From Eurovision to the ballroom: Delta Goodrem makes Strictly Come Dancing debut
Delta Goodrem has made her debut on the BBC dancing competition Strictly Come Dancing, topping off what has been a huge year for the Australian singer!
Back in May, Delta represented Australia at Eurovision in Vienna with her show-stopping performance of Eclipse, finishing in fourth place and securing Australia's best result in 10 years.
She then went on to perform at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games closing ceremony, headlining the event with a five-song medley.
With her eighth studio album, Pure, set for release in November, Delta's appearance on Strictly rounds off what has to be one of the biggest years of her career.
Strictly Come Dancing refresh
Strictly Come Dancing has undergone a bit of a refresh, with broadcaster Emma Willis, comedian Josh Widdicombe and former Strictly professional Johannes Radebe making their presenting debuts.
They take over from long-running hosting duo Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who left the show last year.
The show launched its 24th series last night, with 15 celebrities, artists, sportspeople and household names taking to the stage to reveal their professional dance partners in front of the Strictly studio audience through three specially choreographed group dance routines.
Delta Goodrem was revealed to be partnered with professional dancer Kai Widdrington, who makes his return to Strictly this year.
Who is Kai Widdrington?
Kai Widdrington is an English professional dancer and choreographer. He began dancing at the age of nine and went on to establish himself as a successful competitive ballroom and Latin dancer. In 2010, he won the World Junior Latin American Dance Championship, marking an important milestone in his early career.
Kai first gained wider public recognition in 2012 when he competed on the sixth series of Britain’s Got Talent, reaching the grand final with his dance partner Natalia Jeved.
He continued to develop his professional career in Ireland, joining Dancing with the Stars as a professional dancer in 2017. During his time on the show, he partnered with several celebrities and reached the final, helping to build his reputation as both a performer and dance instructor.
In 2020, Kai appeared in group dance performances on Strictly Come Dancing before officially joining the BBC competition as a professional dancer in 2021.
In his first series, he partnered with television presenter AJ Odudu, with the pair reaching the final before withdrawing due to AJ’s injury. Since then, Kai has become a familiar face on the show, partnering celebrities from television, entertainment and sport.
Kai returns to Strictly for its 24th series this year, partnering with Delta Goodrem.
Delta on Strictly
While introducing this year's contestants, Delta Goodrem was asked about her very busy year.
"We started off the year in the wonderful world of Eurovision representing my country, Australia. Which was profoundly special and I felt a lot of love over here [in the UK] and I was so grateful for all that support.
"Then we sort of hit the road since then. I’ve basically been with suitcases and my piano and my band in a different city every single week at the moment. Well, not now."
She was also asked how she was coping with Strictly so far.
"You know, I’m a real sort of ride-or-die character. I sort of get in there, give it my all, I’m committed and I think that very first day I was ready to go like, let’s go, let’s play. And I think I just got over excited on the first day and my brain didn’t tell me stop. I woke up the next day and I was like, I cannot move."
Delta was also asked about relocating to the UK for the show.
"Oh, it’s really feeling like a home away from home. It’s been so nice for our feet to hit the ground here and be able to find a home. Of course we went to a Sunday roast at the pub."
Where to watch
Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturday nights on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, running through to Christmas. The show is only available to watch in the UK.
The first live show airs next Saturday, September 26, 2026, at 6:15 pm UK time.
For continued updates on all Eurovision Song Contest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, YouTube, Bluesky and Instagram. All the links can be found at: https://linktr.ee/aussievisionnet
