Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Swaps the Dugout for the Dancefloor: Meet Strictly Come Dancing's Newest Star

Strictly season is finally here, and yes, they have signed a bona fide Premier League goal machine. Former striker and manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is swapping studs for sequins, and he sounds both curious and mildly alarmed by what he has gotten himself into. Honestly, same.

Launch night: what to expect

The big opener drops this Saturday, with the celebrity-pro pairings revealed on air and everyone thrown into a flashy first group number. It is the usual Strictly baptism by glitter and panic. If you like a good reveal and a chaotic conga line, you are in luck.

Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One and iPlayer on Saturday 20 September at 6:40pm.

So, who is Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink?

If you watched English football in the late 90s and early 2000s, you know the name. He was the no-nonsense finisher with a rocket in his right foot, scoring across the Premier League and Europe before moving into management and punditry. Now he is trying to make ballroom hold feel as natural as a near-post run.

• Age: 53
• Job: Former professional footballer and football manager; current TV pundit
• Instagram: @official_jhasselbaink
• Clubs you probably remember: Leeds United, Atletico Madrid, Chelsea
• Playing rep: Power, pace, precision in front of goal
• On the touchline: Managed Burton Albion and Northampton Town; also served as an assistant coach for the England national team

The vibe going in

Jimmy says he walked into Strictly without a grand plan or ego about it, and early rehearsals have already surprised him.

"I did not know what my body could do."

That came during press chats for the launch and, look, it is as honest as it gets. Ballroom and Latin ask for muscles you did not know you owned. He is about to find all of them.

How he joined the lineup

His casting was announced on The One Show, in the same wave that confirmed Dani Dyer and Alex Kingston. A fun trio of very different energies, which is extremely Strictly.

Jimmy on the switch from pitch to paso

"Swapping the pitch for the ballroom is certainly not something I have done before but I am looking forward to tackling a fun challenge! Bring on a new type of footwork, with hopefully no own goals."

Footballers on Strictly is not new, but Jimmy is a particularly interesting fit: a clinical finisher known for straight-line power now being asked to master swivel, shaping, and frame. Inside baseball (and ballroom) note: that is a wild recalibration for the body. If he locks into the timing and partners well, he could be a handful. If not, well... there is always the Argentine tango to scare everyone equally.

We meet his pro partner on the launch show. Then it is straight into the glitter grinder. See you Saturday.