Strictly Come Dancing faces backlash after adding Love Island winner and professional dancer Cach Mercer to its 2026 lineup. Critics argue his dance background gives him an unfair advantage, echoing past controversies. The announcement was also marred by a social media tagging error.
Strictly Come Dancing is currently facing a wave of backlash following the announcement that Cach Mercer, a star from Love Island and a professional dancer, will be joining the 2026 series.
The 25-year-old influencer and model, who won Love Island in 2025, has built a substantial following on TikTok by showcasing his skills in Afrobeat, hip-hop, and street dance. His professional background in dance has immediately drawn criticism from some viewers, who argue that it gives him an unfair advantage over other contestants. This controversy echoes similar criticism faced by previous contestants with dance experience, such as JB Gill and Tasha Ghouri.
Fans have taken to social media to express their discontent, with comments like Had to google who he was, and the first thing that came up was professional dancer!!! wtf @bbcstrictly and extremely unfair on other contestants. Some users also questioned his celebrity status, asking Can we get some proper celebrities? Never heard of him. The official announcement was made on BBC Strictly's social media channels via Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and YouTube.
However, the reveal was marred by an embarrassing error when the show's Instagram post incorrectly tagged the wrong account instead of Cach's. Cach himself noticed the mistake and responded with a humorous GIF of Dwayne Johnson looking confused, while other users quickly pointed out the blunder in the comments. Despite the negative reactions, Cach received support from fellow Love Island alum Tasha Ghouri, who commented, Huge good luck!!
Take it all in and enjoy it, it's the best feeling and experience ever! Tasha had faced similar backlash during her own stint on the show. Cach joins an already high-profile lineup that includes Chris Appleton, Kim Kardashian's celebrity hairstylist; Australian singer Delta Goodrem; WAG Dani Dyer, who is returning after a 2025 injury withdrawal; and actress Lacey Turner from EastEnders. The remainder of the celebrity cast will be announced this summer.
The controversy unfolded alongside another on-air mishap, as Emma Barton seemingly accidentally revealed that radio host Roman Kemp is also set to join the show during an appearance on The One Show. The program returns to screens later this year, with producers likely hoping that the star power of its celebrity participants will offset ongoing debates about competition fairness
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Cach Mercer Joins Strictly Come Dancing 2026 Lineup Amid Social Media BlunderLove Island winner Cach Mercer has been announced as the fifth celebrity contestant for the 2026 series of Strictly Come Dancing. The professional dancer joins a star-studded cast including Chris Appleton, Delta Goodrem, Dani Dyer, and Lacey Turner. The reveal on BBC's social media was marred by tagging the wrong Instagram account, drawing fan commentary. Mercer, known for his TikTok dance content, also models, DJs, and teaches dance. The show returns later this year with more celebrities to be announced. This follows an on-air slip by Emma Barton, who seemed to accidentally reveal Roman Kemp's involvement on The One Show.
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