Celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton has been put through a gruelling workout by a personal trainer in London ahead of his Strictly Come Dancing debut next month.
The 43 year old was pictured sprinting and skipping in Hyde Park on Sunday to physically prepare for the BBC competition.
Appleton wore black shorts and white trainers for the session, removing a grey hoodie as he worked up a sweat.
The workout intensified with lunges using dumbbells, lifting a kettlebell and using an agility ladder.
Appleton, who recently shaved and dyed his hair blond, stopped for a break during the routine to hydrate with a bottle of water.
The hairstylist is also currently flat hunting in the capital.
Hollywood clients
Appleton is best known as Kim Kardashian's hairstylist, and boasts a roster of celebrity clients including Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande and Sofia Vergara.
He was named a Hair Star by Vogue UK and his work has featured in publications such as Vanity Fair, Harper's Bazaar, Grazia, L'Officiel Paris and Marie Claire.
Speaking at Wimbledon in June, Appleton told the Daily Mail his dream Strictly professional partner would be US dancer Alexis Warr.
"I'd love to be with Alexis. She's amazing and I think our personalities would work really well together," he said.
Warr, 26, won the US series So You Think You Can Dance in 2022. She made her Strictly debut last year, finishing as runner up with TikTok star George Clarke.
Social media strategy
Appleton joins a 2026 Strictly line up that has faced criticism from fans over a weak cast lacking household names.
An insider told The Sun that the BBC has deliberately targeted celebrities with large social media followings, such as Appleton with his four million Instagram fans, to attract younger viewers to the 22 year old show.
"Although your traditional Strictly audience might not know who some of the signings are, that's not as important as bringing in new viewers who are more than familiar with them," the source said.
The source added that these vast, enthusiastic followings would massively raise the show's profile by sharing content.
"And, in time, the viewers who don't know these people get to know them. If anything they end up going on much more of a 'Strictly Journey' than the stars you'd describe as 'household names,'" they said.
The strategy follows a similar approach by the US show Dancing With The Stars, which introduced a TikTok Night last year featuring viral dance routines. The US show's TikTok account has over five million followers, compared to Strictly's 670,000.
The source explained that the pipeline for booking celebrities has changed, with boyband and girlband stars no longer as prevalent. Securing a soap or drama actor has also diminished in impact, while social media stars from TikTok, YouTube and Instagram are known to a vast section of society.
Strictly Come Dancing 2026 cast
The complete line up for this year's series includes:
- Lacey Turner, 38: The EastEnders actress said she was excited and terrified, deciding to join after friends who competed encouraged her to take part.
- Delta Goodrem, 41: The former Neighbours star and singer said the ballroom floor is one stage she has never stepped onto despite touring the world.
- Cach Mercer, 25: The Love Island 2025 winner and TikTok influencer said she cannot wait to learn ballroom and the foxtrot.
- Dame Sarah Storey, 48: Britain's most successful Paralympian called the new challenge exciting after stepping down as an athlete.
- Bethany Antonia, 28: The House of the Dragon actress hopes to learn a new skill on the show she grew up watching.
- Graeme Hall, 59: The host of Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly said joining the show is an exciting but nerve wracking challenge.
- Tabby Stoecker, 25: The Olympic champion skeleton racer called dancing in the ballroom a surreal childhood dream to end a wild year.
- Melanie Walters, 64: The Gavin and Stacey actress said her Strictly fix has previously been watching in a dressing room while performing in pantomime for 15 years.
- Dani Dyer, 30: The Love Island winner and daughter of actor Danny Dyer said she hopes to make it past week one this time around.
- Chris Appleton, 43: The celebrity hairdresser said he is thrilled to return to the UK and believes the best things happen when taking a chance on something new.
- Will Best, 41: The Big Brother host said he has done live television before but absolutely nothing like Strictly.
- Jaime Winstone, 41: The Kidulthood and Tomb Raider actress said she is no stranger to a dance floor but the ballroom is a whole new world.
- Shaun Wright-Phillips, 44: The former Chelsea and Manchester City footballer said the show is outside his comfort zone but he is looking forward to the challenge.
- Lawrence Robb, 34: The Emmerdale actor said he cannot quite believe he is joining one of his favourite shows of all time.
- John Nellis, 33: The football YouTuber hopes to be much better at family parties by the end of the series.
