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Rev Richard Coles announced as the fifth celeb for Strictly Come Dancing

Eighties pop star says he's already quick the pork pies to get fitter!

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Church of England priest Rev Richard Coles has been confirmed as the fifth celebrity to compete in Strictly Come Dancing.

Rev Coles is also known for being part of 1980s pop duo The Communards with fellow bandmate Jimmy Somerville.

Chris Evans announced the exciting news on today’s Radio 2 Breakfast Show.

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Speaking live on the show, Rev Coles admitted: “I haven’t really had a Strictly journey yet. Anyone who knows me knows there is a major dance talent to be discovered.

“I have been waiting by the phone for 11 years and a lady called and asked to have a top secret meeting and we met in a bar around the corner from the BBC. Then she offered it to me.”

He added: “The show has always been on my radar… I’m in it to wing it as they say.

“A lot of my life has involved choreography. Not so much a Cha Cha Cha, but more like a gentle Lago. There’s more bling in my vestry than in their dressing room.”

Speaking about how he is preparing for the show he said: “I’ve cut down on pork pies. My partner David has put a lock on the fridge, it’s all been salad, salad, salad.”

The 55-year-old will be waltzing into the competition alongside Emmerdale’s Gemma Atkinson, The Saturdays’ Mollie King, This Morning’s Ruth Langsford and EastEnders star Davood Ghadami.

On Thursday Gemma, 32, was revealed as the fourth famous face to take to the dance floor.

Speaking about being offered a place on the show Gemma, who played Carly Hope in the ITV soap, said: “I am honoured to be asked and so thrilled to be joining Strictly Come Dancing 2017!

“I’m beyond excited and incredibly nervous but I am looking forward to learning a new skill in ballroom and latin dancing and taking on this new challenge.”

Mollie, 30, was the first celeb to be confirmed for the show.

On Nick Grimshaw’s BBC Radio One breakfast show Mollie told the presenter: “I’m a huge fan of Strictly Come Dancing so I can’t actually believe I’m lucky enough to be taking part in it this year!”

Joining them will be EastEnders’ heartthrob Davood.

Davood said in a statement released by the BBC: “It’s going to be exciting, challenging and terrifying all at once and I am so looking forward to stepping out of my comfort zone and learning to dance.”

We can’t wait to see him put on his dancing shoes!

On Wednesday it was announced that Loose Women’s Ruth Langsford will be joining the competition.

The announcement was made live on This Morning. The star admitted that it has been her dream to do the BBC show.

The 57-year-old said: “I have dreamt about doing Strictly for so long, I can’t quite believe my dream has come true!

“The sum of my dance experience is throwing a few shapes at a party, I’ve never had a dance lesson in my life.

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“Without doubt it will be the scariest yet most exciting thing I’ve ever done. It will be a welcome change worrying about my next hot move instead of my next hot flush!”

The show is set to air sometime this year with the previous series airing around the end of September and running through to Christmas.

It will be the first series without Len Goodman on the judging panel but there is a very exciting replacement.

International ballroom dancer Shirley Ballas will be taking on head judge alongside Bruno Tonioli, Darcey Bussell and Craig Revel Horwood.

BBC presenter Ore Oduba took the crown on last year’s series after beating Louise Redknapp and Danny Mac.

But who has what it takes to become champion this year?


Rebecca Carter
Associate Editor (News)

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