East Londoner and former Holby City favourite Chizzy Akudolu has been unveiled as one of the celebrities for this year’s Strictly Come Dancing .
It comes after she left the hospital soap in June, having played surgeon Mo Effanga for five years. She joins Holby co-star Joe McFadden in the sequined line-up for the 15th season of the show, due to start at the end of September.
She said: “When I was 13, I made the finals of a disco dancing competition once but there was this amazing girl who exploded on to the stage with a gorgeous sequined costume, throwing glitter everywhere.
“I knew it was game over for me. That was then, this is now and this is my chance to have even more sequins!”
East Londoner Chizzy Akudolu, 43
Before joining Holby in May 2012, 43-year-old Akudolu starred on both screen and stage, with notable appearances in EastEnders, Green Wing, The Inbetweeners and a semi-regular role on Channel 4’s Campus.
Other celebrities previously announced include entertainer Brian Conley, The Saturdays’ Mollie King, GMB host Charlotte Hawkins, former JLS singer Aston Merrygold and This Morning’s Ruth Langsford.
Also hoping to samba to success are Sunday Brunch presenter Simon Rimmer, former Emmerdale star Gemma Atkinson, Reverend Richard Coles, EastEnders star Davood Ghadami, comic Susan Calman, Debbie McGee and Alexandra Burke
Despite the glitz, the series will have a sombre edge, remembering its original host Bruce Forsyth who died on August 18 , aged 89.