Emmerdale’s Lewis Cope to Dance on Strictly Come Dancing
Late entry adn a Heartfelt Exit: ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ Lineup Takes a Turn
Table of Contents
Published August 21, 2025
A Change of Partners
The highly anticipated 2025 season of Strictly Come Dancing has already seen a dramatic shift, with Kristian Nairn, best known for his role as Hodor in Game of Thrones, withdrawing from the competition for medical reasons. The news, shared by the BBC Press Office on Twitter,came as a disappointment to fans eager to see the actor and DJ on the dance floor.
Nairn, 49, expressed his regret in a statement, saying, “I was truly looking forward to the journey, and I’m deeply sorry to disappoint anyone who was looking forward to seeing me on the dance floor. Thank-you all for your support, and I will be back on my feet very soon, in every sense. Love to all, Kristian.” Sarah James, executive producer at BBC Studios, echoed these sentiments, wishing Nairn a speedy recovery.
an Unexpected Opportunity for Lewis Cope
Stepping into the spotlight is Lewis cope, known for his role as Nicky Milligan in the long-running ITV soap opera Emmerdale. Cope received the call to join the competition just days ago, while walking down Oxford Street.He revealed on BBC one’s The One Show that the late notice actually worked in his favor, allowing him to embrace the excitement without overthinking it. “I think, if anything, it’s probably helped me as I haven’t really had time to think about it or anything so now the excitement has kind of just taken over,” he explained.
Cope, who was nominated for the Rising Star Award at the 2023 National Television Awards and has also appeared in Vera and Miss Sidhu Investigates, has a strong performance background, having made his stage debut at the age of 11 in the West End production of Billy Elliot: The Musical. He’s particularly keen to impress judge Shirley Ballas with his dancing.
the Full Lineup So Far
Cope joins a diverse group of celebrities already confirmed for the 2025 season of Strictly Come Dancing. The current lineup includes:
- Karen Carney (Former lioness)
- Vicky Pattison (geordie Shore star)
- Dani Dyer-Bowen (Love Island star)
- George Clarke (podcast host and YouTube star)
- Chris Robshaw (Former England rugby player)
- Harry Aikines-Aryeetey (Olympian and Gladiators star)
The show,hosted by Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly,is set to return to BBC One in September,with the judging panel consisting of Craig Revel Horwood,Motsi Mabuse,Anton Du beke,and Shirley Ballas.