Boxer Nicola Adams to feature in Strictly’s first same-sex couple

The first three celebs to be competing for the 2020 Glitterball trophy, were announced on Tuesday.

And, now, a report has emerged claiming that Nicola Adams, 37, is set to be in Strictly Come Dancing’s FIRST same-sex pairing, in a move many are said to feel is ‘well overdue.’  

The boxer’s rumoured so-called ‘groundbreaking’ inclusion follows months of uncertainty amid the COVID-19 crisis as to whether Strictly would air at all this year.

A source told The Mirror: ‘It’s such an exciting step for us to be taking, and many feel it is well overdue.

‘It’s been talked about for so long, to see it finally happen feels truly ground-breaking and quite emotional.’

When approached by MailOnline, a spokesperson for Strictly Come Dancing said: ‘The rest of the line up will be announced in due course.’

The report about Nicola comes two months after TV insiders teased there could be a male coupling as well as a female one. 

According to The Sun, a source said: ‘This is another intriguing twist in the journey. Everyone assumed producers would simply pair gay pro Johannes Radebe with a male celebrity but they felt that was too obvious.’ 

In July, Westlife’s Mark Feehily, 43, rumoured to have been lined up to be part of Strictly Come Dancing’s first same-sex couple with Johannes.

A source told The Sun at the time: ‘Mark’s a big Strictly fan. Nearly all the celebs are signed up, but the Beeb are keen to make this work and get him on board.’ 

Mark, who came out as gay publicly in 2005, was allegedly approached to be a part of the show’s 2019 series, but had to turn it down as Westlife were set to go on tour at the time.  

In November last year Mark expressed his interest in signing up to Strictly to The Mirror, but only if he was paired up with a man as otherwise it would ‘feel strange’.    

Last year, Johannes danced with Graziano Di Prima last year in a professionals dance on the show as Emeli Sande belted out her latest single.

According to the BBC the dance led to the most complaints they received at the time, as 189 viewers protested to the routine. 

However, the channel rightly embraced its LGBTQ+ audience, as they said in a statement: ‘Strictly Come Dancing is an inclusive show and is proud to have been able to facilitate the dance between Johannes and Graziano during the Professionals’ dance.

‘They are dancers first and foremost, and their sex had no bearing on their routine.’  

Following the dance, Johannes admitted he felt ‘liberated’ and honoured to perform with his best friend in the show’s first all-male routine as he told Hello! Magazine that it made him feel truly ‘accepted’.

Of the groundbreaking routine, he said: ‘I’ve never felt so liberated. For the first time in my life, I feel accepted for who I am.

‘That says so much about the people of this country. To be able to dance with a friend I respect and adore is joyous.

‘There’s bromance galore between us, but there were no male and female roles, just free movement. It was beautiful, classy and elegant.’  

Caroline Quentin, The Wanted’s Max George and Nadine Coyle’s NFL player ex Jason Bell were all confirmed to be taking part in the show, on Tuesday night’s instalment of The One Show.

Other stars rumoured to be taking part are Denise Van Outen and Bill Bailey.

A source told The Sun, of comedian Bill, 55, that: ‘It’s a hard time for live performers so it seemed a good chance for Bill to commit to the show.’  

The professional dancers are pre-recording their big numbers — and they are quarantining in a hotel in Elstree, Herts, before the official launch of the show at the end of this month.

The celebrity contestants will be asked to ‘bubble’ with their dance partners for the duration of the series, which is set to be shorter – nine weeks instead of the normal 13 – and quieter, with no live audience to clap and boo.

The Strictly team are said to be ‘confident’ the show will still be a ratings winner and will attract a stellar calibre of celebrity.  

Judge Bruno Tonioli will be dialling in from Los Angeles for the first five weeks, unable to travel back and forth from his duties at Dancing With The Stars due to the pandemic’s travel rules.

The BBC’s head of entertainment, Kate Phillips, said: ‘Strictly is a slightly shorter run but, apart from that, I don’t think it will be a lesser show at all. If anything, I think this series will be rather special.’  

The 2019 series was won by soap star Kelvin Fletcher and Oti Mabuse, and started on September 21.