John Nellis joins Strictly Come Dancing lineup

Social media personality and football content creator John Nellis has been announced as a contestant for the 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing. The 33-year-old YouTuber from Northern Ireland has built a massive following, boasting over 15 million YouTube subscribers and 20 million followers across all social media platforms.

Nellis, who previously worked as an air traffic controller before transitioning to full-time content creation in 2022, is known for his football-centric videos and meetings with stars such as Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham. He expressed nervousness about the competition, noting that he has never danced before.

The upcoming series marks a change in hosting, with Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe leading the show following the departure of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. Nellis joins other notable contestants including Dani Dyer, Melanie Walters, and Delta Goodrem.