The moment has arrived, and Bayley will be gracing the Strictly dancefloor with his first dance, the quick step!
A fast-paced, flowing dance, to a syncopated rhythm, will leave Bayley wanting to catch his breath as he attempts to float effortlessly around the ballroom dance floor.
The first week will see all the Strictly dancers take part in their first dance. They are ranging from the feisty tango to the funky cha-cha.
“Talk about chucking me in the deep end!” is what Bayley exclaimed during his interview with BBC Strictly. A challenging first dance, but hopefully the fast-paced routine will mimic the characteristics of a table tennis match, and it will be tens all around for Bayley and Manrara!
It has also been announced that Bayley’s first dance will be to Paulo Nutini’s “Pencil Full of Lead” with the recognisable chorus line “nothing’s going to get me down”. Hopefully, nothing will get Bayley down on Saturday!
Nevertheless, get ready to #BackBayley this weekend as the campaign begins!
Voting is not open to the public during the first week which sees the judges scores carried over into week 2. Viewers can vote online during week 2 on the BBC website so be sure to register an account with them here, and then you are all set to go when the voting commences.
Table Tennis England is backing Bayley to help promote the sport to a new audience, and show that table tennis is for everyone. We are proud to promote inclusivity throughout our sport, and we encourage all of our clubs to use disability-friendly facilities. For further information, visit our being inclusive section.