Comedians Bill Bailey and Caroline Quentin will reportedly be confirmed as the first two contestants on this year's Strictly Come Dancing.

After months of speculation, the BBC has now finalised the celebrity lineup for this year's show and plans to gradually reveal more contestants over the next two weeks.

Men Behaving Badly actress Quentin, 60, is thought to have been keen on the show for years but until now has not had space in her schedule, while stand-up star Bailey, 55, has found himself in a similar predicament.

"The BBC are delighted with the double signing. Caroline is looking forward to the challenge and wants to get properly stuck in," a source told The Sun.

"And it's a hard time for live performers so it seemed a good chance for Bill to commit to the show."

The new series, which is around four weeks shorter than usual due to coronavirus, will begin on BBC One on October 24.