Paralympian Will Bayley is the tenth star to join Strictly Come Dancing 2019 line-up
WILL BAYLEY MBE has been confirmed as the tenth celebrity to sign up for Strictly Come Dancing 2019.
The Paralympic table tennis player, who is ranked world number 1, revealed he was incredibly excited to land the role as he was revealed on Julia Hartley-Brewer’s talkRADIO breakfast show this morning.
The 31-year-old was born with arthrogryposis which affects all four of his limbs. He learnt to play table tennis after he was diagnosed with cancer at the age of seven and his grandma bought him a table.
Speaking about taking part, Will said: “I’m so proud to be on the show, it’s my family’s favourite show. I have no dance experience at all, but I hope I can do well.
“I want to inspire people with a disability – that would mean a lot to me. I want to prove to people I can do this.”
He added: “It’s going to be hard. It’s going to be a real challenge. My balance is affected.”
He is the second person to be announced today following RuPaul’s Drag Race star Michelle Visage.
The 50-year-old said she was “over the moon” as she was revealed on the Lorraine show today – after The Sun broke the story last month.
Speaking to Ross King, she said: “I am very excited, I am over the moon. I can’t wait to be dramatic and as amazing as I can be. I am 50 and I want to be presenting women of the age.”
She added: “I am Italian so I would love Giovanni and they need to have guns to lift all this!”
The former pop singer, 50, has become an LGBT icon after eight years on the outrageous drag queen competition — which has a cult following amongst millennials.
She has also appeared in Celebrity Big Brother and last year made her West End debut in flamboyant musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
Yesterday fans of the show learnt that Emma Thynn, Viscountess Weymouth would be taking part in the series.
Emma, 33, is an English chef and model who is married to Ceawlin Thynn, the son of Alexander Thynn, 7th Marquess of Bath.
On Saturday, CBBC presenter Karim Zeroual was announced to be trying his luck on the dancefloor.
Karim said: “Honestly I’m speechless it’s so overwhelming, I’m so excited.
“I couldn’t wait to tell everyone.”
The join previously announced stars Mike Bushell, Catherine Tyldesley, David James, Chris Ramsey, Emma Barton and Saffron Barker.
Mike will hope to follow in the footsteps of fellow sports presenters Chris Hollins, 48, who won the Glitterball Trophy in 2009, and Ore Oduba, 33, who won in 2016.
Former Corrie star Catherine Tyldesley was the fifth celeb confirmed for the show after The Sun exclusively revealed she was set to make her TV comeback on the show.
She said: “I am so excited. I love to dance on a night out if I have had a couple of drinks, but I can’t actually dance.”
Catherine is best known for playing glamour puss Eva Price on the ITV soap from 2011 before quitting in 2018.
YouTuber Saffron is just the second YouTuber to appear on the show after Joe Sugg, who reached the final last year with his now-girlfriend Dianne Buswell.
As of April this year Saffron has over two million subscribers to her YouTube channel, with her videos mostly focusing on beauty, fashion, lifestyle and music.
Saffron previously formed a girlband called Born2Blush with two childhood friends, starting their own YouTube channel in 2014 and releasing their debut track 24seven in March 2015 – but they broke up soon after.
Retired goalkeeper David, 48, revealed former Olympic swimmer Mark Foster encouraged him to take part after years of declining offers.
The football star played for clubs including Liverpool, West Ham and Man City over a 26-year career.
He was also England’s number one following the retirement of David Seaman, who himself went on to star in Dancing On Ice.
Chris, 32, is a regular on stand up and panel shows as well as hosting his own comedy show.
In 2016 he hosted I’m A Celebrity spin off Extra Camp alongside Joe Swash, Vicky Pattison and Stacey Solomon.
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Emma, 42, who is best known for her role as Honey Mitchell in the BBC One soap, said she was “over the moon” when she got the call.
She said: “I’m the biggest fan. Now I’m thinking have I done the right thing by saying yes?”
The actress has stage experience, having played lead role Roxie Hart in the musical Chicago in 2009 during her six year break from the soap, which she returned to in 2014.
Strictly Come Dancing kicks off next month, with the stars battling it out to win the coveted Glitterball trophy.
Last year, BBC journalist Stacey Dooley was crowned the champion with her professional-partner-turned-boyfriend Kevin Clifton.
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