The actor wasn’t originally part of this year’s line-up on the hit BBC dance show but was revealed as a last-minute addition

Lewis Cope has adressed a huge comparison between him and a former Strictly Come Dancing winner as he adressed his 24-hour whirlwind introduction to the show.

The former Emmerdale star wasn’t originally part of this year’s line-up on the hit dance show but was revealed as a last-minute addition to the BBC One dance show’s line-up this year atfer another star had to pull out.

Lewis, who played Nicky Milligan in the ITV soap from 2022 to 2024, was drafred in after it was announced that Kristian Nairn had been forced to withdraw from the upcoming series, whicha the time was just weeks before the launch.

The actor and DJ went on to reveal that he was withdrawing from the show on medical grounds. Hours later, Lewis was confirmed to be Kristian’s replacement, once again completing Strictly’s celebrity line-up for 2025.

Now, Lewis has opened up about the whirlwind 24 hours that led to his particpation in the popular programme this year.

“For me, it all hapened within 24 hours, from the first phone call to everyting – meeting producers, being in the room with one of the pros moving around to the medical test,” he told the Manchester Evening News.

“It was all just very, very sudden and I don’t really think I had time to think about it. It’s a brilliant show and I always thought I’d love to do it, so when I had the opportunity, I was like, ‘Of course I’m going to do it!”

His former Emmerdale co-stars were among the first to celebrate his latest move, flocking to share their love and support on social media.

He said: “It’s lovely. Everyone at Emmerdale, as they are here as well, are just so supportive and just full of nice people.”

Since it was revealed he was joining the show, there have been comparisons between him and fellow ex-Emmerdale star Kelvin Fletcher after fans pointed out he joined the 2019 line-up later and went on to lift the Glitterball trophy with Oti Mabuse.

But Lewis was quick to point out things can be very different when quizzed on whether he feels any pressure. “That was six years ago,” he told us. “Look, every year is different,” he added.

However, the actor and former soap star does come in with some dance experience, having performed in a West End production Billy Elliot as a youngster.

“It is completely different,” he shared. “I used to be in a Hip-Hop dance group for a couple of years. But I mean, Hip-Hop and Ballroom and Latin are very different…

“The shapes that you create and the timing and everything is just worlds apart. I am looking forward to learning a new style.”

Lewis added: “I think, for all of us, as you’re getting older, you tend not to do things out of your comfort zone, you tend not to learn new skills. You just sit with what you’ve done.”

Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One and BBC iPlayer on Saturday, September 20, at 6.40pm for its launch show