A fresh batch of celebrities are set to grace the Strictly Come Dancing dance floor this month, with the 2025 series launching on BBC One on Saturday, 20 September.

The show is preparing to welcome 12 famous faces, including former professional footballer Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who's best remembered for his spells at Chelsea and Leeds United.

The 53 year old has expressed his enthusiasm about embracing a "new challenge" on Strictly, which represents his debut foray into reality television.

Here, we delve into Jimmy's background, exploring his sporting journey alongside his private life with his rarely-seen wife, children and famous sibling....

Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, legally known as Jerrell, was born in Suriname in 1972. When he was six years old, he relocated to the Netherlands with his family and embarked on his footballing journey, reports Leeds Live.

Whilst residing in the Dutch city of Zaandam, he initially played as a goalkeeper before switching to right winger and eventually settling as a striker. His professional journey began at Telstar and AZ Alkmaar.

Following his departure from Telstar and release from AZ Alkmaar, Jimmy relocated to Portugal where he joined Campomaiorense. It was at this club that Jimmy acquired his moniker, as the chairman informed the media he'd merely recruited a player called Jimmy, attempting to conceal his true identity.

Jimmy enjoyed a successful stint at Boavista before signing with Leeds United for £2m in 1997. His time at Leeds was marked by significant success, earning him the status of a club hero and even sharing the Premier League's Golden Boot with Michael Owen and Dwight Yorke in his second season.

In 1999, he transferred to Atletico Madrid, but by 2000 he was back in England, signing with Chelsea. After four seasons with the Blues, he went on to play for Middlesbrough, Charlton Athletic, and Cardiff City.

Throughout his career, Jimmy also represented the Netherlands national team.

Jimmy hung up his boots in 2008 and soon embarked on a coaching career, starting with Chelsea's under-16s and Nottingham Forest.

By 2013, he had taken the reins at Royal Antwerp, moving on to manage Burton Albion the following year. He then held managerial positions at Queens Park Rangers and Northampton Town, before making a return to Burton Albion.

His final official role was as an assistant coach for the England national team, working alongside Gareth Southgate. He left the position in 2024 when Gareth also stepped down.

Jimmy is the younger sibling of Carlos Hasselbaink, another former professional footballer. Carlos played for several clubs, including AZ, Telstar and Haarlem, before retiring in 2005.

Jimmy's uncle is Nigel Hasselbaink, a professional footballer who currently plays as a forward for AFC and represents the Suriname national team.

Jimmy enjoys a blissful married life, though his wife prefers to stay away from the limelight. The couple are proud parents to three daughters, Miah, Lauren and Khloe. Jimmy also has another daughter in Holland.

His eldest daughters, Miah and Lauren, are both budding actresses. Miah has featured in The Man In My Basement and graces the West End stage in 'TINA' as Young Anna Mae, while Lauren has starred in Netflix's Matilda the Musical. Their youngest sister, Khloe, 11, is making her mark as a model.

Jimmy is set to strut his stuff on this year's series of Strictly Come Dancing. He'll be competing against a host of famous faces including Dani Dyer, George Clarke, Vicky Pattison, Stefan Dennis and Tom Skinner on the popular BBC show.

On joining the Strictly line-up, Jimmy shared: "Swapping the pitch for the ballroom is certainly not something I've done before but I'm looking forward to tackling a fun challenge! Bring on a new type of footwork, with hopefully no own goals."

Strictly Come Dancing's Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's life from famous family to rarely-seen wife - Daily Star