Culture

Melanie Walters says she’s trying to ‘keep everything together’ after major Strictly spoilers leaked

11 Sep 2026 3 minute read

Amelia Jones

Gavin and Stacey star Melanie Walters talks about preparing for her first dance on Strictly Come Dancing after filming launch show.

In an appearance on BBC’s Morning Live Walters spoke to hosts Gethin Jones and Michelle Ackerley about the excitement surrounding the launch show.

She said: “I’m so excited, so excited, it’s unbelievable. Really, I’m trying to keep everything together.”

When asked about how her training was going, Walters added: “We haven’t done an awful lot to be honest with you. We’ve done some group dances and we have recorded the launch show. So, that’s all we’ve done. We haven’t started training yet, so that’s gonna start on Monday… I can’t wait actually.”

Walters’ appearance comes just days after the Strictly pairings were reportedly leaked online by a fan on X ahead of the launch show.

The leak prompted frustration among some fans, who had been waiting to find out which professional dancers had been paired with this year’s celebrities when the BBC officially unveiled the line-up.

One viewer commented: “Not happy with this being leaked.”

Another said: “Come on guys, we didn’t have long to wait!”

When presenter Jones asked whether she knew who her partner was yet, she replied: “I’m literally not saying anything! No, no, no, no.”

In a return to how the show used to reveal the pairings, each star and pro will discover who they are partnered with in front of a studio audience. However, this year in a new twist, they will be revealed via three specially-choreographed group dance routines.

Walters said: “Actually, it’s a very exciting way to find out who are people’s partners. I won’t give too much away, but it’s a really different way of finding things out, and it was a great idea.”

Swansea-born Walters has enjoyed a celebrated career across television, film, radio and theatre over several decades. Her television credits include Coronation Street, Beyond Paradise, Being Human, Hollyoaks, Biff and Chip and Doc Martin, while her film work includes Submarine, Resistance, High Tide and Save the Cinema.

She has also appeared on stage in productions including The Importance of Being Earnest, Blood Brothers, Twelfth Night, Educating Rita and What’s New Pussycat?

However, since 2007, Walters has been best known for her much-loved role as the mild-mannered and omelette-obsessed Gwen West in the BBC comedy Gavin & Stacey. She reprised the role for the show’s hugely successful Christmas special in 2024.
More recently, viewers have seen Walters in two series of the BBC drama-comedy Death Valley.

Speaking when her Strictly involvement was announced, Walters said she was thrilled to finally swap her pantomime performances for the ballroom.

She said: “Performing in Pantomime for the last 15 years, my Strictly ‘fix’ has always been watching in a dressing room rather than my front room.

“This year I am completely thrilled and happy to swap my fairy wand for sequinned dance shoes. I just hope I don’t follow Cinderella and leave one on the Ballroom stairs.

“I cannot wait to take part in this absolutely iconic show, it’s so exciting. See you in September!”

With training now set to begin, Walters will soon find out just how challenging her first Strictly routine will be as she prepares to step onto the dancefloor for the first time.

You can watch the full interview on BBC iPlayer here.

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