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'Strictly Come Dancing' adds Richie Anderson, Kaye Adams to celebrity lineup

Aug. 5 (UPI) -- Two more celebrity contestants, Richie Anderson and Kaye Adams, will join the roster of celebrity contestants for the upcoming season of Strictly Come Dancing, the BBC said Friday.

The announcement comes one day after the show released news of its first two contestants for the season, actors Will Mellor and Kym Marsh.

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Strictly Come Dancing pairs professional ballroom dancers with celebrities to perform in front of a judging panel, with the series' 20th season set for a September premiere in the U.K.

The show will give Anderson yet another box to check for the BBC. A regular on the network, Anderson is known for roles on the BBC Radio 2's Breakfast Show and The One Show.

"This is a dream come true! I cannot wait to get in those sparkles and sequins and shimmy across the most famous dance floor in the world!" Anderson said in a statement. "Strictly is the ultimate feel-good show, as soon as I hear that iconic theme tune it's just pure escapism."

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Anderson added that he would have to "cancel my legendary Strictly launch night kitchen party that I throw every year, I'm sure my friends and family will understand."

Adams is also a well-known face on the BBC, with the Scottish broadcaster being seen on a variety of morning programs for BBC Two and STV.

She is also known for being one of the hosts on ITV's Loose Women, and currently helms BBC Radio Scotland's morning show on weekdays.

"I said I wanted to make the last year of my fifties memorable," Adams said in a statement. "I can't think of a better way of doing it than showing the world my two left feet. Pray for me!"

In addition to announcing celebrity contestants, Strictly Come Dancing also said they would be adding four new dancing professionals to the upcoming season.

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The quartet will join the previous 16 pros that were announced this past March.

Among the four is Vito Coppola, a fan favorite on the Italian version of Strictly Come Dancing in 2021.

"We could not be more proud of the Strictly professional dancers and we are so happy to have so many returning for 2022," executive producer Sarah James said in a statement. "The world-class skill and extraordinary care they bring to everything they do, from working with their celebrity partners to choreographing and performing remarkable and unforgettable routines, never ceases to amaze us."

"They really are the best in the business and we can't wait to see what they bring to the Strictly ballroom for our twentieth fabulous series," she added.

The popularity of Strictly Come Dancing has led to a number of spinoffs in countries around the world.

This includes the United States, where the show is known via its popular format Dancing with the Stars, where Season 31 can be seen on Disney+ on Sept. 19.

The show had been broadcast on ABC for the previous 30 seasons.

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