EastEnders icon Lacey Turner has been confirmed as the first contestant for Strictly Come Dancing 2026. The 38-year-old actress, born in Edgware, North London, is best known for her role as Stacey Slater on the BBC soap since 2004.
Strictly Come Dancing 2026
Lacey will take to the ballroom floor when the new series begins on BBC One this September, hosted by Josh Widdicombe, Johannes Radebe, and Emma Willis. She expressed her excitement, saying she is a 'huge fan' and 'can’t quite believe I will be taking part and not watching at home this year.'
Baby Joy After Miscarriages
Away from acting, Lacey balances motherhood with husband Matt Kay, raising three children: Dusty, Trilby, and Gipsy Olive. She previously shared on Loose Women that two miscarriages left her doubting she would ever have a child. 'The second time I had a miscarriage at exactly the same point, around seven weeks... it was more of a kick in the stomach,' she said. 'Because it hadn’t worked and that's the second time, so what do I do now? Is there something wrong, is this going to take us years? Will we ever get there? It got to the point where I said to Matt, ‘Let’s just forget it. We’ll get a puppy.’ As soon as we’d said that, we fell pregnant.'
Famous Sisters: Lily and Daisy Turner
Lacey comes from a talented family; her younger sisters Lily and Daisy are also actresses.
Lily Harvey (born 2001)
Lily played Shenice Quinn on EastEnders from 2010 to 2012, joining the show while Lacey took a break. Former executive producer Bryan Kirkwood was surprised to learn of their connection after casting her. Lily has since stepped away from acting, focusing on travel and social media.
Daisy Turner
Daisy joined Hollyoaks in 2011 as Jenny Houston. She noted the pressure of following her sister, saying, 'All three of us do it... Lacey said if I need her, she is there.' Her character was killed off by Silas, and she has since left acting.
Further Strictly Come Dancing 2026 details will be announced over the summer.
