Strictly a 'dream come true' after stroke recovery

TV dog trainer Graeme Hall says it is a "dream come true" to be on Strictly Come Dancing, after a stroke made him think he would never dance again.

The Brackley-based Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly star will appear on the BBC One show when it launches in September, despite giving up dancing after falling ill in 2019.

Known as the Dogfather on the Channel 5 television series, Hall has previously danced in local competitions, including Strictly Northampton.

"There are not a lot of people in the world that have had the chance to do this. So I'm just going to love every minute, enjoy it for what it is and hope it keeps going as long as possible," he said.

Speaking to Bernie Keith on BBC Radio Northampton, Hall said he did not expect to dance again after having a stroke caused by a hole in the heart.

"I never got back to dancing, I just thought, 'well that was a bit of fun'... and that was that.

"I put the dance bag in the loft. It's been with me through three house moves," he added.

Now having made a full recovery, Hall has dusted off his dancing kit and is "loving the experience".

Hall will only find out who his dance partner is during the launch show on 26 September 2026.

He said: "The celebrities are all really nice people, it's going to be great but it's not going to be easy because they actually, as far as I can tell, are quite good at dancing."

Hall is also known for fronting The Dog Hospital and his contributions to BBC radio programmes, ITV's This Morning, and writing a regular column for the Times.

He has written books including The Ultimate Kid's Guide to Dogs and previously made a cameo appearance in the hit drama All Creatures Great and Small.

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