Strictly announces first live show dances and songs

Strictly Come Dancing’s first live show of the 2026 series is scheduled for Saturday, September 26, at 6:15 p.m. on BBC One and iPlayer, with all 15 celebrity couples due to perform. The BBC has announced the dances and songs for the opening performances, marking the contestants’ first competitive routines of the season. Among the announced pairings, Dani Dyer and Nikita Kuzmin are set to dance a samba to Zara Larsson’s “Lush Life.” Bethany Antonia and Nancy Xu will perform a quickstep to Celeste’s “Stop This Flame,” while Will Best and Dianne Buswell are scheduled to dance a samba to Robbie Williams’ “Rock DJ.” The remaining couples are also set to perform a range of ballroom and Latin routines. Delta Goodrem and Kai Widdrington will dance a samba to “Baianá” by Barbatuques, and Jaime Winstone and Carlos Gu will perform a tango to Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love.” Lacey Turner and Vito Coppola are paired for a cha cha to Whitney Houston’s “How Will I Know.