Peterborough's Aston Merrygold '˜nervous and excited' to be part of Strictly Come Dancing 2017

Born and bred Peterborian and ex-JLS superstar Aston Merrygold has been revealed as the latest contestant for the next series of hit BBC TV show Strictly Come Dancing.

By The Newsroom

Published 14th Aug 2017, 17:54 BST

Updated 12th Sep 2017, 11:38 BST

Aston Merrygold of JLS performs on stage during their Goodbye Tour at the LG Arena, Birmingham. Photo credit Joe Giddens/PA Wire ENGEMN00120131223151906

The 15th series of the BAFTA award-winning entertainment show produced by BBC Studios will return in the autumn on BBC One putting the sparkle back into Saturday and Sunday nights.

Aston said: “I’m so happy to be joining Strictly 2017, it is such a brilliant show and I’ve followed it for years. I’m both nervous and excited to learn from the professionals about a whole new way of dancing.”

Aston is friends with and went to Jack Hunt School with Olympic gymnast Louis Smith, who won Strictly Come Dancing in 2012.

Aston joins Simon Rimmer, Joe McFadden, Reverend Richard Coles, Gemma Atkinson, Ruth Langsford, Davood Ghadami and Mollie King who have also been confirmed for the new series.

More celebrity contestants will be announced in due course.