Strictly Come Dancing has announced Gladiators star and Olympic sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey as the first celebrity contestant to join the 2025 series.
Aikines-Aryeetey, known as Nitro to Gladiators fans, appeared on the BBC’s Newsround on Monday (11 August) to announce he will be joining the dancing show.
“I’m so excited to be part of the Strictly family this series and I’m ready to give it all I’ve got,” the 36-year-old said.
The athlete, a former Team GB sprinter, joined Gladiators in 2023, and took part in last year’s Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special partnered with Nancy Xu.
He has competed at two Olympic Games and is a three-time European champion and two-time Commonwealth champion. He became the first athlete to win gold medals at both 100 and 200 metres at the World Youth Championships and was a recipient of the 2005 BBC Young Sports Personality of the Year, aged 17, in 2005.
He follows in the footsteps of his Gladiators co-star Montell Douglas, who appeared on last year’s 20th anniversary series of Strictly.
Strictly Come Dancing airs on BBC One and iPlayer from September through to December.
More to follow….
