British actor Lewis Cope has become an unexpected addition to the Strictly Come Dancing 2025 lineup, stepping in as a last-minute replacement for Game of Thrones star Kristian Nairn, who withdrew from the competition on medical grounds. The 30-year-old Emmerdale star, who plays Nicky Milligan on the popular ITV soap, received the surprise call while walking down Oxford Street on his way to meet a friend. Cope's sudden entry has made him an early standout in this year's competition, marking one of two late cast changes that have reshaped the series before its first live show.

Cope brings significant performing experience to the dance floor, having made his stage debut at just 11 years old in the West End production of Billy Elliot: The Musical, where he played Michael. The actor has credited that early experience with shaping his career, telling Tresa magazine, "If I hadn't have done that show when I was 11, I wouldn't be an actor now. It opened my eyes." His connection to the Billy Elliot story runs particularly deep, as he noted that his grandfather was a miner, making the production's themes "very close to home."

Beyond his theatrical background, Cope possesses actual dance training from his teenage years as part of the hip-hop troupe Ruff Diamond. The group achieved notable success, finishing as runners-up on the Sky One dance competition Got to Dance in 2013 and receiving praise from judge Kimberly Wyatt, who called their initial audition the best of the series. This combination of stage experience and specific dance training positions Cope as a potentially strong contender in the competition, despite his late entry.

The actor joins fellow replacement Amber Davies, who was brought in after Dani Dyer withdrew due to an ankle fracture sustained during rehearsals. Cope expressed that the sudden nature of his casting might work to his advantage, stating, "I think, if anything, it's probably helped me because I haven't really had time to think about it or anything so now the excitement has kind of just taken over. I think it's probably better for me." He has also identified judge Shirley Ballas as the panel member he's particularly hoping to impress as he makes his Strictly debut.

London's Metropolitan Police has reversed its longstanding position on grooming gangs in the capital, acknowledging for the first time that it has multiple active investigations into group-based child sexual exploitation. The shift came after an investigation by MyLondon and The Daily Express challenged official statements from both police leadership and Mayor Sadiq Khan, who had consistently maintained there were "no reports" or "no indication" of Rochdale or Rotherham-style rape gangs operating in London.

The investigation uncovered evidence from four separate His Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services reports spanning 2016 to 2025 that documented at least six potential victims of grooming gang abuse. These case studies, which the Mayor of London personally responded to according to public statements, described children as young as 13 being exploited by groups of predatory men. The reports detailed how girls were plied with drugs and alcohol, raped in hotels by multiple perpetrators, and subjected to life-threatening situations.

Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley revealed to Assembly Members at City Hall that the force now acknowledges a "steady flow" of live multi-offender child sexual exploitation investigations and a "very significant" number of historic cases requiring reinvestigation. The commissioner estimated these reviews would cost "millions of pounds a year, for several years" to properly investigate, contradicting previous assertions that the force had "not seen" such cases in London.

Political figures including Reform UK MP Lee Anderson and Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp have criticized the mayor's handling of the situation, with Anderson stating there is "real, credible evidence that grooming gangs exist in London" and Philp alleging that Khan is "facilitating a cover-up." A spokesman for the mayor maintained that Khan has "always been clear that the safety of Londoners is his top priority" and remains "committed to doing all he can to protect children in London."