Who is in the Strictly Come Dancing band including Claudia Winklemans husband

There are many important aspects of Strictly Come Dancing that make the fan-favourite BBC series what it is.

Each week, viewers watch celebrities and their professional partners take to the ballroom’s floor to compete for the Glitterball trophy, dancing to some of the biggest hits.

But who exactly are the members of the Strictly band as the programme returns with the 2023 lineup?

Dave Arch

Dave is the head of the show’s band and has the title of Musical Director.

The 60 year old, who has worked with big names including Tina Tuner, Sir Elton John and Sir Paul McCartney.

The musician, who has worked on Strictly since 2004, has also worked in the world of film music for movies such as the Harry Potter franchise and The Grand Budapest Hotel.

Though there is a running joke from one of the show's hosts, Claudia Winkleman, that the pair are husband and wife, not much is known about his personal life, Dave has a wife and the pair share three children, two sons and a daughter.

Tommy Blaize

Tommy has been singing on Strictly for 20 years and it seems he still loves his job even after two decades.

He Liverpudlian has been posting a lot on X, formerly Twitter, about the new series and on launch night shared a video of himself singing about the episode.

Not much is known about the 60 year old’s personal life, but like Dave, the musician has worked with A-listers like Amy Winehouse, Queen, and Robbie Williams.

It seems that a love for music runs in his blood as he told The Mirror that his mum “always loved dancing and music.”

“Mum always loved dancing and music, and me and my brothers formed a little band when we were younger.

“We felt the music didn’t come from my dad’s side, whereas my mum was always singing or practising harmonies with us."

Hayley Sanderson

Not much is known about Hayley, though she was born in 1982 in Peterborough, and has been singing on our TVs for sixteen years after joining the musical lineup in 2007.

She had some success musically in 2006 when her cover of Thunderclap Newman’s Something in the Air was used in a TalkTalk advert and reached 61 in the charts.

Taking to Instagram after the end of the 2021 series, she penned: We’ve had a blast, can’t believe we survived another year.

Every single department has been amazing. Dancers and celebs have knocked it out of the park (@rose.a.e & @pernicegiovann1 and @john_whaite & @johannesradebe are inspirational) and the band have been roasted like chestnuts and are luckily still edible.

“I’m thankful to be a small cog in the giant machine that is Strictly.”

Lance Ellington

The 66 year old has been appearing on Strictly since 2012.

He is married to his wife Mirelle, with whom he shares two daughters, Lauren, who’s now in her mid-20s, and Lois, who is in her late teens, according to the Daily Mail.

Lance has worked with famous faces such as Michael Jackson, George Michael, and Westlife, and has done some acting, such as in The Life and Death of Peter Sellers where he played his dad, Ray.

Andrea Grant

Andrea has been singing on Strictly for a few years now and has sung on the aftershow It Takes Two.

She is an alumni of the BRIT School and has signed major recording contracts and numerous recorded radio jingles.

She has worked with Donna Summer, Alicia Keys, and Amy Winehouse.

Tara McDonald

Tara no longer sings on Strictly but appeared for three years between 2004 and 2007.

Tara has worked with DJs such as David Guetta and lent vocals to Armand Van Helden’s chart-topper My, My, My.

She was an assistant voice coach on the first Belgium series of The Voice.

However, last year, she joined the live tour for the dancing competition and penned: "6 weeks on the road, loved every minute of the Strictly Come Dancing Professionals Tour, the best team mates, dancers, crew, catering – and the best audiences in the UK” about

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