EastEnders actress Balvinder Sopal has spoken of her excitement ahead of competing in the new series of Strictly Come Dancing. The 46-year-old, best known for playing Suki Panesar in the BBC soap since 2020, revealed she is particularly looking forward to performing the Argentine Tango, a dance she described as “passionate, dramatic and sexy with a real push and pull story.”
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Sopal acknowledged that the Argentine Tango is among the most challenging dances on the show, but said it was the one she is most eager to learn. “I don’t know how good I’ll be, I’m just hoping for some magical moments,” she told Inside Soap. She will discover her professional partner when the pre-recorded launch episode airs on 20 September.
The actress also expressed her enthusiasm about receiving feedback from the judging panel – Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke – noting that the opportunity to take on different characters each week would help boost her confidence. She added that 2024 has been her “year of saying yes to things and being seen”, making her participation in Strictly a particularly welcome challenge.
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Sopal will join 14 other celebrity contestants competing for the Glitterball Trophy. This year’s line-up includes Olympic sprinter Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, television personality Dani Dyer, retired footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, Doctor Who actress Alex Kingston, model Ellie Goldstein, and drag performer La Voix. They will be joined by a mix of sports stars, actors and television personalities, including Chris Robshaw, Vicky Pattison, Stefan Dennis, Karen Carney and Lewis Cope, who stepped in after Kristian Nairn withdrew for medical reasons.
