An X Factor winner is said to have joined the cast of Strictly Come Dancing 2024.
There isn’t long to go until the BBC series begins again, with this year marking its 20th anniversary.
The programme has been marred by controversy in recent months, after professional dancer Giovanni Pernice faced allegations of being ‘nasty’ and ‘bullying’ from his former celebrity partner Amanda Abbington, which he has denied.
Fellow pro Graziano Di Prima was alleged to have ‘kicked’ his partner Zara McDermott in rehearsals, with the professional dancer saying in statement that he ‘regretted’ the actions that led to his departure from the show. Both Giovanni and Graziano are no longer in the line-up of professional dancers on the series.
In the lead-up to the 2024 season, rumours have been swirling around which celebrities could be taking part – and the latest claim is that X Factor winner and Coronation Street star Shayne Ward is set to take to the dancefloor.
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A source said: ‘Shayne is a previous winner of an audience-voted talent show so will have high hopes of doing it again. He is excited to begin training.
They continued to The Sun: ‘He has some dancing experience so could be a contender for the glitterball trophy.
‘He also has a whopping fan base from his years as a Coronation Street hunk.’
After winning the second series of The X Factor in 2005, Shayne, 39, went on to achieve chart-topping success.
He then went on to enter the world of acting, playing Aidan Connor on Coronation Street from 2015 until 2018, as well as making a voiceover appearance in 2021.
In addition to Shayne, other celebrities who have been rumoured to be taking part in Strictly 2024 have included Hannah Waddingha, Pete Wicks and Nick Knowles.
He also participated in Dancing On Ice in 2013, becoming the fifth celebrity contestant to be eliminated with his skating partner Maria Filippov.
Metro.co.uk has contacted the BBC for comment. Shayne Ward’s representative declined to comment.
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