Paralympian Will Bayley has been revealed as one of the contestants for Strictly Come Dancing 2019

The 31-year-old was born in Tunbridge Wells and educated at Beacon Community College in Crowborough, East Sussex.

He is currently ranked the world's No 1 paralympian table tennis player, after he began playing the sport at the Byng Hall Table Tennis Club in Tunbridge Wells.

Scroll down to hear how Will's feeling ahead of the show

Mr Bayley said: "I've never danced - never had any lessons or anything like that - only one session with Janette from Strictly, so it's going to be interesting.

"I don't think anyone has been on the show with a disability that'll effect dancing as much as it will me, so it'll be interesting to see how I cope.

"Some of the technical stuff is going to be really tough but the people behind the scenes of the show are confident I can do it."

Mr Bayley has suffered from arthrogryposis since birth, a rare condition which affects all four of his limbs. He had to have reconstructive surgery before he was three. Then at seven, he developed non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system, and had to undergo a six-month course of chemotherapy at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

But he has not let these health setbacks get in the way of his sporting career.

He was helped to success by Kent County Council who sponsored his training at the English Sports Institute in Sheffield, where he went at the age of 17.

Mr Bayley admitted that he had no dance experience at all, but said he hoped his appearance on the show would inspire other people with a disability.

He said: "I'll give it a go. It' crazy. I've never had any lessons. Never danced. It will be interesting to see how I cope.

"I might be absolutely appalling!"

He added: "One of the main reasons I'm doing this is I never really had any sports stars to look up to growing up. Strictly has such a massive audience so hopefully I can inspire some people who watch it.

"If I train hard and do the best I can, I can push boundaries with my disability."

In 2017, he was made an MBE for services to table tennis after winning gold in the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games.

He is currently training to defend his title at the 2020 games in Tokyo.

The BBC has so far announced nine other contestants for the next series of the show, due to start screening in September

They are Michelle Visage, best known as a judge on the US reality TV show RuPaul's Drag race, and Emma Thynn, Viscountess Weymouth, a 33-year-old chef and model.

Also declared are CBBC presenter Karim Zeroual, the former child actor who appeared in The Sparticle Mystery, and BBC sports news presenter Mike Bushell.

Also former Coronation Street actress Catherine Tyldesley who played Rovers Return barmaid Eva Price on the ITV Soap, and teenage social media star Saffron Barker - whose book Saffron Barker Vs Real Life topped the Sunday Times bestseller list.

The line-up is completed by EastEnders actress Emma Barton, who plays Honey Mitchell; former England goalkeeper David James and comedian Chris Ramsey, who starred as Jack Pearson in the BBC Two sitcom Hebburn.

This year's series will see the return of judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli, but Dame Darcey Bussell will be replaced by Motsi Mabuse.

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