Following the success of deaf Rose Ayling-Ellis and Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, bosses are dying to have a celebrity wheelchair user for this year’s show
Strictly is set to feature a celebrity wheelchair user for the first time in this year’s series lineup, The Mail on Sunday is able to reveal.
BBC bosses are currently looking for a star to take part as the popular Saturday night dance competition continues to be the most inclusive on TV.
They were originally hoping to make it last year, but producers ran out of time to train a professional dancer for the celebrity couple, so they had to postpone it until the upcoming series.
The decision comes after the popularity of the show’s first deaf contestant, EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, who won the 2022 competition, and Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, who made it to week six last year.
A BBC source revealed: “This is an extremely challenging project but one that the bosses of Strictly think will be worth it and believe it will be absolutely brilliant.
The push for another inclusion comes after the popularity of Paralympic swimmer Ellie Simmonds, who made it to week six last year
The decision comes after the popularity of the show’s first deaf contestant, EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, who won the 2022 competition
“This is another example of how progressive and inclusive the program is. Not only will it create some wonderful TV moments, but it will also provide an amazing opportunity for someone in a wheelchair.
“The original plan was for it to happen last year, but the logistics are very difficult and getting a professional dancer trained and ready to take on this meant more work than originally anticipated, so postponing it was the sensible thing to do for a year.
“There’s so much excitement about this on the BBC right now.”
In 2018, Strictly aired a group routine in which their pros teamed up with wheelchair-bound dancers from the inclusive Candoco Dance Company.
They performed on David Bowie’s Life On Mars in a routine choreographed by the show’s former judge Arlene Phillips.
A BBC source revealed: “This is an extremely challenging project but one that the bosses of Strictly think will be worth it and believe it will be absolutely brilliant
The dancers performed to David Bowie’s Life On Mars in a routine choreographed by the show’s former judge Arlene Phillips
The dancers say it would be a huge advantage if the celebrity is fit because they need to have a strong upper body
Experts predict the disabled contestant could leave his chair to perform on the ballroom floor
Wheelchair users used to be included in larger group routines, but one celebrity made individual appearances weekly
Wheelchair dance experts speculate that routines will involve spinning around in the chairs rather than the usual pirouettes.
They also predict that the disabled contestant could leave their chair to perform on the ballroom floor.
The experts also say that it would be a huge benefit if the celebrity is fit as he needs to have a strong upper body to work alongside his professional partner.
Wheelchair dancing has become increasingly popular in the UK over the past decade.
Wheelchair dance experts speculate that routines will involve spinning around in the chairs rather than the usual pirouettes
Deaf contestant Rose Ayling-Ellis and her partner Giovanni Pernice with the Glitterball trophy during the Strictly Come Dancing 2021 finals
Paula Moulton and Gary Lyness became Britain’s first and only high profile Latin American wheelchair dance sport couple and compete for Team GB in Para Dance at IPC level. In 2018, they ranked eighth in the world in Latin.
In 2020, Strictly had its first same-sex couple, pairing Olympic boxers Nicola Adams and Katya Jones together, and the following year it was the men’s turn as pro star Johannes Radebe danced with Great British Bake Off star John Whaite.
A spokesman for Strictly declined to comment.