Meet Adam Thomas: Strictly Come Dancing 2023 contestant and actor

Despite their high score, the couple faced the dreaded dance-off against Zara McDermott and Graziano Di Prima, with Zara and Graziano being sent home by the judges.

Adam and Luba received the same score of 32 for their Waltz in Week Four to I Wonder Why by Curtis Stigers, coming in at third place.

They matched the score again in Week Five with a Couple's Choice routine to a Backstreet Boys Medley of songs.

Will they display the same magic on the dance floor this weekend with their American Rumba to Calum Scott's rendition of Dancing on My Own? We'll have to tune in on Saturday night to find out!

Adam is best known for his roles as Donte Charles in the BBC One drama Waterloo Road and as Adam Barton in Emmerdale.

He is no doubt hoping to fare as well with the public, as he did on his last major reality show appearance – when he came third in the 2016 season of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here.

Read on for everything you need to know about Adam Thomas.

Who is Adam Thomas?

Age: 34

Job: Actor and TV presenter

Instagram: @adamthomas21

Twitter: @adamthomas21

Strictly partner: Luba Mushtuk

Thomas is an actor and TV presenter best known for his roles as Adam Barton on Emmerdale – who he played from 2009 until 2018 – and as Donte Charles in both the original and rebooted versions of Waterloo Road.

He's no stranger to the reality TV circuit, having appeared on the 2016 season of I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, where he finished in third place.

He then returned to the jungle as co-host of the companion season I'm a Celebrity: Extra Camp in 2019, which helped launch a presenting career that has since seen him front the travel series Absolutely India: Mancs in Mumbai and the podcast Mancs on the Mic, both alongside his brothers Ryan and Scott.

Adam Thomas's Strictly journey so far

Scoreboard

Week One: Cha Cha (4+5+5+5) = 19

Week Two: Tango (5+6+5+7) = 23

Week Three: Jive (5+7+7+7) = 26

Week Four: Waltz (8+8+8+8) = 32

Week Five: Couple's Choice (7+8+8+9) = 32

Week Six: American Smooth (7+9+8+8) = 32

What has Adam Thomas said about joining Strictly 2023?

Speaking after his participation in the 2023 season was confirmed, Thomas said: "I am so excited to be joining the cast of this year's Strictly Come Dancing. I've been such a big fan of the show for years, I can't believe I'm actually doing it!"

He added: "I can't dance to save my life but I'm buzzing to learn and have a good laugh with my pro. Get me on that dance floor...I can't wait!"

Ahead of his appearance on Strictly, RadioTimes.com caught up with Adam Thomas about his training for the group dance, which he described as "a shock to the system".

He said: "I genuinely thought I could dance until I was trying to learn the group dance. I feel like especially when you do the group dance you see everyone else around you and it's not just you and your partner training. You're with everyone else and so you're constantly looking at how good everyone else did and I feel like the standards are so high this year."

"But you've got to stay in your lane and just do the best job that you can do and I know if I do that then I can leave this competition with my head held high," he added.

When does Strictly Come Dancing 2023 air?

Strictly Come Dancing 2023 airs on BBC One every Saturday evening, followed by the results show the next day.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday 4th November at 7:05pm. The results show will air on Sunday 5th November on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

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