Strictly Come Dancing Tour 2026 – Dates, Tickets and Lineup Guide

The Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour is returning to UK arenas in 2026, bringing the magic of the ballroom directly to audiences across the country. The tour, confirmed by BBC Studios and officially announced through Ticketmaster, will run from 23 January to 15 February 2026, visiting major venues including Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, and London. Tickets are now available for purchase through multiple official channels.

This year’s tour continues a tradition that has seen Strictly’s professional dancers, celebrity contestants, and beloved judges take to the stage each winter since the show’s inception. The 2026 edition promises the same blend of competitive dance routines, live musical performances, and audience interaction that has made these arena shows a staple of the British entertainment calendar.

Is the Strictly Come Dancing Tour 2026 Actually Happening?

Yes, the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2026 is confirmed and tickets are currently on sale. Following its official announcement via BBC Studios and Ticketmaster, the tour has been publicly promoted through the official tour website and multiple ticketing partners.

Tour Snapshot

Key Things to Know

• The tour begins at Birmingham Utilita Arena and concludes at London’s O2 Arena
• Judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, and Craig Revel Horwood will all appear
• Janette Manrara hosts the live shows
• Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin are among the confirmed celebrity-professional pairs
• A Glitterball Trophy is awarded at each performance
• Lewis Cope will miss select early shows due to a prior commitment

Essential Facts

Strictly Come Dancing Tour 2026 Lineup and Performers

The 2026 tour features a blend of Strictly’s established professional dancers paired with celebrities from the most recent television series. BBC Studios has confirmed that the judging panel will include all three regular Strictly judges: Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, and Craig Revel Horwood.

Judges and Host

Shirley Ballas, known as the “Queen of Latin,” serves as the show’s head judge and brings her expertise to the live stage. Anton Du Beke, a long-standing professional dancer who transitioned to the judging panel, returns alongside Craig Revel Horwood, who also serves as director for the tour productions.

Janette Manrara, herself a former Strictly professional dancer, hosts the live shows. Her experience both as a competitor and presenter brings continuity between the television series and the arena experience.

Celebrity and Professional Pairs

Among the confirmed couples, Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin have been announced as participants. The final four celebrity-professional pairs were revealed in a dedicated BBC Studios announcement, though specific names were not detailed in the available sources.

What to Expect from Performances

Each show features “breathtaking ballroom routines” alongside group numbers performed by the entire cast. A live band and vocalists accompany the dancers throughout the performance. The climax of every show involves the awarding of the Glitterball Trophy to one of the competing couples, determined by audience votes and judge scores.

How to Get Tickets for Strictly Tour 2026

Tickets for the Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2026 are available through several official channels. According to announcements from Ticketmaster and the tour’s official website, general sale is now open for select dates including performances in Birmingham, Manchester, and London.

Official Ticket Retailers

• Ticketmaster – primary ticketing partner
• ATG Tickets – official secondary retailer
• Venue box offices – direct purchase at each arena
• strictlycomedancinglive.com – official tour website

For those planning to attend shows at specific venues, direct purchasing through venue websites may offer additional convenience. The Manchester AO Arena and London O2 Arena both list the tour with direct booking options.

Booking Tips

• Matinee performances are denoted by a caret (^) symbol in schedules
• Some venues offer premium seating packages
• Early booking is advisable for popular dates, particularly weekend shows
• Group bookings may be available through venue box offices

Expected Dates and Venues for Strictly Come Dancing 2026 Tour

The tour begins in Birmingham and concludes in London, spanning 11 venues over approximately four weeks. Each location hosts between one and five performances, with multiple showings available on most dates.

Morning and afternoon shows are marked with a caret (^) in official schedules. An asterisk (*) indicates dates where Lewis Cope will not perform due to prior commitments.

The Professionals Tour 2026: A Separate Strictly Experience

Those seeking additional Strictly content should note that Strictly: The Professionals Tour will run separately from April to May 2026. This theatre-based tour features the professional dancers only, without celebrity contestants.

Professionals Tour Lineup

• Julian Caillon
• Luba Mushtuk
• Gorka Márquez
• Alexis Warr
• Neil Jones
• Nancy Xu
• Lauren Oakley
• Kai Widdrington

Professionals Tour Venues and Dates

The Professionals Tour includes live musical accompaniment and dedicated vocalists, with choreography designed specifically for theatre venues rather than arenas.

Historical Context: Strictly Come Dancing Live Tours

The Strictly Come Dancing Live! tour has been a fixture of the British entertainment calendar since the show’s early seasons. According to Wikipedia, these arena events have run annually, bringing together professional dancers, celebrity contestants, and the judging panel for live performances that recreate favourite routines from the television series.

Past tours have followed a consistent format: each winter following the autumn television series, the live show travels to major UK arenas, allowing audiences outside London and the southeast to experience Strictly’s signature blend of ballroom and Latin dance. The Professional Dancers-only spin-off tours began later, providing an alternative product focused on the technical prowess of Strictly’s choreography team.

The format has evolved over the years to include live musical elements, audience participation, and increasingly elaborate stage productions. The 2026 tour continues this tradition while adapting to contemporary venue configurations and audience expectations.

Sources and Official Announcements

Information in this article comes from official announcements and verified ticketing sources. BBC Studios, the production company behind Strictly Come Dancing, published the official confirmation of the 2026 tour dates and lineup additions.

The Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2026 is a UK arena tour running from 23 January to 15 February 2026, featuring celebrities, professional dancers, judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, and Craig Revel Horwood, and hosted by Janette Manrara, with tickets on sale now.

– BBC Studios / Ticketmaster announcement

Additional details were sourced from venue announcements, including dedicated event pages for West End Theatre and the BBC Studios press office.

The Professionals Tour details were verified through Musicals on Tour and Wikipedia’s comprehensive Strictly archive.

What You Need to Know

The Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour 2026 is confirmed and ready for audiences across the UK. Running from 23 January to 15 February, the tour visits 11 venues including Birmingham, Manchester, Glasgow, and London, with tickets available through Ticketmaster, ATG Tickets, and venue box offices.

The judging panel features Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, and Craig Revel Horwood, with Janette Manrara hosting. Celebrity-professional pairs including Layton Williams and Nikita Kuzmin will perform, and audience members can vote for their favourite couples to win the Glitterball Trophy.

For those seeking more dance content, the Strictly: The Professionals Tour runs separately from April to May 2026, visiting theatre venues across the UK. For visitors to London, there are plenty of Things to Do in London alongside your Strictly experience.

Frequently Asked Questions