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Strictly Come Dancing bosses are pressing on with securing this year’s line-up and Australian singer Delta Goodrem is among the first stars rumoured to have signed up.
The 41-year-old singer has been on the producers’ wishlist “for years”, according to reports.
A source told the Daily Mail: “It is all but a done deal. They’ve been trying to get her for years. Obviously, she is a good name for the show.”
The Independent has contacted Delta Goodrem’s representatives and the BBC for comment.
The vocalist signed her first record contract in the early 2000s and had a string of hits in her native Australia, with her debut album Innocent Eyes also reaching number two in the UK chart.
Goodrem will represent Australia in Austria next month (Getty Images)
She went on to sell more than nine million albums, topping the charts in eight countries, and also starred as Nina Tucker in Neighbours.
Goodrem has already had a busy start to the year, having been confirmed to represent Australia at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest, which her home country has competed in since 2015.
Goodrem, who will perform new song “Eclipse” at the competition in Vienna next month, said she feels “honoured” to be representing Australia.
“As a singer-songwriter, music has been my lifelong passion,” she added. “I’ve always loved the creativity, individuality, and joy Eurovision brings, connecting and uniting people across the globe through music; the universal language.
“I can’t wait to arrive in Vienna and make Australia proud.”
Strictly bosses are midway through a shake-up of the show and recently announced the departures of four long-serving professional dancers: Karen Hauer, Luba Mushtuk, Nadiya Bychkova and Michelle Tsiakkas.
Tsiakkas was paired with ‘EastEnders’ actor Jamie Borthwick in 2024 (BBC)
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In her first interview following her exit, Tsiakkas – who was given a celebrity partner just once during her four years on Strictly – said she was told the news “out of the blue” and over Zoom.
“It felt like my world was falling apart, my dream was shattered. I gave my everything to the show for the four years – it was my whole life,” she said.
Strictly bosses are also yet to announce the replacements for hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, who bowed out at the end of last year’s series.
Both hosts were involved with ‘Strictly’ for more than 20 years (BBC)
A number of big names have been linked to the presenting roles, with Alison Hammond recently revealing that she turned one of the jobs down.
Speaking to Radio Times, Hammond explained: “I’m so busy, babes, that I’m not sure it’s going to happen. It’s unrealistic. I’m so happy they considered me but, like Traitors, I can’t do it because everything clashes.”
Other stars rumoured to be in the running include Hammond’s former This Morning colleague Holly Willoughby and ex-It Takes Two host Zoe Ball.