John Nellis has become the 14th celebrity to join the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 line-up. The football content creator is used to talking about the game, meeting famous players and making videos for millions of followers, but this time he will be doing something completely different.
He is heading to the Strictly dancefloor despite admitting that he has never danced before. That little detail has already made his casting more interesting, because viewers will get to see someone who is starting almost from scratch.
John Nellis Is the 14th Strictly Celebrity
The BBC announced John Nellis as the latest name for the 2026 series on August 11. He joins a cast that already includes actors, presenters, athletes, musicians and social media personalities.
John said he was still surprised to have been chosen for the show and admitted that he is nervous about learning to dance. At the same time, he sounds pretty excited about the whole experience and wants to make the most of it.
For someone who has built his career around football content, stepping into ballroom and Latin dancing is definitely a big change.
From Air Traffic Controller to Football Creator
John’s career did not start with social media. Before becoming a full-time creator, he worked as an air traffic controller.
He eventually left that job and decided to focus completely on content creation. That gamble clearly worked out. His football videos have now attracted a huge following, with his combined social media audience reaching more than 20 million.
His content has also taken him into rooms most football fans would love to be in. He has worked with major names from the sport, including Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Cristiano Ronaldo and Erling Haaland.
His Football Videos Have Reached Billions of Views
John has become one of the better-known sports creators in the UK and Ireland, mainly through his football-focused videos.
Some of his biggest collaborations have pulled in millions of views, while his overall content has reached billions of views across different platforms. His work was also recognised at the 2024 TikTok Awards UK & Ireland, where he won Sport Creator of the Year.
That background could help him when the cameras start rolling on Strictly, although having an audience and knowing how to dance are obviously two very different things.
John Says He Has Never Danced Before
The biggest talking point around John’s casting is his lack of dance experience.
He has openly admitted that he has never danced before, so the rehearsals could be quite a learning curve for him. Strictly contestants usually have to spend long hours getting used to choreography, footwork and performing alongside a professional partner.
John seems to be taking that challenge in a positive way. Rather than worrying too much about being a beginner, he says he wants to throw himself into the experience and learn something new.
And honestly, that could make his journey one of the more fun ones to watch this year.
Who Else Is Joining Strictly Come Dancing 2026?
John joins a fairly mixed group of celebrities for this year’s competition.
The confirmed cast includes Lacey Turner, Dani Dyer, Delta Goodrem, Chris Appleton, Cach Mercer, Will Best, Dame Sarah Storey, Jaime Winstone, Bethany Antonia, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Graeme Hall, Lawrence Robb and Tabby Stoecker.
There is still one more celebrity name expected to complete the line-up, so the cast is not quite finished yet.
Strictly Has Made Big Changes This Year
The celebrity line-up is not the only thing that is changing on Strictly this year.
The show will have a new presenting team after Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped away following the 2025 series. Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe are taking on the hosting duties for the new season.
There have also been several changes among the professional dancers, with new faces joining the programme.
So when Strictly returns, viewers will be getting a show that looks a little different from the one they watched last year.
When Will Strictly Come Dancing 2026 Start?
The new series of Strictly Come Dancing is scheduled to return in September 2026 on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
For John Nellis, the next few weeks will be about learning the basics, getting comfortable on the dancefloor and preparing for the live competition.
He may have spent years knowing exactly what to do when a football is in front of him. Now there will be music, choreography and a professional dance partner instead.
That should make his Strictly debut one worth keeping an eye on.
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