claudia Winkleman somersaulting (that was definitely her, right?) and a ruddy rocket ship! Not bad for episode one.
However, all of that wasn't why you watched, was it? You just wanted to know the pairings. And from Gorka greeting Tameka by lifting off the stage, to Will Young admitting he'd always hoped to be paired with Karen, it was perfect.
Check out all the couples below, and click through to find out more about each Strictly 2016 celebrity.
Strictly Come Dancing 2016 pairings – celebrity and professional dancer couples revealed
Claudia Fragapane and AJ Pritchard
Daisy Lowe and Aljaž Skorjanec
Lesley Joseph and Anton Du Beke
Anastacia and Brendan Cole
Laura Whitmore and Giovanni Pernice
Melvin Odoom and Janette Manrara
Ore Oduba and Joanne Clifton
Will Young and Karen Clifton
Louise Redknapp and Kevin Clifton
Greg Rutherford and Natalie Lowe
Danny Mac and Oti Mabuse
Naga Munchetty and Pasha Kovalev
Tameka Empson and Gorka Marquez
Ed Balls and Katya Jones
Judge Rinder and Oksana Platero
Authors
Thomas is Digital editor at BBC Science Focus. Writing about everything from cosmology to anthropology, he specialises in the latest psychology, health and neuroscience discoveries. Thomas has a Masters degree (distinction) in Magazine Journalism from the University of Sheffield and has written for Men’s Health, Vice and Radio Times. He has been shortlisted as the New Digital Talent of the Year at the national magazine Professional Publishers Association (PPA) awards. Also working in academia, Thomas has lectured on the topic of journalism to undergraduate and postgraduate students at The University of Sheffield.