The 17th series of the NTA and 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.

Karim says: “To be offered the chance to take part in Strictly is dumbfounding, I’m pinching myself…! I’m so excited to be Strictlified. I want THE LOT. The skimpiest of clothes, the widest of flares, the brightest of colours and the tallest Cuban heel a guy can find! The more flamboyant the better… sequins galore please!!”

Karim Zeroual has been a CBBC presenter since 2014, presenting directly from the CBBC HQ as well as numerous other titles, including BBC Young Dancer and Wimbledon Live. Karim is currently filming a brand new travel and sport documentary for CBBC called A Week To Beat The World, in which he takes three British kids to countries like Guatemala, Brazil and Japan to play the national sports and see if they can beat the locals at their own game.

Karim started his career as a child in West End shows including Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium, The Far Pavillions at the Shaftesbury Theatre and The Lion King at the Lyceum. His TV appearances include EastEnders, Da Vinci’s Demons, Blue Peter, Top Class and Saturday Mash-Up, and most notably the role of Sadiq in sci-fi drama The Sparticle Mystery, which ran for three series between 2011 and 2015 and has had over two million hits on BBC iPlayer to date.

The news was revealed this morning at the CBBC Summer Social Festival.

The remaining celebrity contestants joining the new series will be announced in due course.