Graeme Hall, the television presenter and dog trainer known as "The Dogfather," has revealed he sees his appearance on Strictly Come Dancing as a comeback to the dancefloor, seven years after he was forced to give up dancing following a stroke.
Hall, 59, is one of 15 celebrities competing in the 2026 series of the BBC show. He is not new to dancing, having discovered a love for it a decade ago when he took part in an amateur competition called Strictly Northampton in 2012, going on to compete regionally.
His hobby was cut short after doctors found a hole in his heart when he was rushed to hospital in 2019 following a stroke. Speaking ahead of Strictly's launch night on September 19, Hall said he loved dancing and had done it as a hobby years ago, but had to stop after his stroke. He said he recovered fully after a heart operation, but had not danced for years.
The self-described "apprehensive" star added that he is "most nervous of the nerves themselves" as he returns to the dancefloor.
A perfectionist out of his comfort zone
Hall described himself as "a bit of a perfectionist," saying: "If a job's worth doing it's worth doing right" is something I say a lot and I'll work hard to get it right but there's no accounting for stage fright. Strictly is way out of my comfort zone."
He has been getting tips from his friend and fellow Yorkshireman, chef James Martin, who he said "laughed his head off when he heard." Hall recalled Martin telling him: "You have no idea what you're letting yourself in for!" Martin reached the semi-final of Strictly in 2005, a fact Hall said his friend was quick to remind him of, adding that "the gauntlet has been thrown down."
Hall said the person he is most desperate to impress is his 90-year-old mother, who met his late father on the dancefloor in the late 1950s.
Who is Graeme Hall
Hall is best known as the presenter of Channel 5's Dog's Behaving (Very) Badly, which has run for almost a decade. He also fronted The Dog Hospital with Graeme Hall, is a regular contributor to ITV's This Morning and BBC radio, and last year made a cameo appearance in the drama All Creatures Great and Small.
He has written three adult books, including the Sunday Times best-seller All Dogs Great and Small. His first children's book, The Ultimate Kid's Guide to Dogs, was published in July 2024 and was shortlisted for the Junior Book Awards 2025.
When Strictly returns
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC iPlayer and BBC One at 7.25pm on Saturday, September 19.
