Love Island winner Cach Mercer has been revealed as the latest star to sign up for Strictly Come Dancing 2026.
The reigning champion of the ITV dating series is the fifth celebrity to be announced who will compete in the upcoming season of the BBC dancing contest.
He said: “I have grown up watching the show with my family and am so excited to now be part of the cast.
“Dancing is a huge passion of mine and I can’t wait to learn Ballroom and do the Foxtrot for the first time!”
Mercer rose to fame on last year’s series of Love Island, winning the public vote to be crowned the 2025 male champion.
He won the show alongside Toni Laites, with the couple splitting the £50,000 prize pot.
They have since broken up.
With almost 50 million likes on TikTok alone, he has earned a legion of social media followers for his posts showcasing his Afrobeat, hip-hop and street dance moves.
He also works as a model and DJ and is an ambassador for a young persons’ mental health charity.
In 2022 he appeared on the dating show Are You The One? UK, which aired on MTV.
Mercer joins Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem and Chris Appleton in the 2026 Strictly Come Dancing line-up.
The news of his casting comes after broadcaster Emma Willis, professional dancer Johannes Radebe and comedian Josh Widdicombe were announced as the new hosts for the upcoming series.
They are replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman after they announced they were leaving the show late last year.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to screens later this year.
