Strictly Come Dancing: Greg Rutherford, Lesley Joseph and Tameka Empson to compete

[dutchman]

Long jump star Greg Rutherford, Birds of a Feather's Lesley Joseph and EastEnders actress Tameka Empson have completed this year's Strictly Come Dancing line-up.



World champion long jumper Rutherford has just returned from the Olympics in Rio where he picked up a bronze medal.

He joked: "This is definitely a long jump from my day job, for sure."

Joseph said she was both "scared and excited and apprehensive and thrilled" while Empson said it was "a dream".

Rutherford, Joseph and Empson join singer Anastacia, BBC Breakfast's Naga Munchetty, former shadow chancellor Ed Balls, model Daisy Lowe, former Hollyoaks actor Danny Mac and Kiss FM DJ Melvin Odoom on the show.

Singers Louise Redknapp and Will Young, presenters Ore Oduba and Laura Whitmore; gymnast Claudia Fragapane and "Judge" Robert Rinder have also been announced.

"Strictly is an iconic show and I have always loved the glamour and the dedication and the entertainment, and this year it suddenly seemed right to take part," Joseph said.

Rutherford added that "taking to the Strictly ballroom is like nothing I have ever done before," while Empson revealed she had "been waiting for years to take part in Strictly".

The last batch of celebrity dancers was announced on Monday night's One Show.

Strictly Come Dancing - The Launch Show will be broadcast on BBC One on Saturday 3 September when the 15 celebrity contestants will discover which professional dancer they will be paired with for the series.