YouTuber and content creator George Clarke is up next.

He’ll be dancing the American Smooth with his partner Alexis Warr to Stargazing by Myles Smith.

Adam Goldsmith
Live reporter

Journalist Ross King is no stranger to the glitz and glamour of showbiz, but says he hopes his partner is respectful of his age as she plans their routines.

He says, "I thought about having a hip op" when told of plans for an ambitious "hip pop" during this week's effort by his partner Jowita.

Even so, we're told Ross needs to rein in his excitement as he’s keen to get all the moves right.

Entering on a slide in a holiday resort shirt, the theme is Hollywood as Ross and his partner twirl and quickstep to Katy Perry's California Gurls.

"We had so many things for me that were off," Shirley says, to boos from some of the audience.

Anton says the performance was "uplifting", but adds there was "quite a lot going wrong down below".

Now, the scores:

Craig: 2

Motsi: 3

Shirley: 2

Anton: 3

There's another Cha Cha Cha coming up, as Ross King and Jowita Przystal arrive in the ballroom for the first time.

They'll be performing to California Gurls by Katy Perry next.

Adam Goldsmith
Live reporter

Before we see our next star, Lewis Cope, Craig is warned by Tess that Lewis has got 13 siblings - many of them are boxers.

Now part of the Strictly family, Lewis’s lively jive begins with some quick footwork and a performance of the splits mid-jump.

There are even symmetrical cartwheels in what is a very fast-paced and sequin-studded routine.

“You’re very good, darling,” even Craig admits.

Shirley agrees there was “plenty to like”, but suggests “sometimes less is more” and says they should tone down the choreography.

Here are the scores:

Craig: 7

Motsi: 7

Shirley: 7

Anton: 7

Emmerdale's Lewis Cope is set for a Jive with his partner Katya Jones now.

The Temptations' song Get Ready will be the couple's musical number.

Adam Goldsmith
Live reporter

Vito tells us the "cheekiness" of the Cha Cha Cha makes it the perfect first dance for Ellie.

And the actress is given the stage to herself to strut her stuff - with plenty of booty shaking - as the performance gets under way.

In a tasselled silver dress, the star then follows her partner around the stage to the sounds of Ariana Grande before ticker tape and confetti mark the end of the performance.

"Ellie our cover girl," Motsi exclaims. "What a vibe."

"You were like a bright star," Shirley agrees.

Keen as ever to disagree, Craig calls the performance "stompy".

Now for the scores:

Craig: 4

Motsi: 4

Shirley: 4

Anton: 5

Actress Ellie Goldstein is ready to make history as the show's first contestant with Down's syndrome.

She and her partner Vito Coppola will be hoping to set the room alight as they Cha Cha Cha to Yes, And? by Ariana Grande.

Adam Goldsmith
Live reporter

Neighbours veteran Stefan Dennis says both he and his partner "have that Aussie attitude" as they head into this week's performance.

The pair's Foxtrot routine is set in quirky fashion to the Neighbours theme tune, and it's a very civil affair as they glide across the stage arm-in-arm.

It may be a little slower than some of the routines we've seen, but it's clear the two have "become good friends" - they even extend the goodwill to the judges by giving them a hug to round off the routine.

Anton calls the performance "seamless", and congratulates the couple on their effort.

Craig says the dance "lacked any swing and sway", though admits he doesn't expect this on day one.

Head judge Shirley says she doesn't agree with Craig "at all" and calls it the best performance of the night so far.

The scores are in:

Craig: 4

Motsi: 6

Shirley: 6

Anton: 6

It's time now for the Neighbours-Strictly crossover you never knew you needed.

Stefan Dennis and his partner Dianne Buswell have even chosen the show's popular theme tune - composed by Barry Crocker - as the accompaniment for their first Foxtrot together.

Don’t forget, Diane is making history with this performance being the first dancer on the programme to compete while pregnant.

Adam Goldsmith
Live reporter

Unsurprisingly - given his status as a former Commonwealth sprinter and now Gladiator - Harry Aikines-Aryeetey’s video makes it clear his sizeable muscles will have an impact on his dancing.

It’s a fast start, as Harry and his partner dance to the soundtrack of Salt-N-Pepa’s Push It.

There are even a few press-ups on display, as the athlete shows his strength by lifting his partner in the air astride his back.

There are some tears when Harry finishes, admitting: "This time last year I didn't think I'd be able to do anything like that," after suffering an injury.

Craig says "it was too boogie nights, and all strut" - then warns Harry that press-ups are not a common feature of a Cha Cha Cha.

Motsi tells him to "keep up the enthusiasm", adding: "It was so entertaining".

And before we get the scores, Harry even does a press-up with Anton on his back - let’s see if that boosts his points:

Craig: 4

Motsi: 5

Shirley: 5

Anton: 5

We're seeing our first Cha Cha Cha of the evening.

This time it's former sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey - also known as Gladiator Nitro - and his partner Karen Hauer.

They're going to be dancing the Cha Cha Cha to Push It by New York hip-hop group Salt-N-Pepa.

So, we know the scores for the first two couples - but what does that actually mean? A little bit of data from last year’s series might give us a clue.

• In the first week last year, the average score was 22.6
• The highest score was 30 - two couples managed that
• Meanwhile, the lowest score definitely had some room for improvement - 12, which was, er, achieved by Toyah Wilcox and Neil Jones

And don’t panic if your favourite couple have been a bit underwhelming this evening - last year’s winners, Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell, only managed 23 in week one of series 22.

Adam Goldsmith
Live reporter

Not quite sure why a four-legged friend joined the next pair for rehearsals - let's see if it helps Alex make the transition from acting to the ballroom floor.

It's certainly a dramatic start as Alex sways around her suited partner in a long red dress.

The jazzy sounds of Cry Me a River add a touch of Bond to the performance, and there's another standing ovation as this year's second act finishes.

"It was really good," Anton responds as the pair catch their breath, though he adds there wasn't quite enough "in hold".

Craig, in typical fashion, calls the performance "lumpy", but does accept that the dance was "full of intent".

Here's the scores:

Craig: 4

Motsi: 6

Shirley: 5

Anton: 6

The first Waltz of this year's contest is about to be performed by actress Alex Kingston and Joahannes Radebe.

Michael Buble's Cry Me a River will accompany the pair across the ballroom floor.

Adam Goldsmith
Live reporter

Chris looked a little unnerved during the VT when Nadiya showed the ex-rugby international how to trade scrums for a samba.

But, credit where it’s due – he’s given it a decent go.

Dressed head-to-toe in black, with the number 7 emblazoned on his back, Nadiya sweeps the star around the ballroom in a blur of hip action.

He throws his fists triumphantly in the air, and the pair beam as they soak up a standing ovation – but what will the judges make of this curtain-raiser?

“Those hips were there,” says Motsi.

Shirley reckons all the right ingredients are present, but points out “there were some timing issues”.

Craig, never one to sugar-coat, says “it lacked any fluidity” – and is promptly booed by the crowd.

Now for the all-important scores:

Craig: 3

Motsi: 4

Shirley: 3

Anton: 4

So, we know the celebrities, we know their dance partners. But what about the music? What will they be dancing to?

Don’t worry - no spoilers unless you want them.

If you’d rather keep the suspense alive and don’t want to know who will be Cha Cha-ing, Jiving or Foxtrotting - or what Dave Arch and his band will be playing - you can simply sit tight and watch the show along.

But if you fancy a sneak peek at the song and dance list, we’ve got it ready for you.

Former England rugby international Chris Robshaw is heading to the dancefloor for a Samba.

He and his partner Nadiya Byckova will be dancing to Unbelievable by EMF in the next few moments.

Let’s take a closer look at the all-star panel in Strictly Come Dancing.

Shirley Ballas: Became head judge in 2017, after a dancing career that saw her win nearly every major title she competed in. She remains the youngest ever female to reach the British Open to the World Dance Championship finals.

Motsi Mabuse: The South African professional dancer joined the glittering panel in 2019 after appearing on Germany’s equivalent, Let’s Dance.

Craig Revel Horwood: On the contest since the very first series in 2004, and renowned for leaving celebrities in absolutely no doubt when he witnesses “a dance di-sah-ster dahling”.

Anton Du Beke: When not making music or hosting Saturday night entertainment show Hole in the Wall, Du Beke has made himself at home on the ballroom floor. A fan favourite as a professional dancer, Du Beke never won Strictly - though he did make the final in 2019 - before becoming a permanent judge in 2021.

We’re now watching tonight’s opening performance, with the pros and judges swinging, tangoing and jiving us through different dance eras.

Craig looks fab-u-lous in his various costumes – he’s got four of them for the opening number!

Anton is wearing a wig and tux with tails for a 70s look, Shirley takes us back to the 80s as she sparkles in a black sequin dress, and Motsi is also in black, channelling a style straight out of the 1990s.

Don’t forget, you can watch the programme with live signing.

Just press the red button or search for Signed: Strictly Come Dancing to find it on BBC iPlayer.