# Lacey Turner in Strictly Come Dancing 2026

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/lacey-turner-in-strictly-come-dancing-2026
> Updated: 2026-09-26T15:30:00.000Z. Sources: 5. Developments: 2.

Lacey Turner, an actress known for her role in EastEnders, announced her participation in the 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing, noting that her decision was influenced by a lighter filming schedule. She also planned a brief return to her role as Stacey Slater in EastEnders during the Christmas and New Year period.

Following the launch of the dance competition, Turner emerged as a leading contender. Performing a cha-cha-cha with partner Vito Coppola, she earned 27 points and topped the leaderboard. Judges praised her performance, with Shirley Ballas describing it as “magnificent” and Motsi Mabuse calling her the “surprise of the night.” Turner is currently ranked as the second favorite to win the Glitterball Trophy.

## Claims

- Head judge Shirley Ballas gave Lacey Turner a standing ovation and described her performance as magnificent. (single source)
- Judge Anton Du Beke called Turner's cha-cha-cha his favourite dance of the night. (single source)
- Judge Motsi Mabuse referred to Turner as the surprise of the night. (single source)
- Judge Craig Revel-Horwood praised Turner's timing and straight legs but suggested more hip action. (single source)
- Lacey Turner received a total score of 27 points during the launch show. (single source)
- Lacey Turner is the second favourite to win the Glitterball Trophy at 7/2 odds. (single source)
- The Strictly Come Dancing launch episode reached a peak of 5.8 million viewers. (single source)
- The launch episode saw 200,000 more viewers at its peak than the previous year. (single source)

## Timeline

### 2026-09-26: Lacey Turner tops leaderboard in Strictly Come Dancing 2026 launch

Lacey Turner topped the leaderboard during the Strictly Come Dancing 2026 launch with a 27-point cha-cha-cha, making her the second favourite to win the competition.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/lacey-turner-tops-leaderboard-in-strictly-come-dancing-2026-launch

### 2026-09-13: Lacey Turner to join Strictly Come Dancing and return to EastEnders

Lacey Turner is set to join the cast of Strictly Come Dancing and is reportedly returning to EastEnders for a short stint as Stacey Slater later this year.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/lacey-turner-to-join-strictly-come-dancing-and-return-to-eastenders

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Cite as: Lacey Turner in Strictly Come Dancing 2026. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/lacey-turner-in-strictly-come-dancing-2026