Strictly Come Dancing will make history with show first in 2023

STIRCTLY Come Dancing is set to make history by featuring a wheelchair-bound celebrity in this year’s line-up.

The hit BBC dancing show, which first aired in 2004, is currently scouting a celebrity to take part this year, making it a show first.

A source told The Express: “This is an extremely challenging project but one that Strictly bosses think is worth it and believe it is going to be absolutely brilliant. It is yet another example of how progressive and inclusive the programme is.”

They added: “The original plan was that it would happen last year but the logistics are difficult and to get a professional dancer trained and ready to take this on meant more work than was originally anticipated, so the most sensible thing to do was to put it off for a year.”

While the show has had celebrities with disabilities in the past, it has never included someone in a wheelchair.

The decision reportedly came on the back of the success of Rose Ayling-Ellis, who was the dance show’s first deaf participant and went on to win the coveted Glitterball Trophy in 2021.

Paralympian Ellie Simmonds took part in the show last year, while athlete Jonnie Peacock and TV personality Katie Piper have also taken on the glitterball.

Rose, who also starred in EastEnders, spoke of her time with dance partner Giovanni Pernice, saying: “You are so amazing, you pushed me to believe in myself. I just want you to know you’ve always got a place in my heart.”

And it looks as though Strictly bosses have been toying with the idea for a number of years as in 2018, the professional dancers teamed up with wheelchair-bound dancers from the Candoco Dance Company.