Strictly Come Dancing: No replacement for departing Pasha

Strictly's professional dancers perform during last year's final

The professional dancer line-up for the next series of Strictly Come Dancing will be the same as last year's, minus the departing Pasha Kovalev.

No new dancer has been hired to replace him, so there will be 17 professionals for the BBC One show's 17th series.

Kevin Clifton, who won the 2018 series with celebrity partner Stacey Dooley, is among the returnees.

Strictly veteran Anton Du Beke is the only professional from the original series still in the line-up.

The 2019 line-up also includes Kevin's former partner Karen and husband and wife team Katya and Neil Jones.

Katya was embroiled in a scandal during the 2018 series when she was photographed kissing her celebrity partner, comedian Seann Walsh.

Executive producer Sarah James said this year's roster was "full of familiar faces and fan favourites".

"Strictly 2019 promises to continue to wow viewers with unforgettable performances as we welcome this dazzling line-up of pros back to the ballroom," she continued in a statement.

Russian dancer Pasha revealed last month he was leaving the show after eight years, saying it was time for him "to find a new challenge".

Information about which dancers will be partnered with which celebrity contestants will be announced at a later date.

This year's pro dancers in full:

• AJ Pritchard

• Aljaž Škorjanec

• Amy Dowden

• Anton Du Beke

• Dianne Buswell

• Giovanni Pernice

• Gorka Marquez

• Graziano Di Prima

• Janette Manrara

• Johannes Radebe

• Karen Clifton

• Katya Jones

• Kevin Clifton

• Luba Mushtuk

• Nadiya Bychkova

• Neil Jones

• Oti Mabuse