Balvinder Sopal Joins the Line-Up for the New Series of Strictly Come Dancing

EastEnders star confirmed for Strictly

Balvinder Sopal has been announced as the fifth celebrity contestant taking part in the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing. The multi-award-winning BBC Studios entertainment show will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this September.

An accomplished actor with credits across theatre, radio, film, and television, Balvinder is best known for her portrayal of the formidable Suki Kaur Panesar (now Unwin) in EastEnders, a role she has played since 2019. As Suki, she has been central to some of the soap’s most gripping and critically acclaimed storylines — from the dramatic events surrounding “The Six” to her turbulent romance with Eve Unwin.

Prior to joining EastEnders, Balvinder appeared in a range of well-known TV dramas, including a guest lead in Call The Midwife (series seven), Doctors, and Waterloo Road.

Speaking about joining Strictly, Balvinder said:

“Being on Strictly is a dream I’ve held onto without ever knowing if it would come true. To be working on EastEnders and now stepping into the world of Strictly Come Dancing truly is the stuff dreams are made of. I can’t put into words just how thrilled I am — but I can say I’m over the moon at the thought of dancing across that ballroom!”

Her participation was revealed live from Albert Square on 12 August during ITV’s Good Morning Britain. The remaining celebrity contestants for the new series will be announced soon.

Strictly Come Dancing is produced by BBC Studios Entertainment for BBC One and BBC iPlayer, commissioned by Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC. The Executive Producer is Sarah James, with Nicola Fitzgerald and Jack Gledhill as Series Editors, and Jo Wallace as Commissioning Editor.

The glittering dance competition returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer this autumn — and you can add it to your BBC iPlayer watchlist now.