24 July 2025
Ellie Dadd is dreaming of glitterballs and ballroom shoes — and she’s not ruling out stepping away from EastEnders temporarily to make it happen.
The 20-year-old actress, best known for playing Amy Mitchell on the long-running BBC soap, says she’d jump at the chance to join Strictly Come Dancing and wouldn’t mind being written out for a bit to do so.
Speaking to New! magazine, Ellie revealed just how much she loves the hit dance show. “If it came up and I had the opportunity to do it, I would absolutely love to do it,” she said. “I just love everything — the costumes, the dancing, just being able to go up there every weekend and put your heart on the line and enjoy yourself.”
Ellie has had a front-row seat to the Strictly experience, having cheered on EastEnders co-stars like Jamie Borthwick (Jay Brown), Bobby Brazier (Freddie Slater), and Molly Rainford (Anna Knight), all of whom have taken to the dance floor in previous years.
She also praised the show for the relationships it helps build, pointing to Molly Rainford and Tyler West, who met on Strictly in 2022 and are still going strong. “I’ve watched castmates find friends for life,” she said. “I think you make great connections there. I feel like it’ll be a lot of fun.”
After sitting in the live audience to support her castmates, Ellie was blown away by the behind-the-scenes magic. “It was honestly crazy just to see how it all works, because you don’t really get to see it from watching it at home.”
Still, the actress admits the level of energy required is next-level. “I don’t know how those dancers do it every week. They must be exhausted!”
Before any potential Strictly stint, Ellie is taking a brief break from EastEnders this December to star as Belle in Beauty and the Beast at Croydon’s Fairfield Halls. It’s another step in a growing career she credits largely to her time on the soap.
“I’m still learning on the job but EastEnders has taught me a lot,” she shared. “You have to be very organised. We film 14 scenes a day and we’re there five days a week — it’s very fast. You learn to just trust your instincts. If things go wrong, you’re like, ‘OK, that’s fine. We can sort it.’ Everybody’s there for you.”
Whether it’s Walford or the Strictly ballroom, it’s clear Ellie Dadd is ready for whatever stage she steps onto next.
