Singer Toyah Willcox and Go Compare advert star Wynne Evans have been confirmed for 2024’s Strictly Come Dancing.
Vernon Kay, who is married to Strictly host Tess Daly, unveiled the pair’s involvement along with Morning Live medical expert Dr Punam Krishan’s on his BBC Radio 2 show on Tuesday morning.
Willcox has been performing across stage and screen for over 50 years. She has amassed thirteen top 40 singles, recorded twenty-five albums, written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays, acted in over twenty feature films and presented many television programmes.
In 2018 Paul McCartney awarded the music star a Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts Companionship for Outstanding Achievement in music, drama, performance and media.
Appearing in the Radio 2 studio with Kay, Willcox admitted she has been bursting to tell people after performing at Glastonbury in June and said the show will top off what has been an incredible year for her.
Willcox shared: “Wow Strictly Come Dancing, can you believe it! This is going to be a wild and wonderful ride, and I'm here for every sparkly second.
“I’m used to performing for big crowds but this is completely fresh for me, how I will do, it’s a mystery… I just want to get cracking and learn some dance routines now!”
Elsewhere, Evans is best known for his operatic skills, throughout his 25-year career he has had two number one classical music albums, has been a principal at most of the major opera houses around the world and has given over 200 performances at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
The opera singer currently has a daily radio show on BBC Radio Wales and has previously had radio shows on BBC Radio 3 and Classic FM.
However, many will know him for his role as Gio Compario and latterly himself in the Go Compare insurance adverts.
Evans told Kay: “I couldn't believe it because its like cloak and daggers. Your given a code name and you audition and meet the celebs and it is my favourite thing. The waltz, the classic ballroom I'm looking forward to. I did a lot of opera and I think that would suit me.
“The stuff I'm nervous about it the ones jumping because I don't really want to do the jive, I'm kind of a bit nervous about that but I'm taking inspiration from Bill Bailey. I'm going to throw myself into it.
“I'm moving the round house and lighter footed, I've bought dance shoes, ballet shoes new gym kit, bag, pencil case and note pad to make notes. I love the glitz and glamour. I've been in these adverts which has been in everyones head and now the Strictly tune is in my head.”
Meanwhile, Dr Punam Krishan was the third contestant announced on Kay’s show. She is a resident GP on BBC Morning Live and BBC Radio Scotland.
Alongside being a practising NHS GP, Punam regularly reports on health news as a broadcaster on TV, radio and national newspapers and has also written her own children’s book with additional books in the pipeline.
Becoming the fifth official contestant, she told Strictly: “This still doesn’t feel real, I am overjoyed to be a contestant on this year’s show. I have watched Strictly every year with my family and it feels extra special that it’s the 20th year, I can’t believe I will be the one getting Strictly-fied now.
“This is so out of my comfort zone, but I’m up for the journey and will give it my absolute all.”
On Monday, JB Gill and blind comedian Chris McCausland, who lost his sight at age 22 due to the hereditary condition Retinitis Pigmentosa, were confirmed for this year’s show on ITV’s This Morning.
Gill, who appeared on the show’s Christmas special in 2012, also follows in the footsteps of his bandmate Aston Merrygold, who starred on the 2017 series when he was partnered with Janette Manrara.
Speaking to hosts Josie Gibson and Craig Doyle, McCausland joked he has “never watched” Strictly and added that he was feeling: “Apprehensive, massively apprehensive.”
He continued: “I don’t know what I’m getting myself into. I’ve never watched it, obviously. It’s just some music. I don’t dance, I have never danced. I grew up with headbanging and mosh pits.”
McCausland lost his sight due to retinitis pigmentosa, a hereditary eye disease, which causes gradual degeneration of the retina.
He said: “If anybody out there is thinking ‘How the hell is he going to do that?’ then rest assured that I am thinking exactly the same thing.
“I don’t dance, I haven’t danced, I can’t dance, I can’t see the dancing I will have to do. What can possibly go wrong? Ok, don’t answer that.”
