Strictly Come Dancing / maxliu / 27 August 2009 / Leave a comment

As the BBC announce the 16 celebrities who will take part in this year's Strictly Come Dancing, we take a close look at the field (or the floor in this case)...

"Hollyoaks hunk Ricky Whittle might set hearts racing when he teams up with Natalie Low but the actor's inclusion in the show has already caused controversy."

As we come to the end of another summer, the nights draw in and the temperature drops, it doesn't have to be all doom and gloom. Oh no. Because Strictly Come Dancing Is Back!

That's right, the 16 celebrities who will be twisting, jiving and gitterbugging into your living rooms from September have been announced and the show is ready to get underway. The Strictly team have managed to put together a lively cast of characters and the 2009 edition promises to be a cracker.

Joe Calzaghe is fancied by many people as a potential winner. The Welsh boxer is not known for losing - he retired from the sport earlier this year with 46 wins - and is already accustomed to winning BBC gongs, having been voted Sports Personality of the Year in 2007. Sure to be nimble and strong on the dancefloor, the Pride of Wales could have a real thrust at winning this year's contest.

Phil Tuffnel has gone from cricketing bad boy to housewife's favourite and now, after spending the summer as a Betfair Ashes ambadassor, the ex-England cricketer will be spinning and salsa-ing his way across the dancefloor in the arms of Katya Virshilas.

Also from the world of sport, come Wimbledon winner Martina Hingis and three time Champion jockey Richard Dunwoody. The National Hunt racing legend says that he can't wait to learn the tango.

Ricky Groves and Natalie Cassidy, who play Gary and Sonia respectively (obviously) in Eastenders, will line up with Erin Boag and Vincent Simone. Ricky says that he was inspired to take part in Strictly by John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever.

For more compelling insights we might look to Jade Johnson. The Liverpudlian athlete, who interrupts her London Olympics preparations to indulge her passion for dance, describes herself as "crazy," "dance mad" and vows to bring the competitiveness that has won her medals at the Commonwealth Games and European Championships to the show.

Ex-footballer's wife Zoe Lucker is the show's blonde bombshell but maturer blondie Jo Wood already has the public on her side after she was unceremoniously dumped by Rolling Stone husband Ronnie last year. Jo has been called the "coolest grandmother in rock n roll."

Hollyoaks hunk Ricky Whittle will set hearts racing when he teams up with Natalie Low but the actor's inclusion in the show has already caused controversy. The BBC have denied that Whittle, who starred in Let's Dance For Comic Relieft, will have an unfair advantage.

Also lining up this year are BBC Sport reporter Chris Hollins, Crimewatch presenter Rav Wilding, Coronation Street's Craig Kelly, Laila Rouass, most famous for playing Footballers' Wives' bitchy brunette Amber Gates, soap siren Ali Bastian and Loose Women's Linda Bellingham.

Look out for the Betfair Strictly Come Dancing 2009 market as we get nearer to show time.

Tags: Joe Calzaghe, Martina Hingis, Phil Tuffnell, Ricky Whittle, specials betting, Strictly Come Dancing 2009, Strictly Come Dancing betting, Zoe Lucker