Delta Goodrem is set to grace the Strictly Come Dancing stage in September – and has one request about the professional partner she’s paired up with.
Months after representing Australia at the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, the actor-turned-singer was announced as a contestant on the all-new version of the BBC competition, which is shaking things up behind and in front of the camera.
In a new interview with The Independent, Goodrem said she was “excited to dive into” the Strictly glitz and glamour.
While the “Born to Try” singer said she did not have a preference as to which professional dancer she would compete alongside, she did say she would “love to be” paired with someone taller than her because she “doesn’t really want to be the one that has to lift people”.
Goodrem is 5 feet 10 inches tall, and if she got her wish, she would most likely be coupled with either Kai Widdrington or Aljaž Škorjanec, both of whom are over six feet tall.
Earlier this month, five new professional dancers were announced to be joining the series alongside the old familiars, including Amy Dowden, Carlos Gu, Dianne Buswell, Jowita Przystal, Katya Jones, Lauren Oakley, Nancy Xu, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Vito Coppola, and last year’s new arrivals Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon.
The newcomers are Maddie Ingoldsby, Aleksandra Isaeva, Mark Karmalita, Lethabo Monametsi, and Cristian Priori. They will replace outgoing pros Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, and Michelle Tsiakkas.
This celebrity line-up is slowly coming together, too, with football pro Shaun Wright-Phillips the latest to be announced. He joins Goodrem, Dani Dyer, House of the Dragon star Bethany Antonia, actor Jaime Winstone, Paralympian cyclist Dame Sarah Storey, TV presenter Will Best, reality star Cacheral Mercer, hair stylist Chris Appleton, and more.
Speaking about her appointment, former Neighbours star Goodrem said she is “thrilled” to be adding the Strictly stage to the many she’s performed on throughout her career.
“I’ve been incredibly honoured to perform on many different stages throughout my career – from TV, theatre, film sets, to touring my own shows around the world,” she said.
“There is, however, one stage I’ve never stepped onto and that is the ballroom floor. I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Strictly and can’t wait to get started.”
Goodrem has also been a judge on The Voice Australia and competed for the country at the Eurovision Song Contest, finishing fourth earlier this year.
The new series of Strictly Come Dancing will be hosted by trio Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe, who are taking over from Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. It returns to BBC One and iPlayer in September.
