The 2025 season of Strictly Come Dancing may still be months away – but rumours about the line-up for the 23rd season are heating up, with a former contestant from The Apprentice said to be on the list

The Apprentice star Thomas Skinner has been teased as a 2025 Strictly Come Dancing contestant(Image: BBC)

A former star of The Apprentice has reportedly been snapped up for the 2025 season of Strictly Come Dancing – as the countdown to the 23rd season of the show commences. Thomas ­Skinner was a contestant on the BBC’s hit business reality show – fronted by Sir Lord Alan Sugar – in 2019.

The 34-year-old Bosh Beds owner was fired by Lord Sugar during week nine of the 15th season of the show – but his time on BBC One served as a launchpad for the Essex lad to appear in a string of TV shows. So far, he has turned up on shows including Celebrity MasterChef and Michael McIntyre’s The Wheel.

This year, it has been suggested the dad-of-three will hit the ballroom floor as a contestant on the BBC’s long-running dance show, Strictly Come Dancing. While the series initially shunned reality stars as contestants, the barrel started being scraped in 2019 when Made In Chelsea star Jamie Laing was cast on the show.

In the years since, the line up has been filled up with Love Island contestants, The Only Way Is Essex cast members and more. And now Thomas stands to become the first ever contestant from The Apprentice to star on the show.

A source told The Sun on Sunday: “Thomas hasn’t any dancing experience, but he’s up for giving the competition his best shot. Strictly bosses are hoping he’ll get the dads watching. He has a massive following, especially with working-class blokes.

Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke are tipped to return as judges(Image: BBC/Rob Parfitt)

“He’s a huge football fan and enjoys pies and gravy. He’s not a luvvie at all. He’s bound to get his catchphrase ‘Bosh’ on to the show, too.”

The Mirror has contacted representatives of Thomas and the BBC for comment. The 2025 season of Strictly is not expected to get underway until August – however, cast members are signed up in advance to give them time to start training before live shows begin airing.

It may still be several weeks before the celebrity contestants are revealed – however, the 2025 professional dancers have been confirmed. Returning to the dance floor are Nadiya Bychkova, Amy Dowden, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez.

Further professionals Luba Mushtuk, Jowita Przystal, Johannes Radebe, Aljaž Škorjanec, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas, and Vito Coppola are also expected to return.

Australian dance professional Dianne Buswell – who won the 2024 season alongside comedian Chris McCausland – is said to be coming back for more. And there are set to be two brand new faces joining the professionals.

Sarah James, Executive Producer, BBC Studios said in a statement last month: “The excitement is already building ahead of the new series and in addition to welcoming back our fantastic returning Pros, we are looking forward to welcoming two brand new Professional Dancers to the line up who will help bring another unforgettable series of dazzling dance and loads more besides to viewers later in 2025.”

And Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC added: “The Strictly Professional Dancers are the beating heart of the programme, showcasing to viewers in every corner of the UK their world class talent by lighting up the famous Strictly ballroom every Saturday and Sunday night. Here’s to another fab-u-lous series!”

Judges Shirley Ballas, Anton Du Beke, Craig Revel Horwood, and Motsi Mabuse are expected to take up their seats again when the show returns. However, it could be the last time fans see Craig Revel Horwood dishing out scores on the show.

The TV judge previously hinted he would bow out of the show once he turned 60 – an age that he reached earlier this year.