Dancing with the Stars 2023: Everything you need to know about the celebrities

The new season will see a brand new batch of celebrities compete for their chosen charity

The new season of Dancing With The Stars will see celebrities, glittery costumes and magical moves make their way back to the dancefloor premiering Sunday, 18 June on Channel Seven and 7plus.

Hosted by Daryl Somers and Sonia Kruger, the new season will see a brand new batch of celebrities compete for their chosen charity and the prized Dancing With The Stars mirror ball trophy. 

Meet the celebrities who will be competing below: 

Charlie Albone
Better Homes and Gardens landscaper
Partnered with Ruby Gherbaz / Dancing for Type 1 Foundation

Better Homes and Gardens’ Charlie Albone will be swapping plants for pasodoble when he takes to the Dancing With The Stars floor.

Known for getting his hands dirty in the garden, Charlie has won multiple prestigious ASTRA awards, two Silver Gilt medals at the Chelsea Flower Show and recently cleaned up with three awards at the 2023 Melbourne International Flower and Garden Show.

Christie Whelan Brown 
Stage and Screen Actor 
Partnered with Craig Monley / Dancing for Endometriosis Australia

Christie Whelan Browne is one of Australia’s most versatile stage and screen performers. She dazzled audiences with her breakout role in Grease – The Arena Spectacular and has since gone on to star in productions including Xanadu and Muriel’s Wedding The Musical.

Over on the small screen, Christie has wowed Australia with her performances in Neighbours, Peter Allen – Not The Boy Next Door and Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell.

Emily Weir
Home and Away Actor
Partnered with Lyu Masuda / Dancing for The Sydney Retreat, 12 Step Rehabilitation facility

Home and Away’s Emily Weir has set hearts on fire in Summer Bay but will she burn up the dance floor?

She landed the part of fierce restaurant owner Mackenzie Booth in 2019, after previously winning the Billie Brown Award for Best Emerging Actress and Best Supporting Actress for her role in the theatrical production of Tartuffe.

Gavin Wanganeen 
AFL Legend 
Partnered with Megan Wragg / Dancing for Gavin Wanganeen Indigenous Scholarship through the University of SA 

As a two-time Premiership winner, member of the AFL Hall of Fame and Brownlow medallist, Gavin Wanganeen is an AFL Legend.

His career spanned 300 senior games at the Essendon and Port Adelaide Football Clubs, earning him countless accolades, including the dedication of a grandstand at the Adelaide Oval.

Since leaving the footy field, Gavin has been appointed to the board of the Port Adelaide Football Club and aims to inspire and innovate through his work as a contemporary Aboriginal artist.

Issa Schultz 
The Chase Australia Supernerd 
Partnered with Lily Cornish / Dancing for Team Adem

The Chase Australia’s Supernerd Issa Schultz is making his way to the dancefloor of Dancing With The Stars. He may be comfortable quizzing from behind his desk but how will he fare when he trades facts and statistics with twists and lifts?

Eight-time winner of the Australian Quizzing Championship and seven-time Paris champion, this bow-tie obsessed Chaser has the trivia world at his feet.

James Magnussen 
Olympic Medallist 
Partnered with Natalie Lowe / Dancing for Bear Cottage 

Two-time 100 metre Freestyle World Champion and Olympic medallist James Magnussen, nicknamed The Missile, is considered one of the most recognised swimming athletes in the world.

This prolific swimmer has won seven gold, five silver and three bronze medals spanning Olympic Games, World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships.

Laura Byrne
Podcaster and radio host 
Partnered with Danil Saveliev / Dancing for The Australian Childhood Foundation 

Host of one of Australia’s leading podcasts Life Uncut and KIIS FM’s The Pick Up, Laura Byrne never shies away from a raw, unfiltered conversation.

Known for falling madly in love with Matty J on The Bachelor Australia, Laura certainly has her hands full, juggling her radio show, podcast, bohemian jewellery line ToniMay and raising their two little girls Lola and Marlie-Mae.

Mary Coustas
Comedian and actor 
Partnered with Aric Yedudkin / Dancing for Youth Off the Streets

Logie award-winning actress Mary Coustas is best known her performance in Wogs Out of Work and comedic character Effie from TV sitcom Acropolis Now.

Mary’s portrayal of Effie has transcended generations with her confidence, malapropisms of a stereotypical second-generation Greek-Australian, becoming a much-loved cultural icon.

Mary has also appeared in numerous Australian series including Wildside, The Secret Life of Us and Rake.

Matt Preston
Presenter and food journalist 
Partnered with Jess Raffa / Dancing for Second Bite

Award-winning food journalist and one of Australia’s most loved TV presenters, Matt Preston has mastered complicated cooking techniques but considers remembering different dance steps in the right order to be the most challenging aspect of his Dancing With The Stars journey.

Paulini 
Performer 
Partnered with Igor Ifliand / Dancing for Kidney Health Australia 

Platinum-selling songstress Paulini is one of Australia’s most loved performers. This Young Diva is at home on stage, and has topped the ARIA charts many times over her illustrious career.

Since rising to fame on the first series of Australian Idol, Paulini has performed in musical theatre and TV to millions of fans across Australia.

Phil Burton
Singer
Partnered with Ash-Leigh Hunter / Dancing for NSW Police Legacy 

Phil Burton is one of Australia’s most adored and respected entertainers. The multi-talented singer, arranger, live performer and media personality has been a substantial presence in the entertainment industry both in Australia and internationally for over three decades.

Co-founder and member of one of the world’s finest pop vocal groups, Human Nature, Phil is no stranger to the stage.

Pia Miranda
Actor 
Partnered with Declan Taylor / Dancing for Dolly’s Dream

Pia is an Australian film and television icon, most notably as Josie in Looking For Alibrandi, for which she won an AFI award. Pia has also had starring roles across film and television in Neighbours, Mustangs FC, Wentworth and The Tender Hook.

A fierce competitor, Pia was crowned winner of Australian Survivor: Champions v Contenders in 2019.

Sally Pearson 
Olympic Gold Medallist and 7NEWS presenter
Partnered with Mitch Kirkby / Dancing for Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary 

One of Australia’s greatest Olympians, Sally Pearson is regarded as the nation’s most successful track athlete of all time. Sally’s story is one of triumph, adversity and heartache, with career-threatening injuries conspiring against her.

Against all odds, and with a never-give-up-attitude, Sally has won multiple medals and along with it, the hearts of all Australians.

Virginia Gay 
Actor
Partnered with Ian Waite / Dancing for Wear it Purple

Virginia Gay’s breakthrough role of Gabrielle Jaeger in All Saints cemented her as one of Australia’s favourite actresses. She has since gone on to play a range of coveted roles, including Detective Rachel Kennedy in Savage River and lawyer Frances James in Winners and Losers and most recently as the unflinching CEO, Eve, in Safe Home.

Beyond the small screen, Virginia has made her mark on stage with lead roles in both Calamity Jane and Cyrano, which she both wrote and starred in.

Dancing With The Stars is produced by BBC Studios Australia and New Zealand, from a format created by the BBC and distributed by BBC Studios.

Dancing With The Stars premieres at 7:00 pm on Sunday, June 18 on Channel Seven and 7plus.

See also: Dancing With The Stars 2023: Everything you need to know

To Top