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'Strictly Come Dancing' reveals 2022 pairings including two same-sex couples

The Strictly Come Dancing 2022 cast
The Strictly Come Dancing 2022 cast have their partners. (BBC)

Strictly Come Dancing has revealed its couples competing in the 2022 series - which include two same-sex couples.

The launch episode, pre-recorded earlier in September, announced to the BBC One show's fans who will be dancing together this year and for the first time includes two same-sex couples.

Read more: Helen Skelton said yes to Strictly 'so family could see her smile'

In 2020, Nicola Adams and Katya Jones competed as the first all-female couple and in 2021, John Whaite and Johannes Radebe reached the final as the first all-male pairing.

Matt Goss, Ellie Simmonds, Richie Anderson (BBC)
Matt Goss, Ellie Simmonds, Richie Anderson (BBC)

Viewers saw Richie Anderson matched with last year's winning pro dancer Giovanni Pernice, who lifted the trophy in 2021 with Rose Ayling-Ellis.

But while fans of the show already knew that radio presenter Anderson was expecting a male partner, it was a surprise that comedian Jayde Adams was being matched with a female dancer - long-standing Strictly performer Karen Hauer.

Read more: Fleur East, Kym Marsh and Will Mellor doing Strictly for their dads

Adams said: "Karen IS Strictly”, as Hauer said: “I’m absolutely excited, I have so many ideas, too many ideas, this is going to be a golden moment for me.”

Anderson added: “Could you get anyone better than Mr Giovanni? I feel like I’m the envy of the British public right now!”

Molly Rainford, Jayde Adams, Tony Adams (BBC)
Molly Rainford, Jayde Adams, Tony Adams (BBC)

Meanwhile, Radebe was paired with actor and comedian Ellie Taylor, and Kai Widdrington, who had to drop out of the 2021 final as his partner AJ Odudu was injured, was matched with Loose Women star Kaye Adams.

Bookies' favourite and Countryfile presenter Helen Skelton discovered her partner would be Gorka Marquez, while radio DJ Tyler West was matched with Dianne Buswell.

Helen Skelton, Fleur East, James Bye (BBC)
Helen Skelton, Fleur East, James Bye (BBC)

Actor and presenter Kym Marsh was paired with Graziano Di Prima, Paralympian Ellie Simmonds with Nikita Kuzmin, and former footballer Tony Adams with Katya Jones.

Kym Marsh, Hamza Yassin, Kaye Adams (BBC)
Kym Marsh, Hamza Yassin, Kaye Adams (BBC)

Bros singer Matt Goss will dance with Nadiya Bychkova, actor Will Mellor with Nancy Xu, and EastEnders star James Bye with Amy Dowden.

Three celebrities will be dancing with partners new to competing in the series - wildlife expert Hamza Yassin with Jowita Przystal who has been in the group dances previously, while singer Fleur East was paired with Vito Coppola and CBBC star Molly Rainford with Carlos Gu, both new to Strictly this year.

Tyler West, Ellie Taylor, Will Mellor (BBC)
Tyler West, Ellie Taylor, Will Mellor (BBC)

Strictly's wider cast will include a number of other pros taking part in show performances who won't have a partner - Neil Jones, Cameron Lombard, Luba Mushtuk, Lauren Oakley and Michelle Tsiakkas.

The launch show aired nearly a week later than scheduled as it was postponed until after the Queen's funeral, meaning that Strictly will head straight into live shows on Saturday, 24 September at 6.45pm on BBC One.

Watch: Who is Strictly's Jayde Adams?