Strictly Come Dancing confirms Adam Thomas for 2023 line-up

The Emmerdale and Waterloo Road star is the latest name to join this year’s season.

By Patrick Cremona

Published: Tuesday, 08 August 2023 at 10:06 AM

This year’s Strictly Come Dancing line-up is really beginning to take shape now, and the eighth name to be confirmed as a contestant for the beloved ballroom contest is actor and presenter Adam Thomas.

Thomas joins a host of names including Amanda Abbington, Angela Rippon, Layton Williams, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Eddie Kadi, Angela Scanlon and Zara McDermott, each of whom will be desperate to dance their way to the coveted Glitterball trophy when the season launches.

Thomas will no doubt be hoping to fare as well with the public as he did on his last major reality show appearance – when he came third in the 2016 season of I’m a Celebrity.

But the self-confessed dancing novice will have to get practising along with his partner from the Strictly professional dancer line-up if he is to impress judges Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke.

Read on for everything you need to know about Adam Thomas.

Who is Adam Thomas?

Age: 34

Job: Actor and TV presenter

Instagram: @adamthomas21

Twitter: @adamthomas21

Thomas is an actor and TV presenter best known for his roles as Adam Barton on Emmerdale – who he played from 2009 until 2018 – and as Donte Charles in both the original and rebooted versions of Waterloo Road.

He’s no stranger to the reality TV circuit, having appeared on the 2016 season of I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, where he finished in third place.

He then returned to the jungle as co-host of the companion season I’m a Celebrity: Extra Camp in 2019, which helped launch a presenting career that has since seen him front the travel series Absolutely India: Mancs in Mumbai and the podcast Mancs on the Mic, both alongside his brothers Ryan and Scott.

What has Adam Thomas said about joining Strictly 2023?

Speaking after his participation in the 2023 season was confirmed, Thomas said: “I am so excited to be joining the cast of this year’s Strictly Come Dancing. I’ve been such a big fan of the show for years, I can’t believe I’m actually doing it!”

He added: “I can’t dance to save my life but I’m buzzing to learn and have a good laugh with my pro. Get me on that dance floor…I can’t wait!”