Strictly season is officially kicking off, and the excitement has been building up every since the announcement that Oti Mabuse's sister will replace Shirley Ballas as a judge on the show.

28-year-old Latin dancer Nancy Xu will take the place of departing pro dancer Pasha Kovalev, which is another change to the regular line-up of pro dancers and judges.

The first three Strictly Come Dancing 2019 contestants appear to have been accidentally leaked on TV ahead of the schedule today on Good Morning Britain.

It's happening! Tomorrow we reveal our first THREE #Strictly celebrities of 2019! Tune-in to @BBCTheOneShow from 7pm. pic.twitter.com/hUAGuoZNN6

— BBC Strictly  (@bbcstrictly) July 30, 2019

Radio presenter Iain Lee was discussing the upcoming announcement on The One Show when he let slip that Sam Allardyce, Jamie Laing and Anneka Rice would be taking part in the BBC dancing series.

When hosts Ben Shephard and Kate Garraway asked him about the news, Iain replied: "They are going to announce the first three people on a show called The One Show – it’s going to be Sam Allardyce, Jamie Laing and Anneka Rice."

Ben asked: "They are announcing it later and you have already announced it?" Iain wasn't overly worried, turning to the camera and saying; "Sorry One Show! Sorry Alex Jones!"

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by (@jamielaing) on Jul 30, 2019 at 8:31am PDT

Ben then confirmed the names he'd been told, and Kate commented: "See Anneka I think will be good, Jamie will be good. You know Sam quite well."

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by  (@annekariceart) on Jun 29, 2019 at 11:48pm PDT

Co-host Ben said that he knows Sam pretty well, saying; "Do you think he's got a quickstep in him?" Kate asked. Ben replied: "Undoubtedly!"

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by (@wbalatest) on Apr 1, 2019 at 9:50am PDT

The show has denied that the Strictly professionals are worried that new judge Motsi will give 'preferential treatment' to her sister Oti Mabuse , who is a member of the dancing cast.

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by  (@motsimabuse) on Jul 22, 2019 at 11:11pm PDT

They fear that there will be bias when it comes to dishing out scores and that Motsi will go easy on her younger sister, 28.

Motsi and Oti have already been in a similar position when Oti was a pro on the German show for two series and and has already experienced being judged by her sibling.

“Motsi is totally impartial,” said a source. “She will be scrupulously fair, as she always was with Oti on the German version.”

Feature image: Instagram/@strictlycomedancing