Representation on television has helped actress Bethany Antonia feel more comfortable sharing her identity, and she hopes her partnership with professional dancer Nancy Xu on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing will have a similar impact on others. The Birmingham-born actress specifically requested a female partner to highlight the importance of same- representation on the popular competitive dance show.
Antonia began her television career playing Jada Conjo in the BBC soap opera Doctors at age 18 and later portrayed Lady Baela Targaryen in HBO’s House of the Dragon. She described the experience of competing alongside Xu as surreal. In interviews regarding her debut, she explained that seeing earlier same- partnerships on the program helped her feel more confident about being open with people in her life, noting that the 2020 pairing of former contestant Nicola Adams and professional dancer Katya Jones was particularly significant to her journey.
The Impact of Historic Representation on Strictly
Speaking candidly about her personal journey, Antonia revealed that watching Nicola Adams and Katya Jones take to the ballroom floor as the show’s first same- couple in 2020 changed her life. At the time, Antonia was not out to everyone in her life, but seeing that visibility on mainstream television made it significantly easier for her to have those vital conversations.
“When I watched Nicola and Katya do it for the first time and be the first same- pairing, I wasn’t out to everyone in my life,” Antonia shared. “Watching them do the show… made it so much easier for me to have that conversation with people in my life.”
Following in those footsteps, Antonia and Nancy Xu mark the show’s first same- pairing in three years. For Antonia, being part of this legacy is both a privilege and a responsibility. She publicly came out in 2024, noting that her identity is just another part of her life that she is immensely proud of as a Black woman.
A Shared Vision for the Ballroom Floor
Professional partner Nancy Xu has been equally vocal about the creative synergy between them, describing Antonia as a “diamond in the hand” during rehearsals. Their week-one Quickstep routine earned high praise from the judges, including notoriously harsh judge Craig Revel Horwood, who called it the first bit of good dancing of the evening.
Looking ahead to subsequent weeks, the pair have focused on shattering stereotypes and bringing authentic storytelling to their routines. Antonia emphasized that their goal is to show the world that two women dancing together is powerful, emotional, and entirely unconstrained by prescribed ballroom roles.
“I hope they take away that we are not about to shy away from anything,” Antonia said. “And that we’re not going to fall into any prescribed stereotypes. I think we’re both making a real effort to be the change we want to see and to represent a community correctly.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Bethany Antonia partnered with on Strictly Come Dancing?
Bethany Antonia is partnered with professional dancer Nancy Xu on the 2026 series of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing.
Why did Bethany Antonia request a same- pairing?
Antonia requested a female partner to highlight the importance of visibility and representation on television, noting how previous same- couples helped her feel comfortable coming out.
Which previous Strictly same- couple inspired Bethany Antonia?
Antonia has frequently cited Nicola Adams and Katya Jones, who competed together as the show’s first same- couple in 2020, as a massive inspiration in her coming-out journey.
What major television roles is Bethany Antonia known for?
She is widely recognized for playing Lady Baela Targaryen in HBO’s House of the Dragon and Jada Conjo in the BBC soap opera Doctors.
