Entertainment

Ninth celebrity contestant added to Strictly Come Dancing line-up

The new competitor was unveiled on ITV’s This Morning.
The new competitor was unveiled on ITV’s This Morning. The new competitor was unveiled on ITV’s This Morning.

TV presenter and influencer Matilda “Tilly” Ramsay has joined the line-up of Strictly Come Dancing.

Ramsay, 19, who is the daughter of chef Gordon Ramsay and his wife Tana, is best known for presenting cooking show Matilda And The Ramsay Bunch on CBBC alongside her family.

She joins the previously announced line-up of TV presenter AJ Odudu, Peep Show’s Robert Webb, McFly star Tom Fletcher, Dragons’ Den investor Sara Davies, Coronation Street star Katie McGlynn and BBC Breakfast presenter Dan Walker.

CBBC host Rhys Stephenson and former Bake Off winner John Whaite will also take to the dancefloor in the BBC One series, with Whaite set to compete as part of the show’s first all-male pairing.

Ramsay, who has more than 9.5 million followers on TikTok, where she regularly posts videos of herself with her father, said: “I’m so excited and grateful to be joining the Strictly family!

“I’m always up for fun new challenges and this will be my biggest adventure yet! I’m going to put my heart and soul into this and can’t wait to get my dancing shoes on and show my Dad how it’s really done!

“Bring on the glitz, glamour and sequins!”

Ramsay was unveiled on ITV’s This Morning where she was shown a video message from her parents in which her father warned: “Don’t date those dancers,” and her mother said: “You’re incredibly brave. I’m terrified but so excited for you, good luck.”

The TV presenter is frequently seen dancing with her father in her TikTok videos, and told the programme: “He is always up for it, but he’s definitely not the coach.

“It takes me a good couple of hours to teach him to do it.”

She added she believes he secretly wants to take part in the show, saying: “I think he does but I think he’s been too scared to because, trust me when I say, he’s not the best dancer. Sorry that about, dad.”

Ramsay said she hopes her experience dancing on TikTok might give her a helping hand, adding: “You’ve got to learn them and you’ve got to remember them for the video. But luckily that’s not live or anything, you can do as many takes as you need.

“I’ve tried dancing before when I was much younger. Mum put us all in ballet but we weren’t very good so we were moved into football camp. So it’s definitely not my strength.”