Letitia Dean is said to have agreed to take part in BBC One TV show, Strictly Come Dancing to help her recover from her recent marriage break-up.

Letitia, who is best known as Sharon from Eastenders, recently split from her husband of five years, Jason Pethers.

A friend told the Daily Star Sunday: “Strictly Come Dancing is a chance for Letitia to move on and look to the future. She’s a great actress and a big star. I’m sure she’ll be a massive success on the show. She certainly deserves it.”

Strictly Come Dancing stars have all been offered a flat fee of £25,000 in a bid to end pay disputes.

This will mean that stars like Kelly Brook, who is known worldwide, will receive the same money as Gethin Jones who is a mere Blue Peter presenter.

A BBC insider said last night: “If celebrities find out someone is getting much more than them, it causes tensions. Some have kicked up a big fuss. Read more & comment »

Kicking of the new series on Saturday 29 September at 6pm, BBC One will be screening a 50-minute documentary introducing all of the fantastic new contestants, as well as revisiting some of the old favourites, to discover exactly what it’s like to be a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing.

After months of speculation, the programme documents the first time the celebs meet their professional dancing partners.

How will ladies’ man Brendan react to the news he’ll be dancing with the beautiful Kelly Brook? Is Karen hoping she’ll be dancing her way to the final again with ex-Coronation Street star Brian Capron? Read more & comment »

I just saw these new Strictly Come Dancing trailers today on BBC One and I have to say, they really put me in the dancing mood.

The BBC’s new trailers are getting better and better, I loved the recent Mitchell sister trailers for Eastenders, but these SCD ones have to be the best yet!

Roll On October!

Come on boys! You might not like ballroom dancing but I bet you tune in to this years series of Strictly Come Dancing in your millions to see Kelly Brook’s revealing costumes week after week.

The Sun has reported today that Kelly has had a flesh coloured leotard made up for one weeks costume, with only well placed sequins to protect her dignity.

A BBC source revealed: “Kelly’s got an amazing figure — the dress designer was very keen to show it off.

“She will be flaunting all her best bits on camera.” Read more & comment »

We all know that Strictly Come Dancing dancer and former Love Island contestant, Brendan Cole is something of a ladies man. It is common knowledge that in the first SCD series, Brendan split up with his partner Camilla Dallerup in order to embark on an affair with his new dance partner, news reader Natasha Kaplinsky.

Well if we know, you can bet that Brendan’s latest dance partner Kelly Brook has heard the rumours, yet when questioned about her relationship with Brendan she said:

“He hasn’t really played up too much.

“He hasn’t met Billy [Zane] yet. I’m sure we’re going to have lots of fun.” Read more & comment »

Not many of us will forget the face of Brian Capron, aka Richard Hilman from Coronation Street.

Although he has appeared in numerous shows since leaving the ITV soap, he will always be best remembered as murderer Hillman, who killed Maxine Peacock with a crowbar.

However, Richard hopes that we can put our loathing to one side while he trips the light fantastic on this years series of Strictly Come Dancing.

“There are a lot of people who still think I’ve got a crowbar in my trousers,” Richard told the Manchester Evening News. “Naturally I think it’s an opportunity for people to see the real me.

“This seems to be the best reality programme because it’s a real challenge, a lot of fun and all my family and friends seem to love it.” Read more & comment »

Gabby Logan (professional partner is James Jordan)

A former international gymnast, Gabby Logan’s career came to notice when she fronted On The Ball for ITV in 1998. After a career with ITV which included her presenting the Premiership, the World Cup coverage, the Rugby World Cup and UEFA Champions League Football coverage, Gaby moved to the BBC in January 2007.

Gabby now fronts Inside Sport and also presents the Gabby Logan show on BBC Radio 5 Live. Gabby’s life is dominated by sport on and off the screen – as well as being married to former Scotland international rugby player and fellow celebrity dancer Kenny Logan, she is the daughter of former Wales international football player and manager Terry Yorath.

Read more & comment »

Penny Lancaster-Stewart (professional partner is Ian Waite)

Penny is a freelance photographer, model and actress. After finding success as a model Penny decided to take a photography course and after graduating undertook assignments for magazines and newspapers.

She followed this with fashion and beauty assignments for women’s magazines as well as numerous features for Australian magazines.

During 2005, Penny made her highly successful West End debut in Tonight’s The Night. This was followed by a television role playing opposite Neil Morrissey in Elixir Man. Penny is married to rock star Rod Stewart and they have one child.

Read more & comment »

Kate Garraway (professional partner is Anton Du Beke)

Kate is a presenter on GMTV and anchors both The News Hour and GMTV Today. Kate joined GMTV in September 2000. Her career started in BBC Radio as a reporter. She later moved to work as a production journalist and reporter with Central Television News, Meridian, BBC News 24 and Sky.

She has also presented the ITV cookery programme Too Many Cooks and has appeared on BBC Two’s Never Mind the Buzzcocks. This year Kate became a questioner grilling contestants for the BBC National Lottery show The People’s Quiz.

Read more & comment »

Alesha Dixon (professional partner is Matthew Cutler)

Alesha’s career began in 1999 when she was one third of the trio that became popular UK garage/R&B girl band, Mis-Teeq. Alesha went on to guest present the music shows CD:UK and CD:UK Hotshots for ITV.

Alesha is a popular TV personality and this year was one of the presenters of the ITV2’s Brit Awards coverage. She also appeared as a guest judge on Comic Relief Does Fame Academy and Channel 4’s reality TV show Musicool.

Alesha starts shooting her first film Milestones in March 2008, where she will star alongside Alex Kingston (ER) and Brian Cox (X-Men).

Read more & comment »

Letitia Dean (professional partner is Darren Bennett)

Letitia is best known for her long running role as Sharon Watts in popular BBC soap EastEnders.

After leaving EastEnders in 1995, Letitia went on to star in numerous theatre and television productions including: The Hello Girls, Casualty, Doctors, The Bill, Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married, Drop The Dead Donkey and the 1995 film England, My England.

Six years after her initial exit from EastEnders Letitia was lured back to the soap where she reprised the role of Sharon Watts from 2001 to 2004 and again from 2005 to 2006.

In 2005, Letitia was presented with the coveted award for outstanding achievement at the Inside Soap Awards, as homage to her work in EastEnders in which she has been starring for over 20 years, since the age of 17.

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Kelly Brook (professional partner is Brendan Cole)

Kelly is famous for her successful career in presenting, acting and modelling. Her breakthrough into mainstream presenting came in 1999 when she was chosen to present The Big Breakfast alongside Johnny Vaughan.

After leaving The Big Breakfast Kelly went on to present reality television programme Celebrity Love Island.

She landed her first Hollywood role in The (Mis) Adventures Of Fiona Plum, and was then offered the role of Victoria Hardwick, girlfriend of Clark Kent/Superman’s best friend Lex Luthor, in Smallville.

Kelly’s first starring role in a feature film was in 2004 when she played Italian seductress Sophia in School For Seduction. She has gone on to play lead roles in House Of 9 with Dennis Hopper, Absolon with Christopher Lambert, Three with Billy Zane and Fishtales where she plays a Mermaid.

She has also starred in a Miss Marple drama for ITV and this year she was a guest star in BBC Television drama Hotel Babylon.

Stephanie Beacham (professional partner is Vincent Simone)

Stephanie Beacham trained at RADA (Royal Academy of Dramatic Art) and began a career in modelling before a prolific and enduring acting career in television, film and theatre. She is best known for her role as Sable Colby in the popular Eighties soaps Dynasty and The Colbys.

More recently she has starred in popular ITV prison drama Bad Girls and recently played the part of Felcity Wentworth in the feature film Love And Other Disasters alongside Brittany Murphy, Catherine Tate, Matthew Ryhs, Gwyneth Paltrow and Orlando Bloom.

Willie Thorne (professional partner is Erin Boag)

Willie Thorne is a former professional snooker player, commentator and the current World Seniors Snooker Champion.

Throughout his playing career, he has been showered with success, gaining a total of no fewer than 14 tournament victories worldwide.

Willie is the World Record holder of the highest number of 147 breaks in the history of snooker (190) earning him the nickname “Mr Maximum”.

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