Melanie Walters, best known for her role as Gwen West in the BBC comedy Gavin & Stacey, has joined the 24th series of Strictly Come Dancing. Walters, 64, will compete alongside Love Island star Dani Dyer, musician Delta Goodrem, and former England footballer Shaun Wright-Phillips. This series marks the first since the departure of hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, who have been replaced by Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe, and Johannes Radebe. Strictly Come Dancing is a popular British television show where celebrities learn to dance and compete in various styles, with the goal of winning the competition and a cash prize. Walters, who hails from the Mumbles near Swansea, began her television career in 1987 with a role in the BBC Wales series The District Nurse. Her first regular role came two years later in the Wales-set ITV drama We Are Seven. She was cast as Gwen West in Gavin & Stacey in 2007, a role that became one of the most popular BBC series of all time. Her character was known for making omelettes, a quirk that also influenced her real life. Walters mentioned that she has developed a passion for omelettes since her role and often receives requests from fans to make the dish when they encounter her. In addition to Gavin & Stacey, Walters has appeared in shows such as Hollyoaks, playing Bonnie Bevan, and the recent BBC crime mystery Death Valley. She has also been a familiar face on the British theatre scene, performing in plays and pantomimes around the country. Outside of acting, Walters runs a pilates studio, having started learning the exercise while living in London and training at the Pilates Institute. She opened her own business when she moved back to Mumbles. Walters expressed her excitement about joining Strictly Come Dancing, stating that she had previously watched the show from a dressing room while performing in pantomime. She hopes to swap her fairy wand for sequinned dance shoes and avoid leaving one on the Ballroom stairs like Cinderella. Gavin & Stacey co-creator Ruth Jones sent a message in the voice of her sitcom character, Nessa, wishing Walters luck and humorously suggesting she seek advice from Shirley Ballas and avoid taking no crap from Craig Revel Horwood.