"Bychkova confirmed her exit in March, saying she would "always be grateful" for the experience. She added: "This isn't the end... I look forward to being part of the Strictly world for many years to come in ways I am beginning to explore.""
"Her exit came days after Hauer confirmed she had decided to step away, saying it was the "right time" after 14 years with the show."
"Fan-favourite Márquez confirmed in April he was leaving the show after 10 years. However, he has been a judge on the Spanish version of the show - Ballando con las Estrellas - since its second season, and was not given a celebrity partner on Strictly last year because of it."
"Mushtuk confirmed her exit in a March Instagram post after a decade on the show. "Now it's time for me to follow my dreams beyond the show, and I'm excited for what the future holds," she said."
The BBC has announced the professional dancer lineup for Strictly Come Dancing 2026 following significant changes to the roster. Fifteen dancers are confirmed to return, including recent additions Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon, alongside established professionals like Dianne Buswell, Amy Dowden, and Johannes Radebe. However, five professionals have exited the show: Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Gorka Márquez, Luba Mushtuk, and Michelle Tsiakkas. Their departures occurred over several months, with each citing personal reasons or career opportunities. Márquez notably had not received a celebrity partner last year due to his judging role on the Spanish version. New professional dancers will be announced closer to the autumn series premiere.
Read at PinkNews | Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news | LGBTQ+ news
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]