Who is Lewis Cope? How Strictly star went from stand-in to favourite
An Emmerdale actor as a last-minute replacement to the Strictly Come Dancing cast, who quickly becomes favourite to win? You might feel like you’ve seen this one before, with Kelvin Fletcher’s 2019 ballroom experience following the exact same plot.
But now, Lewis Cope looks set to play out the same story as he takes to the BBC One dancefloor for the 2025 series.
Cope was never supposed to make it into Strictly this series, until Kristian Nairn was forced to pull out over health issues and Cope found himself doing a Fletcher.
Here’s all you need to know about the actor, including how he came to be on Strictly and his chances of lifting the 2025 Glitterball Trophy.
Who is Lewis Cope?
If you’re not yet familiar with Cope, he is still fairly early in his acting career – his main screen role is as Nicky Milligan on Emmerdale, having joined the ITV soap in 2022. He’s also appeared in episodes of Doctors, Vera and Mrs Sidhu Investigates.
Cope may need to brace himself for the annual complaints over Strictly stars having prior dance experience, as he was a runner-up in 2013 TV contest Got to Dance.
His other work so far has included featuring in Billy Elliot the Musical as a child, and stage roles in shows including Witness for the Prosecution and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
The actor revealed he was a huge fan of another Billy Elliot and Strictly star, as he said: “Layton Williams in 2023 had so many standout routines. I thought he was amazing, and he just owned the dancefloor. Watching him made me even more excited to give this a go.”
Cope added that his Emmerdale castmates would be supporting him: “I can’t wait to swap the Dales for the dance floor. It does seem a lot warmer, too! Beth Cordingly and Will Ash, who play my parents, have both said they’re so excited to watch me. And Natalie J. Robb, too – they’ve all been so supportive. I know they’ll be cheering from the audience!”
Why is Lewis Cope on Strictly Come Dancing 2025?
Like fellow Emmerdale alumnus Fletcher before him, Cope was never actually supposed to be on Strictly Come Dancing.
The full cast was announced over the summer, but before the celebrities had even reached the launch show, DJ Kristian Nairn had to drop out over “unexpected medical reasons”, leaving Strictly in need of a stand-in.
Step forward, Cope, who said: “I’m so excited to be swapping the Dales for the dance floor and joining this year’s Strictly Come Dancing. I’ve always been a fan of the show and cannot wait to get started!”
In the launch show, viewers discovered that Cope was being partnered with pro dancer Katya Jones for the 2025 series.
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He said: “I’m always up for learning something new and stepping outside of my comfort zone. I love the idea of challenging myself in a completely new way.
“Strictly for me is a huge message to everyone saying you can be whoever you want to be. I’m excited for the journey and growing week by week.”
What are Lewis Cope’s chances of winning Strictly 2025?
Strictly viewers shouldn’t write off Cope’s chances of success just because he was a late addition to the cast – the actor has plenty stacked in his favour and is the bookies’ favourite to win, going into the first live show.
Former Emmerdale star Fletcher had a similar start in the competition as a last-minute replacement for Jamie Laing, who was injured during the launch show. Fletcher went on to win the 2019 series despite not being a first choice for the cast.
Cope is partnered with Katya Jones, who is one of the pro cast’s most accomplished dancers. She previously won Strictly 2017 with Joe McFadden and is known for creating memorable routines, such as her Salsa to Gangnam Style with Ed Balls.
Meanwhile, Cope has already proven his moves in the 2013 series of Got to Dance, where he finished as a runner-up. However, the jury is out on whether or not that will go in his favour, as Strictly viewers often turn against celebrities deemed to have too much previous experience.
The contestant told Yahoo UK and other press ahead of the series launch: “Well, [my dance experience] is completely different. I used to be in a hip-hop dance group for a couple of years. Hip hop and ballroom are very different.
“The shapes that you create and everything is just, you know, worlds apart really, but, you know, I am looking forward to learning new styles.”
Before the first live show, he said, “I’d say my signature move when I used to dance would have to be a backflip, or maybe some jazz splits. I haven’t done either in a while, so let’s see if I can still pull them out of the bag!”