Strictly Come Dancing 2021 partners: which professionals and contestants from the line up have paired up?

Strictly Come Dancing 2021 aired its launch show on Saturday evening (18 September), revealing which professionals this year’s celebrities had been paired with.

A host of well-known names have signed up to this year’s show, including Olympic champion swimmer Adam Peaty, actress Katie McGlynn and McFly member Tom Fletcher, as well as four new pros joining the cast.

But which professional dancers have the celebrities been partnered with?

Here’s what you need to know.

Who is partnered with who on Strictly Come Dancing 2021?

Saturday’s launch show revealed which professional dancers each celebrity has been partnered with, showing each pair meeting for the first time in locations around the country, before uniting them once again on the dance floor.

Here are the celebrity and professional dancing partnerships for Strictly Come Dancing 2021:

• Robert Webb and Dianne Buswell
• Katie McGlynn and Gorka Marquez
• Rhys Stephenson and Nancy Xu
• Sara Davies and Aljaž Škorjanec
• Dan Walker and Nadiya Bychkova
• Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice
• Adam Peaty and Katya Jones
• AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington
• Greg Wise and Karen Hauer
• Judi Love and Graziano Di Prima
• John Whaite and Johannes Radebe
• Nina Wadia and Neil Jones
• Tom Fletcher and Amy Dowden
• Tilly Ramsay and Nikita Kuzmin
• Ugo Monye and Oti Mabuse

Peep Show star Robert Webb has been partnered with Dianne Buswell, who revealed that their very first dance will be the Cha-Cha to Rasputin.

Former Coronation Street star and current Hollyoaks actress Katie McGlynn will be partnered with Spanish dancer Gorka Marquez, who made last year’s final with Eastenders actress Maisie Smith.

CBeebies presenter Rhys Stephenson will be dancing with Nancy Xu. This is the first time that Nancy has ever had a celebrity dance partner on the show.

Dragons’ Den star Sara Davies has been partnered with Slovenian dancer Aljaž Škorjanec, and BBC Breakfast presenter Dan Walker will be dancing with Nadiya Bychkova.

EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis is the first deaf celebrity ever to compete on Strictly, and has been partnered with Giovanni Pernice.

Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty has been partnered with Katya Jones, and TV presenter AJ Odudu will be dancing with Kai Widdrington, who is a new addition to the Strictly professional dancers.

The Crown actor Greg Wise will be dancing with Karen Hauer, with comedian and Loose Women star Judi Love partnered with Graziano Di Prima.

Great British Bake Off star John Whaite and professional dancer Johannes Radebe are making history on this year’s Strictly as the very first all-male couple.

Former EastEnders actress Nina Wadia has been partnered with Neil Jones, and Mcfly star Tom Fletcher has been paired with Welsh dancer Amy Dowden.

Chef and social media star Tilly Ramsay has been partnered up with Nikita Kuzmin, who is another new addition to this year’s team of professional dancers, and rugby player and TV presenter Ugo Monye will be dancing with reigning champion Oti Mabuse.

When will the first live show of Strictly Come Dancing 2021 take place?

The launch show took place on Saturday 18 September, with the first live show to take place a week later on Saturday 25 September.