'Strictly' replaces Jared Murillo with Pasha Kovalev
Published Jun 15 2011, 10:49 BST | By Alex Fletcher
© PA Images
High School Musical star Jared Murillo, who danced with Tina O'Brien last year, has been axed from the show and replaced by Siberian Latin dancer Pasha Kovalev.
Last year's Strictly Dance Troupe, which included former Strictly favourites Darren Bennett and Ian Waite, has also been dropped.
31-year-old Kovalev finished in the Top 6 on the third US series of So You Think You Can Dance and has appeared in the Broadway production of Burn The Floor.
He performs all styles of ballroom including international standard, American smooth and rhythm but his speciality is international Latin.
Male pros Artem Chigvintsev, Brendan Cole, Anton Du Beke, James Jordan, Vincent Simone and Robin Windsor will all return later in the year.
The female pro lineup remains the same as last year with Erin Boag, Flavia Cacace, Ola Jordan, Natalie Lowe, Kristina Rihanoff, Aliona Vilani and Katya Virshilas all coming back for another series.
Strictly exec producer Moira Ross said: "I'm delighted to welcome back our Strictly professionals and really excited about introducing our new dancer Pasha to our audiences. We've some exciting treats in store for series nine."
Strictly Come Dancing will return in the autumn on BBC One.
> Artem Chigvintsev, Katya Virshilas talk 'Strictly'
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Bring back Ian!
June 27th 2011 at 10:33am
tom theres going to be 3
June 18th 2011 at 2:49pm
moira obviously wants to destroy the show I struggled to watch last year and now she dumps another great dancer in jared, maybe the bbc should dump moira before the show limps again in the ratings.
June 18th 2011 at 2:49pm
There's only 1 new 1
June 16th 2011 at 6:16pm
Very Disappointed that Ian Waite won't be on this years SCD, my favourite dancer, he is incredible and lights up the dance floor! Big mistake BBC, too many changes and too many new dancers. :(
June 15th 2011 at 9:27pm