Strictly Come Dancing Sparks Controversy as Fans Claim New Contestant Has ‘Unfair Advantage’ from Professional Training

STRICTLY Come Dancing fans have shared their outrage after Love Island winner Cach Mercer was announced as the latest star to join the show.

Cach, who , is a 24-year-old model from East London with a background in professional dance.

Strictly fans took issue with Cach Mercer’s professional dance background Credit: BBC He won Love Island with Toni Laites last year Credit: ITV

His social media feed is already littered with dancing videos – with some of them gaining traction before his time in the villa.

Critics accused the BBC dance competition of giving him an “unfair advantage” thanks to his professional training.

“How on earth you signed a professional dancer as a celebrity wtf?” one asked on X.

“Had to Google who he was, and the first thing that came up was ‘professional dancer’!!! wtf?” another asked on Instagram.

The 24-year-old has a social media feed littered with dance videos Credit: ITV Cach is also a model and a DJ Credit: Instagram

“Such an advantage when they’re already dancers! Extremely fair to the other contestants,” someone else raged.

Others defended the reality star, however, with one writing: “Prepare for the, ‘not a celeb if they’ve been on love island’, ‘hes a professional dancer.’

“He came across so lovely and genuine on Love Island and his dancing is worlds away from what they do on Strictly. Think the hardcore fans will be pleasantly surprised. Be curious, not judgemental.”

Another added: “When so many contestants have been to stage school and done musical theatre etc, it is well past time that we stopped calling people out for having previous dance experience.

“It’s still more likely that absolute beginners will do better in the long term as we do love a journey.”

Cach’s , with the TV personality saying: “I have grown up watching the show with my family and am so excited to now be part of the cast.

“Dancing is a huge passion of mine and I can’t wait to learn ballroom and do the foxtrot for the first time!”

He is the second Love Island winner on this year’s cast as Dani Dyer will also appear on the series.

He will join EastEnders legend Lacey Turner, Aussie pop star Delta Goodrem, celebrity hairdresser Chris Appleton and a returning Dani Dyer on the new series, with more names for this year’s line-up set to be unveiled in the forthcoming weeks.

The Sun exclusively revealed last week that newly single X Factor hunk Jake Quickenden is , in – though the Beeb are yet to officially announce them as contestants.

The 2026 series will get underway after a massive show shake-up that saw a number of and of course, a new presenting line-up of Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly last year.

Strictly Come Dancing will by Emma Willis, comedian Josh Widdicombe and pro dancer Johannes Radebe.