Strictly’s Chris Appleton teases Kim Kardashian appearance at live shows
Kim Kardashian is Chris Appleton’s friend and client (Getty Images)
Chris Appleton has suggested Kim Kardashian could turn up in the Strictly Come Dancing studio audience to cheer him on, but said the show’s limited ticket allocation could make it difficult.
The 43-year-old, who was briefly married to Lukas Gage, told Press Association: “Who knows? Watch this space, but I don’t know, anything could happen.”
Celebrity hair stylist Appleton, who was paired with professional dancer Amy Dowden, added: “I think being in Strictly, I’ve realised anything is possible and magic happens.”
He then pointed to the practical issue of getting supporters into the studio, saying: “I have no idea, I know a lot of people want to come to the show and we’re only allocated two tickets.”
Kardashian, who is Appleton’s close friend as well as client client, and said she had already shown support since his casting was announced.
“Kim’s so sweet, I mean, she’s been such an amazing person throughout my whole career,” Appleton said. He added: “And she said, ‘break a leg’, and just commenting on my post when I did it, and that’s so nice of her to support me because she’s always been so supportive.”
For now, Appleton, who struggled with his mental health before coming out as gay, is keeping expectations in check, insisting: “Who knows? Watch this space, but I don’t know, anything could happen.”
Strictly 2026 line-up and pairings
Alongside Appleton and Dowden, the rest of the dancing couples were announced on Saturday.
The full list of parings includes:
- Bethany Antonia with Nancy Xu
- Cach Mercer with Maddie Ingoldsby
- Chris Appleton with Amy Dowden
- Dani Dyer with Nikita Kuzmin
- Delta Goodrem with Kai Widdrington
- Graeme Hall with Lauren Oakley
- Jaime Winstone with Carlos Gu
- John Nellis with Katya Jones
- Lacey Turner with Vito Coppola
- Lawrence Robb with Jowita Przystał
- Melanie Walters with Aljaž Škorjanec
- Sarah Storey with Julian Caillon
- Shaun Wright-Phillips with Alexis Warr
- Tabby Stoecker with Mark Karmalita
- Will Best with Dianne Buswell
Who is Chris Appleton – and why is he on Strictly?
Chris Appleton is a British celebrity hairstylist who became a high-profile figure in US entertainment and fashion circles, known for red carpet and editorial looks and for working with A-list clients across music, film and TV.
He is best known for his work with Kim Kardashian, but he has also worked with Rita Ora, who was his first celebrity client, as well as Britney Spears, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry, Jennifer Lopez and Sofía Vergara.
The hair stylist’s celebrity clientele has seen him feature on a number of television series, including The Kardashians, and Selling Sunset.
Appleton married actor Lukas Gage in 2023 though they divorced in 2024.
He has two grown-up children from a previously relationship, before he came out as gay.
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