Chris Appleton, who found fame styling the hair for some of entertainment’s most famous women, is set to compete in the 2026 series of “Strictly Come Dancing” in the UK. “Strictly Come Dancing” is the UK equivalent of “Dancing With The Stars”. Although famous for work with American stars, 43-year-old Chris was actually born in England.
Appleton said: “I’m thrilled to be joining Strictly Come Dancing and coming home to the UK for this incredible experience. I’ve always believed that the best things happen when you take a chance and try something new. I may know my way around a salon floor, but the dance floor is a whole different story – and I can’t wait to get started.”
Chris Appleton’s Famous Clients Include Britney and the Kardashians
BBCChris Appleton is a celebrated hairstylist to the stars. He has worked with the likes of Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Jennifer Lopez. According to Pop Sugar, he is even the man behind Ariana Grande’s signature snatched high ponytail and dyed her hair blonde for the “No Tears Left To Cry” video.
An early celebrity client was Rita Ora, with whom he started working with in 2016. “I worked with her one day, and then she never let go of me; she just kept me for two years, and we travelled all over,” he told Grazia.
It was with Rita that he moved to LA, but his big break came when he was asked to style Christina Aguilera’s tresses for “The Voice.” I was very nervous. I just moved to America. It was my first big gig and I’d prepped all these hairpieces and wigs and because there was only 20 minutes, I thought this little hairpiece would look great. She’s like, “Oh, I don’t like hairpieces. I don’t like wigs,” he recalled to USA Today.
He is also one of the few stylists Jennifer Lopez trusts with her locks, famously styling her bouncy Super Bowl Halftime Show look. He claims that JLo was one of his earliest fans, discovering him through his social media.
“[Jennifer Lopez] was the first person that saw me. I was in the U.K. and she sent me an email asking me to do her hair for her Vegas tour. So I deleted the email because I was like, well, obviously this is fake. Then they sent me another one and I was like, “Wow, maybe this could actually happen,” he explained.
When Britney Spears needs a transformation, she’ll turn to Appleton. “As a kid growing up in England, Britney Spears was the soundtrack to so many moments. Never in a million years did I think I’d one day be standing behind the chair (or in this case her standing behind mine, lol) styling her hair,” he wrote in the caption to a photo of him and Britney.
His work has also appeared in publications including Vogue, Harper’s Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Marie Claire, L’Officiel Paris and Grazia. On the runway, he has been enlisted by the likes of Chanel, Tom Ford and Moschino.
Chris Appleton’s Connection To The Kardashians
Despite working with a huge range of A-listers, you may recognize Chris Appleton for his connection to the Kardashians. He has been working with the famous reality stars for years, helping them achieve some of their most iconic looks.
Appleton has styled Kardashian’s hair for seven Met Galas, including 2019s wet look and her blonde tresses the year she wore the Marilyn Monroe dress. Most recently, he helped Kim Kardashian turn heads at the 2026 Met Gala as she debuted a bold blonde hair transformation.
He also regularly works with Kris Jenner, last year helping the momager go platinum blonde.
The stylist is so close to the family that Kim officiated his April 2023 Las Vegas wedding to Overcompensating actor Lukas Gage at the Little White Chapel. The wedding appeared on an episode of The Kardashians.
His recent autobiography, “Your Roots Don’t Define You”, has a foreword by Kris Jenner. The book chronicles his life through bullying, coming out as gay and divorce from actor Lukas Gage.
