By Grace Henry

Published: Thursday, 04 August 2022 at 12:00 am


It’s the most wonderful time of the year – Strictly Come Dancing time!

And we now have the first two contestants confirmed for the Strictly Come Dancing 2022 line-up.

On Thursday 4th August, Will Mellor and Kym Marsh were announced as the first two celebs taking part.

They’ll be hoping to impress the Strictly Come Dancing judges including Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, and Anton Du Beke, and follow in the footsteps of Rose Ayling-Ellis, who was crowned as the 2021 winner alongside her professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice.

Soap fans will recognise Kym Marsh as Corrie’s Michelle Connor, while music fans will remember her as one fifth of pop group Hear’Say, after appearing on Popstars back in the early 2000s.

So, we know she can sing and act – but what’s Kym’s dancing like?

As she joins the 2022 line-up, here’s everything you need to know about Kym Marsh, including why she decided to take part in the BBC One dance competition.

Who is Kym Marsh?

""
BBC

Age: 46

Job: Actress

Instagram: @marsh_kym

Twitter: @msm4rsh

Kym Marsh is quite the triple threat, as an actress, singer and television presenter. She rose to fame in 2001 when she took part on Popstars and earned a place in the group Hear’Say. The band went on to achieve brief success in the UK, before Marsh departed in 2002 to pursue a solo music career. A year later, she released an album titled Standing Tall and it peaked at number nine in the UK.

From 2006 to 2019, she played Michelle Connor in ITV soap Coronation Street. The role saw her win a number of awards, including Best Newcomer at the 2007 British Soap Awards and Best Female Dramatic Performance at the 2017 British Soap Awards.

What has Kym Marsh said about joining Strictly Come Dancing 2022?

As a huge fan of Strictly, Kym can’t wait to get on the dance floor, saying: “I’ve considered doing Strictly for years but the timings never worked out. I’m so delighted that this year they have! I’m a huge fan of the show and can’t believe I’m going to go from watching at home in my pyjamas to actually dancing in front of the judges in a glittery dress, it’s unreal!”

When does Strictly Come Dancing start?

An official start date for the 20th series hasn’t been confirmed just yet, but based on previous years we can make some educated guesses.

Last year, Strictly started with its launch show on Saturday, 18th September, so we expect the 20th series to start around a similar date, possibly on Saturday 17th September.

Strictly Come Dancing 2022 will air on the BBC later this year. Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide to see what’s on tonight.

The latest issue of Radio Times magazine is on sale now – subscribe now and get the next 12 issues for only £1. For more from the biggest stars in TV, listen to the Radio Times podcast with Jane Garvey.