As the Strictly Come Dancing 2016 launch reveals the 15 couples – are these the hottest pairings EVER?

STRICTLY Come Dancing has revealed the 15 couples who will take to the floor together - producing some of the HOTTEST pairings the show has ever seen.

Irish beauty Laura Whitmore was one of the first female celebrities to find out her professional dance partner on tonight's launch show, being paired with Italian hunk Giovanni Pernice.

The dancer recently split from Georgia May Foote - who he partnered in the 2015 series - but training with the blonde TV presenter will surely prove to be a welcome distraction.

Speaking to Claudia Winkleman after their matchmaking, she said: "Irish and Italian...it's going to get fiery!"

Meanwhile model Daisy Lowe - who caused temperatures to rise with her racy and revealing red dress at the launch - was matched with former champion Aljaz Skorjanec, who is regularly lauded for his good looks.

The male celebrities also got lucky with the draw, with former Hollyoaks actor Danny Mac landing South African stunner Oti Mabuse while Olympic long jumper Greg Rutherford was paired with leggy Natalie Lowe.

First to find out who their celebrity dancer would be was former Eternal singer Louise Redknapp.

Speaking to Tess Daly ahead of the reveal, she confessed to being "nervous" but "excited" and only hoped she wouldn't embarrass footballer husband Jamie and their children, Beau and Charles.

After being paired with popular dancer Kevin Clifton, she said: "I'm so happy", but when Tess pointed out Kevin had never missed out on being in the final during his three series on the show, she cried: "Don't say that!"

Next up was BBC newsreader Naga Munchetty, who joked it wasn't her nerves she was worried about.

She said: "I'm scared for the men."

After Pasha Kovalev - who won Strictly Come Dancing with Caroline Flack in 2014 - was revealed as her dance partner, Naga said she was "over the moon".

Next up came American singer Anastacia, who thanked Tess and show producers for inviting her to be part of the British show.

She joked: "I've always dreamed of this much bling being on my body."

The feisty star was paired with the equally formidable Brendan Cole, one of the only dancers left in the show since the original series.

As they squealed and hugged with delight, he told Tess ominously: "Watch this space".

Next up the four of the male celebrities got their turn to be paired up, with former Xtra Factor presenter and DJ Melvin Odoom having his nerves settled early on by matching him with pocket rocket Janette Manrara.

He was closely followed by Greg who revealed just how nervous he was to be on the show.

He told Tess: "I'm absolutely terrified, it's destroying me, I'm shaking."

After being paired with Natalie, he added: "I'm thrilled, this is exactly what I wanted."

Speaking to Claudia, he continued: "For me this is about doing as well as I can and Natalie has been so patient with me when we have been doing the group dance."

Judge Rinder was the third male celebrity to be paired up, and he joked he had "never been this nervous about meeting a girl" before being introduced to new female professional, Ukranian dancer Oksana Platero.

Danny was next, and after being matched with Oti, Tess commented: "They make a rather hot couple wouldn't you say?" leading the audience to cheer in agreement.

Returning to the girls, Olympic gymnast Claudia Fragapane found out she would be paired with one of the new male professionals, AJ Pritchard, after confessing she felt "sick" with nerves.

Next up was Daisy who told Tess what she was looking for in a dance partner.

She said: "I want someone to be pretty tough with me and work me quite hard.

"Someone who takes the mick out of me and I can have a laugh with as I think it's going to be quite intense."

Thankfully former champ Aljaz will tick all those boxes.

The penultimate woman to be paired up was Birds of a Feather actress - and oldest contestant on the show - Lesley Joseph, who was left with Anton du Beke and Spanish newbie, Gorka Marquez.

Speaking to Tess, she said: "I'm relatively fit for someone of my age, I just want to get out there and shake my booty."

After revealing it would be fan-favourite Anton who she would be twirling around the dancefloor with, she said: "This man is a legend, I'm thrilled."

Returning the compliment, Anton told Claudia: "It's going to be a blast, I can't wait, she is a great girl."

Last but by no means least was EastEnders actress Tameka Empson, who knew exactly who she had been left with, and was positively thrilled about it.

She cried: "Good things come to those who wait and I have got myself a corker!

"Hashtag just saying."

Speaking of her co-star Kellie Bright, who danced her way to the final with Kevin Clifton last year, she added: "She has left big shoes to fill, I'm only a size four but I am going to go all the way!"

The audience were treated to performances from Olly Murs and Rebecca Ferguson throughout the evening, as well as current champions Jay McGuiness and Aliona Vilani returning to perform their amazing jive routine one last time.

But eventually, the last three men were put out of their misery and paired up with their female pros.

Presenter Ore Oduba is set to dance with Joanne Clifton, while politician Ed Balls landed himself the other new female professional, Katya Jones.

He joked: "I know what it's like to be on the wrong end of the public vote, so we will have to see how it goes."

The final contestant of the show to get their partner was singer Will Young, who was delighted to be left with Karen Clifton.

He gushed: "I'm so happy, I love this lady.

"When I sang on the show last year I said to my manager 'I want to dance with Karen'".

After all the celebrities had been paired up with their professionals, Tess asked the judges which couples stood out.

Bruno Tonioli gave a typically flamboyant reply, saying: "For temprament I think Kevin and Louise, there's something about those two.

"But Judge Rinder could be a real hip grinder, he really wants to do it and wants to work hard, he could be a surprise."

Craig Revel Horwood also commented on the ITV star, saying: "Oksana is going to be a huge match, she is going to have to be the butch one."

But the judge also liked the look of Tameka and Gorka, adding: "I love her and think Gorka is going to be fantastic with her."

Meanwhile Len Goodman, who is embarking on his last ever series of Strictly as head judge, said: "I want to see Lesley and Anton and I have got to agree with Craig, Tameka is going to give it lots of welly!".

The celebrities now have three weeks to learn their first routines.