Stefan Dennis has been forced to quit Strictly Come Dancing after suffering an injury, with the Neighbours legend’s exit confirmed in a statement on Monday
Neighbours legend Stefan Dennis has quit the current series of Strictly Come Dancing following an injury.
The star, who portrayed Paul Robinson in the Australian soap, had been partnered with fellow Aussie and reigning Strictly champion Dianne Buswell for the 2025 series.
However, during a breaking news segment on spin-off programme It Takes Two on Monday, it was announced that Stefan would no longer be taking part in the competition.
The revelation was also posted on the official Strictly Instagram page, where Stefan revealed: “This Morning, I woke up to the most disappointing day of my time in my Strictly journey.
“Just when I had finally gained the confidence to do well with my dancing in the comp and achieve more great dances along the way, I was told that on Saturday, I had torn my calf so significantly that I am now forced to withdraw from the show,” reports Wales Online.
He added: “I can’t tell you how devastated I am to have to leave so prematurely, especially, as there has been, and still is, so much love and support from everyone for both Dianne and myself.
“I owe both the Strictly Family and Dianne a massive debt of gratitude for giving me the opportunity to fulfil my dream of being able to dance with my wife (When my leg is better). Fun face for all the avid Neighbours fans… It’s the same leg!”
Pregnant professional dancer Dianne, who claimed victory in last year’s series alongside comedian Chris McCausland, also uploaded a tribute to Stefan on her Instagram profile. She said: “stefo I’m so sorry our strictly journey was cut short just as that confidence was starting to grow. But you can walk away with your head held high. You can go home to your wonderful wife put your hand out and say would you like to cha cha cha with me.
“the main reason for being on this show was to be able to dance with her and you can certainly do that now. You are the kindest human I have ever worked with and I can always say I got to dance with the iconic neighbours legend Stefan Dennis or as my dad calls ya Paul Robertson.”
Fellow professionals and viewers were left gutted by the announcement.
Welsh professional dancer Amy Dowden said: “So gutted for you both. Sending all my love and well wishes xxxx”.
One viewer said: “I’m devastated for you both but thank you for all the joy you’ve given to us!!”
A second said: “Absolutely gutted for you both but you should be so proud of all you achieved on your short but ever so sweet journey, I hope he recovers well sending all the well wishes and love his way.”
And another added: “Gutted for you both as it was clear you were just getting started.”
The announcement follows Stefan’s most triumphant performance on Strictly when he bagged a score of 26 out of 40 from the panel last Saturday.
Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC One and BBC iPlayer
Dianne Buswell has opened up about juggling her first pregnancy while appearing on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing and how much her unborn son loves the live band
Dianne Buswell has revealed she’s loving dancing while pregnant(Image: WireImage)
Pregnant Dianne Buswell says her unborn baby is already showing signs he’s going to follow in her footsteps. The mum-to-be took to the Strictly Come Dancing dance floor again last night with celebrity partner, Neighbours star Stefan Dennis.
Aussie Dianne – who is expecting a baby boy with YouTuber Joe Sugg early next year – says the baby is a big fan of the show. “There have been a few little Strictly kicks,” she beamed. “Especially when he’s listening to Dave Arch and the band.
“I don’t feel it when I dance. That’s probably rocking him to sleep. He will be having a good old time there.” Dianne, 36, announced last month that she was expecting a baby boy with her 2018 Strictly partner Joe, 34.
The first pro to compete while pregnant on the BBC show, she’s faced lots of support but also a barrage of opinions. Dianne brushed off any negativity, saying: “I have got some lovely messages. I want to be an advocate for mums who can stay active.
“I feel really good thanks. I feel pretty much the same as I felt last year. I feel better dancing. I felt worse when I had the time off last week, weirdly, so that was an interesting observation.”
Dianne was forced to miss out on last week’s movie week after Stefan was struck down by illness. They were back last night to perform Charleston to Dance Monkey by Tones and I.
Dianne said she’s loving dancing while pregnant. “So far so good,” she said. “I haven’t had to adapt anything at all. I’ve just continued doing exactly what I would normally do.
“We couldn’t be doing crazy lifts anyway because Stefan is the oldest competitor in the competition and you always choreograph dances that suit your partner. People who do these big lifts will be very different in height and size but me and Stefan are not like that so we go for what suits us better.
“I adapt not because I’m pregnant but because of my partner.” Actor Stefan, 66, said his week off gave him the chance to “rest and re-evaluate”.
“I came from the other side of the world and was thrown into a massive machine I didn’t really know anything about. Being sick gave me a chance to sit back and see what you do. The hardest thing has been learning how to dance and getting over the fear of I can’t dance. My subconscious thoughts are that I have two left feet. I don’t know how to move my body. I can’t do this. So the hardest thing is getting over that.”
Hoping to progress to next weekend’s show, Halloween week, Stefan says he’s already had to miss out on one spooky opportunity. “Before this my plan was to finish Neighbours,” he explained. “I was going to do a film and then I was going to go travelling with my wife and kids.
“It’s a shame I didn’t do the film because I was going to play a head vampire in a horror film which couldn’t be further from Paul Robinson but unfortunately I had to say no to the film because of Strictly.”
Little Mix singer Leigh-Anne Pinnock performs on tonight’s results show. Watch at 7.15pm on BBC One.
Chris McCausland won the 2024 series of Strictly Come Dancing with professional partner Dianne Buswell, but the pair faced a number of challenges during their time on the show
Comedian Chris McCausland‘s triumph on last year’s Strictly Come Dancing came despite numerous obstacles – but not all of them were related to the Liverpool-born comedian’s retinitis pigmentosa, which robbed him of his sight almost entirely in his early twenties.
Indeed, he reveals, even if he’d retained his vision, he might have lost it regardless during rehearsal sessions for the programme.
While Chris and professional dance partner Dianne Buswell were rehearsing their Samba for Halloween Week, the Australian professional dancer, who is expecting her first child with boyfriend Joe Sugg, kicked backwards a touch too vigorously.
Chris remembers that the dancer “caught me so hard in the face that I almost threw up and had to lie down for twenty minutes to recover”.
In his new autobiography, Keep Laughing, he continues: “I took the entire impact of her flying foot right on one eyeball. It’s honestly a good job they didn’t work already or I would have been doing that dance half blind anyway and Strictly would have had an insurance payout like no other.”
But the biggest challenge to the dancing pair wasn’t Chris’ condition, but Dianne’s.
Their apparently effortless Week Eight Couple’s Choice routine to John Lennon’s 1970 classic Instant Karma masked a hidden crisis.
The dramatic performance featured a sudden blackout which, Chris reveals, was intended to transport the studio audience and BBC viewers into his world of darkness. It was an extraordinary television moment, and both the programme’s judges and fans had an enormous emotional reaction.
However, what nobody else realised was that Dianne had been genuinely struggling in the lead-up to the live programme.
Chris revealed: “The only downside to this dance for us was that Dianne had been really ill all day, so we hadn’t been able to enjoy it as much as we would have liked.”
Dianna had been battling a stomach bug, and Chris quipped that the daring moment when the stage lights returned after the blackout to show him spinning rapidly with Dianne draped across his shoulders could have had some very nasty outcomes.
He penned: “She had been unable to keep anything down and had spent a lot of that day in or near a toilet, so we were just grateful that it was only the pyrotechnics that went off, or that fast spin out of the darkness could have been a very different surprise!”.
The routine earned thunderous applause from the crowd and a score of 33 out of a potential 40 points from the judging panel – Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke.
Craig declared the “poignant blackout moment” was “absolutely spectacular” whilst head judge Shirley became tearful and, as she composed herself, told Chris: “You come out every week with your heart on your sleeve, and you give us 100%.”
He revealed that if medical science were to find a cure for his blindness one day, he would first look up some video clips from his time on Strictly: “I’ll certainly have to sit down with Dianne, to watch our dances and actually see what we were able to accomplish each week.”
Strictly Come Dancing pro Dianne Buswell is expecting her first child with her boyfriend Joe Sugg, and her co-stars have been showering her with love and support
Dianne Buswell is expecting her first child(Image: Ken McKay/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)
Pregnant Dianne Buswell says she ‘can’t deal’ after her Strictly Come Dancing co-star left her on the verge of tears.
The professional dancer is taking part in the competition this year alongside Neighbours icon Stefan Dennis, and the duo made their competition debut during the opening week last weekend, delivering a Foxtrot to the Neighbours Theme by Barry Crocker.
Following their performance, Stefan acknowledged there had been issues with the routine, but judge Anton Du Beke still praised it as a “brilliant effort”. However, judge Craig Revel Horwood went on the attack, stating that the dance had been “littered with mistakes”.
The actor, renowned for portraying Neighbours’ Paul Robinson for four decades, and defending champion Dianne, who is expecting her first child, delivered an 80s-themed cha cha to Give It Up by KC And The Sunshine Band, earning 17 points.
Last month, Dianne announced that she is expecting her first baby – a boy – with her partner Joe Sugg. The Australian dancer and the YouTuber first crossed paths on Strictly in 2018 when they were partnered together for that series.
The expectant parents shared the news through a charming video, accompanied by Elton John’s ‘Tiny Dancer’, which showed them creating a painting that depicted themselves as stick figures with a smaller one between them to symbolise their baby.
Dianne and Joe have subsequently been inundated with messages of affection, with Dianne also receiving presents whilst working on Strictly at Elstree Studios.
On Saturday, Dianne posted on social media, revealing she had been given a tiny cardigan that was delivered to the studio after her pregnancy reveal.
Accompanying the image, which displayed the miniature piece of handcrafted knitwear, the Australian performer shared a series of tearful face emojis before writing: “This was sent to the studio today and I cannot deal. It’s so small.”
During the latest live programme, she returned to her social media account and alongside a selfie with Strictly colleague Neil Jones, in which she could be seen pouting with an emotional expression, Dianne displayed the gift. Displaying a miniature pair of Adidas trainers, Dianne wrote: “Nah I can’t deal thank you Uncle Jonsey [face holding back tears and heart emojis] @mr_njonesofficial @joe_sugg.”
She also revealed another parcel containing tiny baby socks decorated with teddy bears. “And then these from uncle @ciaranfoley [face holding back tears and heart emojis] @joe_sugg. This lille boy is already so loved and lucky. Thank you [face holding back tears and heart emojis].”
Dancer Dianne Buswell announced she was expecting her first child with partner Joe Sugg earlier this month as she performed her first dance with Stefan Dennis on Saturday night
10:23, 28 Sep 2025Updated 10:24, 28 Sep 2025
Strictly’s Dianne Buswell showed off her baby bump on the live show(Image: CREDIT LINE:BBC/Guy Levy)
Strictly Come Dancing kicked off it’s first couples dances on last night’s show (Saturday 27 September) and one particular person who was glowing was pregnant dancer Dianne Buswell. She and her celebrity partner Stefan Dennis took to the dancefloor to perform a Foxtrot to the Neighbours theme song as she showed off her growing baby bump.
The Aussie native, 36, announced her pregnancy with partner Joe Sugg earlier this month and despite questions being raised about whether she would be able to still compete, Dianne proved she can do it all as she showed off her pregnancy glow.
For her performance, she wore a flowy blue dress with flower detailing and a v-neck, which perfectly held her growing baby bump. The pair received a score of 22 from the judges, putting them in eighth place on leaderboard out of the 15 contestants.
Dianne’s pregnancy didn’t go unmentioned on the live show as her co-stars flocked to congratulate her and make her feel special. Following their performance, host Tess Daly exclaimed: “Dianne, we can not let you leave the floor without saying congratulations.”
She responded gleefully: “Thank you so much! “That’s why we’re in blue tonight,” she laughed before saying: “Not really, but lets pretend!”
As she and Stefan made their way upstairs, Claudia Winkleman decided to throw her an impromptu baby shower. Pro dancer Neil Jones came out wearing an animal costume and she was presented with balloons, a teddy bear and some cupcakes.
Fans flocked to X to compliment the mum-to-be during the live show as one person gushed: “Dianne’s baby bump awwwww,” Another fan said: “Dianne’s baby bump. So happy for Dianne and Joe. They met on Strictly 7 years ago and now a baby is on the way.”
Somebody else commented: “Stefan and Dianne were incredible and Dianne looked so beautiful! And her little bump showing,” while a fourth added: “Love this when the #strictly cast congratulated Dianne on her baby news, she is going to be an amazing mum.”
Her baby bump television debut comes after vile trolls complained about seeing her pregnant on the show. One troll in particular wrote on social media: “I don’t want to see her dance being pregnant, it’s already feeling uncomfortable and she’s only starting to show. It’s really not appropriate.”
Dianne posted it on her Instagram story and responded: “”I can’t believe in 2025 things like this are still being said.”
Her fans rushed to her defence, with one writing: “Saw @diannebuswell’s story and just had to say something. Her dancing pregnant in Strictly this year is nothing short of beautiful and magical. Women’s bodies are INCREDIBLE and I don’t actually think people realise that.
“This will show all of those people who believe this weird twisted notion that women should hide away when they’re carrying a baby that women are capable of much more & can do anything.
“You’re inspirational and incredible. We as a family cannot wait to watch you doing what you love and were born to do again every weekend. And we will be cheering you on as always beautiful.” Dianne reposted the comment with a series of happy crying and heart emojis.
She makes history as the first ever dancer to be pregnant while competing on the BBC One show.
DIANNE Buswell took to the Strictly floor for the first time tonight after hitting back at a troll who said her dancing while pregnant on the show made them ‘uncomfortable’.
The Strictly pro announced the happy news she is expecting her first baby with partner Joe Sugg earlier this month.
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Dianne Buswell took to the Strictly dance floor for the first time since hitting back at a troll
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The pregnant pro danced a foxtrot with her partner Stefan Dennis
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The couple danced to the Neighbours theme tune
Her pregnancy hasn’t stopped Dianne taking part in the 2025 series, where she has been paired with Neighbours legend Stefan Dennis.
Tonight, the duo danced their first routine in the Strictly studio, a foxtrot to the Neighbours theme tune.
The couple scored one of the better scores of the night with 22, and Dianne then received a ’10-second baby shower’ from her Strictly family.
Neil Jones – dressed as a stork – brought on some gifts for her.
Dianne replied: “I love you all so much and thank you for being so supportive.”
While the majority of people have been supportive, some trolls have taken aim at Dianne for dancing while pregnant.
The message said: “I don’t want to see her dance being pregnant, it’s already feeling uncomfortable and she’s only starting to show. It’s really not appropriate.”
Shocked by the remark, Strictly favourite Dianne hit back: “I can’t believe in 2025 things like this are still being said.”
But while one troll tried to bring her down, another fan rushed to lift her up.
Strictly’s Dianne Buswell expecting first baby with partner Joe Sugg as they reveal gender in sweet video
The flame-haired dancer proudly reposted a heartfelt message from a supporter who praised her for inspiring millions.
Strictly Come Dancing pro Dianne Buswell has addressed a comment she received about dancing whilst pregnant and her post about it has then been met with support
23:47, 24 Sep 2025Updated 23:47, 24 Sep 2025
Dianne Buswell reacted to a comment about her dancing whilst pregnant earlier this week(Image: Kate Green/BAFTA/Getty Images for BAFTA)
Professional dancer Dianne Buswell has addressed criticism over her decision to compete on Strictly Come Dancing whilst pregnant. She has also been met with support after sharing a message that she received about the situation.
Dianne announced that she’s expecting a baby with her partner Joe Sugg earlier this month, with their son due next year. The news has been celebrated by fans but she’s also faced concern over still competing on the BBC show ahead of the first live show, which is taking place this weekend.
It was confirmed in the launch show that Dianne will remain one of this year’s dancers as the partner of Neighbours star Stefan Dennis. She’s said to be the first pregnant competitor in the show’s history, as reported by the Express.
However, not all viewers are pleased, with it suggested she should withdraw from the contest due to her pregnancy. Dianne shared an update on her Instagram Story on Wednesday, where she showed one negative message that she’s received.
The message stated: “I don’t want to see her dance being pregnant, it’s already feeling uncomfortable and she’s only starting to show. It’s really not appropriate.” Dianne responded to the comment in her own post, expressing her frustration. She wrote: “I can’t believe in 2025 things like this are still being said.”
In a subsequent post, she highlighted a response from one of her supporters, who defended Dianne. They said that her dancing whilst pregnant was “nothing short of beautiful and magical”. They went on to say she is “inspirational and incredible” in the message, which Dianne shared beside teary-eyed emojis and red hearts.
The fan said: “Saw [Dianne’s] story and just had to say something. Her dancing pregnant in Strictly this year is nothing short of beautiful and magical. Women’s bodies are INCREDIBLE and I don’t actually think some people realise that.
“This will show all of those people who believe this weird twisted notion that women should hide away when they’re carrying a baby that women are capable of so much more & can do anything. You’re inspirational and incredible. We as a family cannot wait to watch you doing what you love and were born to do again every weekend. And we will be cheering you on as always beautiful.”
Dianne revealed earlier this month that she and YouTuber Joe are expecting their first child together. Since then, some of her fans have questioned whether the 36-year-old pro should carry on performing some of Strictly’s lifts.
Speaking to comedian Chris McCausland, whom she won Strictly with last year, on their Winning Isn’t Everything podcast, Dianne said that her doctor had given her advice following her pregnancy announcement. Chris said: “How’s it work with all the lifts and things like that because we did quite a lot of lifts that were quite high impact.”
Dianne replied: “Well, look, I’m still doing everything that I did before. Obviously, with lifts, there’s just going to be a bit more caution. But my doctor has said that everything is like normal. He said, basically, if you’ve done it before, like in terms of you’re a dancer, you’ve done lifts, you’ve done this, you’ve done that, then crack on and keep doing what you were doing.”
She continued: “He said, because you’ve danced since you were five, literally, this is what your body’s meant to do. He said you shouldn’t stop what you do. So obviously, with lifts, you just do it with caution.”
Strictly Come Dancing reigning champions Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell were back on the hit show for the launch of the 2025 season where a new batch of celebs are out for glitterball glory
Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell moved Strictly fans with their champions dance(Image: BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing has returned to TV for the 2025 season with sequins, glamour – and a moving performance from reigning champion Chris McCausland. The 48-year-old won the 2024 season with professional dancer Dianne Buswell.
And fans were thrilled to see them back together on the Strictly ballroom dance floor. The champion duo took to the stage to perform their Bafta award-winning waltz, You’ll Never Walk Alone – which won the public-voted Bafta TV memorable moment award earlier this year.
Fans were thrilled to see the reigning champions back(Image: BBC)
One X user wrote: “chris and dianne are back one last time!!! fave strictly champs ever!” And being a Liverpool fan, some were moved by the dance which was affiliated with the city.
A fan wrote: “You’ll Never Walk Alone will always have a special place in my heart. Liverpool fan here whyy I’m gonna be a mess!!” Another remarked: “Missing them like theyre family.”
Other fans were left in tears once the pair performed their touching dance.. One wrote on X: “Oh god-I’m gone at Chris and Dianne’s Waltz to You’ll Never Walk Alone.” And another wrote: “Chris and Di” along with a string of crying face emojis. After dancing, Dianne applauded Chris and declared: “That was beautiful” as they stepped to the side of the stage to chat with host Tess Daly.
Last December, Chris and Dianne were voted winners of the 2024 season – with fans left in awe of Chris’s dance moves. The comedian – who is blind – gave a tearful acceptance speech at the time.
He said: “This is for [Buswell] and it’s for everyone out there that got told they couldn’t do something or thought they couldn’t do something … and it just shows that with opportunity and support and determination, anything can happen.”
Saturday saw the launch of the 23rd season of Strictly – which has been on the air since 2004. The latest batch of stars hoping to win the glitterball trophy include Love Island star Dani Dyer, former Geordie Shore cast member Vicky Pattison, and past The Apprentice contestant Thomas Skinner.
Meanwhile, Dianne and her boyfriend Joe – who fell for each other after performing on Strictly back in 2018 – revealed they will be welcoming a baby together next year. A video clip shared on social media last week showed the couple creating a painting together.
Dianne and boyfriend Joe Sugg are expecting their first baby(Image: BBC/Guy Levy)
When they turned their canvas around, the image showed three stick figures – a man, woman and baby – and the simple heading: “2026”.
In an accompanying caption to the video, they wrote: “Our little baby boy … we cannot wait to meet you” along with a red heart emoji. Fans, followers, and fellow Strictly alumni were quick to comment on the news and share in the excitement.
Stacey Dooley, who won Strictly in 2018 where she fell for dance professional Kevin Clifton with whom she shares a two-year-old daughter, wrote: “YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES.”
Helen Skelton, who competed on Strictly in 2022, wrote: “Huge congratulations” alongside a string of red heart emojis.
And pop singer Conor Maynard, who is a close friend of the couple, wrote: “Let me know when he’s old enough for a new “Singing Impressions” video. Or even a sing off. The views have been drying up lately.”
Reigning Strictly Come Dancing champion Dianne Buswell shares dreams for the future with her long-term love Joe Sugg and their plans to start a family
Dancer Dianne talks about baby plans with boyfriend of six years Joe Sugg in a new interview
Dancing is at the centre of everything for Dianne Buswell – it’s where she made her name and found the love of her life. But the Strictly Come Dancing professional says she’s prepared to waltz away for a while to start a family with partner, podcaster and YouTuber Joe Sugg.
The pair met on the 2018 series of the BBC show after being paired together and romance blossomed away from the bright lights and the cameras once their stint had ended.
Dianne, 36, has opened up about their family plans as she shares what made her fall for Joe, 33. “It wasn’t until the show ended that we realised we missed each other’s company a lot – our relationship went from there,” she explained.
Dianne Buswell opens up about her baby plans with partner Joe Sugg
“We always got on, he was so funny to me, and I loved how creative he was. We’ve always wanted kids, it’s just finding the right time. I don’t feel worried about taking time out from dancing, I just don’t see the point in worrying. When everything aligns, it will happen. I have to have that vision. I like to practise manifestation, I’m quite spiritual.”
Joe and Dianne have been in a relationship since meeting on Strictly in 2018(Image: Karwai Tang, WireImagevia Getty Images)
Grilled on Good Morning Britain by Susanna Reid and Ed Balls, she explained how some of her fingers had swollen up after a flight, so she moved rings from her right to her left hand. “I was taking pictures with my family and I put them online so everyone thought I was engaged,” she recalled. “I’m not engaged.”
Joe may not have got down on bended knee, but their relationship is going from strength to strength, with Joe beginning to enjoy some of Dianne’s passions. “Joe laughs at me because I’m always investing in the latest wellness product,” tells Dianne.
“It’s a big passion. I have an ice bath at home. I can get a bit anxious but cold-water therapy calms me down. I’m so proud of Joe – he never knew about any of this wellness stuff, but he’s enjoying it. He loves the ice bath. He does it more than me, to be honest.”
Pro dancer Dianne will be returning for the next series of Strictly in September and will be partnered with a new celebrity
Since joining Strictly in 2017, Australian pro dancer Dianne has been putting her body through hours of gruelling rehearsals day after day, so she has to look after herself.
“There’s only so much you can give before you need to recharge,” says Dianne. “In this line of work, we’re giving, giving, giving, because we want people to have the best time, but there comes a point when you need to give yourself time and space. I need moments of quiet and calm.”
A self-confessed “homebody”, Dianne loves a night in as much as a showbiz party. “I’m okay being in my own company. At a party, I’m not the loudest one in the room by any stretch of the imagination.”
Dianne says she loves nothing more than winding down at home rather than living the showbiz lifetsyle
She shares her home life with fans on social media – she and Joe have built up a huge following through their daily vlogs. Dianne says it’s helped show people the “real” her. “I always wanted my YouTube channel and the podcast [Winning Isn’t Everything] to be as raw as possible,” she tells Prima magazine.
“First thing in the morning, I’ll vlog and show the real me, who hasn’t been in hours of hair and make-up. It comes with age and becoming more confident in yourself as a person.
“When I was younger, I used to be self-conscious and would never step outside unless I had a full face of make-up on. It’s no longer about looks, it’s about how I feel and what I feel. That’s why I’m so honest – if I can help at least one or two people, then I feel like my job’s done.”
Dianne and Chris McCausland lifted the glitterball trophy in last year’s Strictly(Image: Instagram)
As Strictly’s reigning champion after her historic win with blind comedian Chris McCausland, 48, last year, Dianne is preparing to line up with another celebrity for the new series, with the professional dancers rehearsing already ahead of the show starting in September.
But she and Chris do the Winning podcast together, and she says he changed her outlook on life – and she doesn’t feel as much pressure any more. “I feel just as excited as any other year, and I’ve put no expectations on myself,” she insists.
“Last year taught me it’s not about perfection. I used to think of winning, winning, winning, but the past few years, it hasn’t been about that at all – maybe that comes with age and maturity.
Dianne is on the cover of the September issue of Prima magazine, out now
“Chris and I could have left at any point and would have gone thinking we’d won anyway. It doesn’t feel like a competition any more. I taught him a lot, but he taught me just as much.
“Chris has allowed me to be more of the character that I naturally am. I don’t feel pressure to be the world’s best dancer as I get older – you don’t need to be a world champion to be a great Strictly professional. It’s a mixed bag of stuff, like being able to communicate with someone as a teacher.”
She is looking forward to reuniting with friend and fellow pro Amy Dowden, 34, who returned to the show in the last series after breast cancer but had to pull out after a foot injury.
Dianne said: “She’s a tough cookie. I’ve never met anyone who loves dancing so much, she lives and breathes it and for that to be taken away from her for a period was so upsetting. But she is back 100%, thriving and full of life.”
■Read the full interview in September’s issue of Prima, out now, and online.
