Layton Williams says 'goodbye' to BBC role as he prepares for Strictly
In a heartfelt farewell to his BBC role, Layton Williams is gearing up for the 'most intense' time of his life as he prepares to dazzle on the dance floor in his Strictly Come Dancing debut. The 28 year old actor is set to join the star-studded line-up of the 21st series of the beloved dance competition, with his sights firmly set on the coveted Glitterball trophy.
The West End sensation is poised to make history on the show, breaking traditional gender norms by donning both traditional male dance outfits as well as dresses. He will be competing against a diverse array of celebrities including Love Island's Zara McDermott, Waterloo Road's Adam Thomas, and EastEnders' Bobby Brazier, each paired with their professional dance partners.
This Saturday, the nation will be glued to their screens as the pre-recorded launch show airs on BBC One at 6.35pm. Viewers will finally discover which celebrity has been paired with which professional dancer. The iconic theme tune will echo through living rooms across the country as the new contestants step onto the ballroom floor, with the much-anticipated episode concluding at 8.20pm.
However, before he takes his first steps on the Strictly stage, Layton has bid adieu to his role in the BBC Three sitcom Bad Education. The comedy, created by Jack Whitehall, is set in a dysfunctional secondary school and features Layton in the role of Stephen Carmichael.
Layton is set to make his Strictly dancefloor debut at the weekend (BBC/Ray Burmiston)
The star is best known for his role on Bad Education (Dave Benett/Getty Images)In a candid Instagram post on Monday (September 11), the popular actor announced to his 140,000 followers that he would be taking a temporary hiatus from his character. Accompanying his announcement with a selfie and some exclusive behind-the-scenes shots, he penned: "That's a wrap on #BadEducation series 5.
Strictly's Molly Rainford and Tyler West fuel romance rumours while on tour
"Bitter sweet to be saying goodbye to Class K, cast, crew & creatives! Congrats all on a job WELL DONE. This was deffo of the most intense shoots everrrrr but I'm so proud of everything we achieved! From the writers room to the class room, we ate that!"
He extended his gratitude to BBC, production company Tiger Aspect, entertainment company Banijay, co-executive producer Jackpot and "all the other lovely humans [...] who made this happen x". Meanwhile the Strictly stars, who already know their dance partners, have been playfully teasing their fans on social media. Layton recently attempted to mislead his fans into believing he was about to reveal his professional partner in a cheeky post.
Last week, the Bad Education star posted a topless photo of himself, complete with a stunning makeup look, while taking a mirror selfie. Sharing the post with his 139,000 followers, he teased: "Swipe for my #Strictly PRO reveal!."
However, further down in the caption, he revealed it was a prank: "GOTCHA" followed by a wink face emoji before he penned: "Not yet - but sooooon! Launch show wrapped (airs 16th Sept) and training starts next week. Can't wait! #StrictlySlayton," as he shared a second photo flashing a peace sign. And last week, the star posted a cryptic video on Instagram to tease his partner as he penned: "Me, minutes before I met my Strictly PRO."
Adding fuel to the fire, he later updated the post with the caption: "Happy to say, I'm HAPPY!" This sent fans into a frenzy as they rushed to share their predictions and hopes for who the mystery partner could be.
One fan said: "I would so love this to be Graz." Another eagerly commented: "Can't wait to find out, I hope it's Johannes." The sentiment was echoed by a third follower who wrote: "Please be Johannes." Meanwhile, a fourth speculated: "I think Graz too!!! Get those heels on!!!!" And another fa n added to the suspense, stating: "Omg I need to know. Hoping its you and Gorka!"
In a surprising twist, Layton revealed the gender of his partner in response to a comment which read: "I really hope you haven't gone for a man - I think you could have done incredible things with a woman and both being beautiful, elegant and vulnerable." Unfazed, Layton responded: "I've gone for a man because I can be elegant and vulnerable with a man too."
* This article was crafted with the help of an AI tool, which speeds up The Mirror's editorial research. An editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to [email protected]
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
