By NIOMI HARRIS, SHOWBUSINESS REPORTER
Published: | Updated:
The Strictly Come Dancing cast may have transformed into their favourite icons for this week's themed show, but fans were far more distracted by the two icons sitting in the audience – Danny Dyer and Ray Winstone.
Danny, 49, and Ray, 69, are best known for their hard man personas and tough guy screen roles, but on Saturday night, they were simply proud dads as they cheered on their respective daughters Dani Dyer, 30, and Jaime Winstone, 41.
As the week 4 show kicked off, the camera panned to the crowd showing the two actors sitting in the front row as they prepared to watch their girls perform.
Their appearance sent fans at home wild, especially as the duo were also sitting near another icon in the form of Paul Chuckle, 78.
Taking to X, fans shared their excitement at the celebrity Strictly fans, as they hilariously quipped: 'geezer dads are in the house!'
They penned: 'Whoever made Danny Dyer and Ray Winstone sit together deserves a pay raise'
The Strictly cast may have transformed into their favourite icons for this week's show, but fans were more distracted by the two icons sitting in the audience - Danny Dyer and Ray Winstone
Danny, 49, and Ray, 69, are best known for their hard man personas and tough guy screen roles, but on Saturday night, they were simply proud dads as they cheered on their respective daughters
'Can’t get over Danny Dyer and Ray Winston sitting next to each other'
'Omg look at the two hard men in the audience together. Danny Dyer & Ray Winstone Brilliant'
'The geezer dads are in the house! To see Ray Winstone and Danny Dyer on the front row is pretty cool actually'
'Ray Winstone, Danny Dyer and one of the chuckle brothers all sitting together. It's a soap opera in itself'
'Ray Winstone and Danny Dyer sat next to each other in the audience with Paul Chuckle in front of them Peak 2026 tv audience vibes'
'All you need is to add the Mitchell Brothers & Kray Twins to Ray Winstone & Danny Dyer to complete the gallery of East End hard men and the #SCD2026 live audience might spontaneously combust from all the testosterone flying in the ballroom.'
Last month, Ray, famous for his gritty gangster roles, jokingly threatened to 'blow up Strictly Come Dancing' by fighting Danny after it was announced their daughters would be going head-to-head on the BBC show.
Speaking on The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Ray warned that he'd have to take action should the Love Island star score higher than his actress daughter.
As the week 4 show kicked off, the camera panned to the crowd showing the two actors sitting in the front row as they prepared to watch their girls perform
Taking to X, fans shared their excitement at the celebrity Strictly fans, as they hilariously quipped: 'geezer dads are in the house!'
Last month, Ray jokingly threatened to 'blow up Strictly Come Dancing' by fighting Danny after it was announced their daughters would be going head-to-head on the BBC show [Ray pictured with Jaime last month]
Speaking on The Romesh Ranganathan Show, Ray warned that he'd have to take action should the Love Island star score higher than his actress daughter [Dani and Danny pictured last month]
He said: 'Maybe we'll meet up and me and Danny, while we watch our two daughters, you know, do their thing.
'And me and Danny can have a fight in the audience. Which would be kind of nice. End Strictly for good.'
As he quipped that it would be a 'liberty' if Dani scored a perfect 40 with her first dance, Ray then noted: 'Young Dani, you know we go back a long way, you know. I've known Danny (Dyer) many, many years. Worked with him a couple of times as well.
'And his little girl's a lovely kid. You know, she's a good girl.'
It turns out that Dani didn't score as high as he'd thought, with the influencer landing second from bottom on the leaderboard after she and Nikita Kuzmin scored just 25 points for their Rumba.
Contrastingly, Jaime and pro partner Carlos Gu are joint top of the leaderboard with 34 points thanks to their brilliant Paso Doble.
Strictly Come Dancing results will air on Sunday at 7.10pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
STRICTLY COME DANCING 2026: MEET THE CONTESTANTS
LACEY TURNER
AGE: 38
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Playing Stacey Slater on BBC's EastEnders
WHY STRICTLY?: 'I'm so excited and terrified at the same time but I've had so many friends do Strictly and I thought it was about time that I plunked up the courage and made my way onto that dance floor.'
DELTA GOODREM
AGE: 41
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Played Nina Tucker in Neighbours and has released eight music albums
WHY STRICTLY?: 'I’ve been incredibly honoured to perform on many different stages throughout my career - from tv, theatre, film sets, to touring my own shows around the world, there is however one stage I’ve never stepped onto and that is the ballroom floor!'
CACH MERCER
AGE: 25
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Won Love Island 2025 and is a TikTok influencer
WHY STRICTLY?: 'I have grown up watching the show with my family and am so excited to now be part of the cast. Dancing is a huge passion of mine and I can’t wait to learn Ballroom and do the Foxtrot for the first time!'
DAME SARAH STOREY
AGE: 48
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Britain's most successful Paralympian
WHY STRICTLY?: 'Embarking on a new challenge so soon after stepping down as an athlete is hugely exciting.'
BETHANY ANTONIA
AGE: 28
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Plays Lady Baela Targaryen in House of the Dragon
WHY STRICTLY?: 'I have grown up watching Strictly, and I am so excited to take the challenge on and (hopefully!) learn a new skill.'
GRAEME 'THE DOGFATHER' HALL
AGE: 59
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Hosts Channel 5 series Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly
WHY STRICTLY?: 'I have watched the show for years, so to be a part of it feels like a very exciting challenge, albeit more than a bit nerve-wracking!'
TABBY STOECKER
AGE: 25
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Olympic champion skeleton racer
WHY STRICTLY?: 'I’ve had the wildest year of my life so far, so to be rounding it off with a childhood dream of dancing in the Strictly ballroom is surreal and I can’t wait to get stuck in!'
MELANIE WALTERS
AGE: 64
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Playing Gwen West in BBC sitcom Gavin & Stacey
WHY STRICTLY?: 'Performing in Pantomime for the last 15 years, my Strictly ‘fix’ has always been watching in a dressing room rather than my front room.'
DANI DYER
AGE: 30
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Winning Love Island and being the daughter of actor Danny Dyer
WHY STRICTLY?: 'I am so excited to be back in the ballroom this September! I just cannot wait to get my dancing shoes back on and hopefully this time around I can actually make it to week one!'
CHRIS APPLETON
AGE: 43
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Hairdresser to the stars - including Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez
WHY STRICTLY?: 'I’m thrilled to be joining Strictly and coming home to the UK for this incredible experience. I’ve always believed that the best things happen when you take a chance and try something new.'
WILL BEST
AGE: 41
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Hosts Big Brother and previously TV
WHY STRICTLY?: 'I’ve been lucky to do lots of live telly before, but absolutely nothing like this. And I cannot wait!'
JAIME WINSTONE
AGE: 41
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Starring in films such as Kidulthood and Tomb Raider
WHY STRICTLY?: 'I am no stranger to a dance floor, but the ballroom is a whole new world for me.'
SHAUN WRIGHT-PHILLIPS
AGE: 44
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Footballer who played for the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City
WHY STRICTLY?: 'Strictly is definitely outside my comfort zone, but I’m super excited to get started and really looking forward to the challenge!'
LAWRENCE ROBB
AGE: 34
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Plays Mackenzie Boyd on ITV's Emmerdale
WHY STRICTLY?: 'I can't quite believe that I am going to be getting my dancing shoes on this September on one of my favourite shows of all time!'
JOHN NELLIS
AGE: 33
BEST KNOWN FOR?: Face of a popular football-focused YouTube channel
WHY STRICTLY?: 'I can't wait to meet everyone, learn a new skill and, hopefully, be much better at family parties by the end of it!'