Strictly Come Dancing star in horror car accident day before series starts

Strictly Come Dancing 2025 contestant Vicky Pattison has revealed she was in a car crash just a day before the launch show airs on BBC One on Saturday, September 20. The 37-year-old Geordie Shore star took to Instagram, where she shared the news that her car had been "pushed off the road" by a lorry. In a post on her stories, she held her head and added a picture of the lorry, which she said was involved in the incident.

"Never a dull moment," she wrote in the accompanying caption. "A lorry just swerved into my car on the M25 and pushed us off the road. No one is hurt, and the traffic officers are here, but crikey. It was a bit intense. Wear your seatbelts, kids," she concluded, followed by a love heart emoji. Thankfully, the fender bender won't affect her performance in the launch show, where the celebrities will meet their pro partners, as it was already pre-recorded.

Vicky's participation was revealed on ITV's This Morning on Thursday (August 14) when she dramatically burst through a glittering paper, unveiling her identity to viewers at home.

At the time, she told presenters Emma Willis and Craig Doyle: "I've not got high hopes for my dancing, I'm a drinker, not a dancer, drunk auntie dancing is me."

She also had her initial training interrupted when she left the UK for a sunny getaway with her loved ones. Taking to her Instagram stories, the children's author confirmed her location with a scenic photo of her view and captioned: "Exploring [Greece flag emoji].

She re-shared an Instagram post from her "best friend," captioned "Crete Sampra,22," hinting that they had travelled to the Greek island of Crete.

However, the I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out Of Here winner has another week to perfect her dance moves, as the first live show will take place on Saturday, September 27.

Vicky is just one of 15 celebrities taking part in this year's competition. She is joined by Olympian and Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey aka Nitro, Love Island winner Dani Dyer, Doctor Who and ER star Alex Kingston, former footballer and football manager Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink and EastEnders Balvinder Sopal.

Also taking to the dancefloor is social media star George Clarke, drag icon La Voix, former rugby player Chris Robshaw, Vogue model and actor Ellie Goldstein and The Apprentice star Thomas Skinner.

The lineup is rounded off by Neighbours icon Stefan Dennis, Lorraine and Good Morning Britain's Los Angeles correspondent Ross King, former Lioness Karen Carney, and former Emmerdale star Lewis Cope.

Strictly Come Dancing 2025 begins on BBC One on Saturday September 20 at 6.40pm.