Dust off your dancing shoes out because Strictly Come Dancing is back tonight.

We have been counting down the days until we'll see all our favourite celebrities embrace the sequins to compete for the glitterball trophy. 

Over the past few weeks, we have been following every Strictly announcement obsessively.

Everything you need to know, from when it is on and how to watch it to what famous faces and professional dancers will be taking to the ballroom, is here.

Bournemouth Echo: Tess Daly at Claudia Winleman returns as Strictly hosts on Saturay. Credit: PATess Daly at Claudia Winleman returns as Strictly hosts on Saturay. Credit: PA

When is the new series of Strictly Come Dancing on?

The popular BBC show returns to our screens tonight ( Saturday 19 September) at 7.45pm. 

Join hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman on BBC One.

Or you can catch it on demand on BBC Iplayer.

Who are this year's Strictly celebrities?

Bournemouth Echo: Stricly 2021celebrity line up. Credit: PAStricly 2021celebrity line up. Credit: PA

In an interview with Good Morning Britain, former Strictly judge Len Goodman described this year's celerbity line up as a "“lovely, eclectic mix of all sorts of people”.

This year's celebrities include BBC Breakfast presenter Dan Walker, Great Briitsh Bake Off winner John Whaite, EastEnders actor Nina Wadia, comedian Robert Webb, and swimmer Adam Peaty all vying for the Glitterball trophy.

This is the full list of Strictly Come Dancing contestants this year:

Check out our full list to get to know all the contestants before tonight's show.

Who are the 2021 professional dancers?

Bournemouth Echo: The 2021 professional dancers. Credit: PAThe 2021 professional dancers. Credit: PA

We will to wait until tonight to know who our famous faces are partnered with. 

To try and tie you over until then, let us introduce you to this year's professional dancers.

Strictly is back to full capacity with 15 couples this year after producers reduced the number of couples for Covid 19 safety reasons last year.

As ever, we will get too see our fave pro daners perform again but they will be joined will couple of new faces too.

The returning pro dancers are:

  • Aljaž Škorjanec
  • Amy Dowden
  • Dianne Buswell
  • Giovanni Pernice
  • Gorka Marquez
  • Graziano Di Prima
  • Johannes Radebe
  • Karen Hauer
  • Katya Jones
  • Luba Mushtuk
  • Nadiya Bychkova
  • Nancy Xu
  • Neil Jones
  • and Oti Mabuse.

The new pro dancers are:

  • Kai Widdrington ( formerly Dancing With The Stars Ireland)
  • Nikita Kuzmin ( Let’s Dance Germany)
  • Cameron Lombard ( South Africa's reigning Latin champion)
  • Jowita Przystal ( winner of the Greatest Dancer 2020)

Who are the judges?

Bournemouth Echo: Anton Du Beke is the new Strictly judgeAnton Du Beke is the new Strictly judge

The judges panel will also see a shake up this year with fan favourite Anton Du Beke picking up his judging panel this year.

Du Beke will take over for the eccentric Bruno Tonioli.

Bruno is unable to take part in 2021's show due to ongoing Covid travel and quarantine restrictions.

What about It Takes Two?

Alongside Rylan Clark, pro dancer Janette Manrara will be the new host of It Takes Two. 

Manrara will replace former presenter Zoe Ball who stepped down from presenting the BBC Two show earlier this year.

Strictly Come Dancing starts on BBC One on Saturday September 18 at 7.45pm.