Strictly Come Dancing is back on TV after the launch of the show was delayed following the death of Her Majesty The Queen on September 8.
The new series is sure to bring all the glitz and glam this year, with the likes of Paralympian Ellie Simmons, EastEnders stat James Bye and TV presenter Helen Skelton on the line up.
The new contestants are hoping to follow in the footsteps of last year’s winner Rose Ayling-Ellis as they are judged each week on the likes of their quickstep, foxtrot and cha-cha alongside their professional partners.
But what are the former winners of Strictly Come Dancing up to now following the competition?
2021 – Rose Ayling-Ellis
(Image: Instagram/ @rose.a.e)
Rose Ayling-Ellis won the series in 2021 alongside Strictly pro Giovanni Pernice.
She made Strictly history as the shows’s first-ever deaf contestant and for her emotional contemporary routine which featured 10 seconds of silence in tribute to the deaf community.
Since Rose won the coveted Strictly trophy, she returned to EastEnders for her final scenes as Frankie Lewis and she went on to win a BAFTA alongside dance partner Giovanni for their performance on Strictly.
Last month, she also starred in a new campaign for Barbie as they collaboratively launched the first-ever deaf Barbie Doll.
2020 – Bill Bailey
(Image: PA)
Bill Bailey went on to win Strictly in 2020 alongside partner Oti Mabuse.
The comedian went back to his roots following the Strictly win, announcing a UK tour of his En Route To Normal stand-up show.
He also explored new avenues, making a live TV presenting debut on Steph’s Packed Lunch when he covered for regular host Steph McGovern on her self-titled Channel 4 show.
2019 – Kevin Fletcher
(Image: BBC)
Emmerdale’s Kelvin Fletcher became the success story of Strictly 2019 after winning the series with Oti Mabuse when producers only drafted him in at the every last minute.
The soap star was called up to replace Made in Chelsea’s Jamie Laing who injured his leg in rehearsals and was forced to drop out.
Three months after his Strictly win, Kelvin announced his first theatre role after landing a part as the Prince in a Sheffield production of Sleeping Beauty for a rumoured £100,000 fee.
However due to Covid restrictions, Kelvin was sadly unable to perform in the production, later admitting that he struggled to find work after Strictly.
Earlier this year, Kevin and his family took part in documentary Kelvin’s Big Farming Adventure on BBC One.
2018 – Stacey Dooley
(Image: PA)
Stacey Dooley went on to win Strictly in 2018 alongside partner and now-boyfriend, Kevin Clifton.
Three years later and the pair are still very much in love and are expecting their first child together.
Stacey’s career also went off in a new direction following her stint on Strictly as she made the switch from documentaries to reality TV by landing a role presenting BBC Three’s Glow Up: Britain’s Next Make-Up Star.
2017 – Joe McFadden
(Image: BBC/Guy Levy)
Holby City actor Joe McFadden won the 2017 series alongside Strictly pro Katya Jones.
He topped the leaderboard just once throughout the whole series but still saw off stiff competition from Alexandra Burke, Debbie McGee and Gemma Atkinson to clinch the trophy.
After his win Joe bagged a spot on the UK tour of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert.
Ore Oduba – 2016
(Image: Birmingham Mail)
Ore Oduba won Strictly Come Dancing in 2016 alongside partner Joanne Clifton.
He went on to kick-start a career in musical theatre, starring in the UK tour of Grease and the West End debut of Curtains the musical.
Ore has not been short of TV work since winning strictly, going on to front the main coverage of Sport Relief and land hosting jobs on This Morning and The One Show.
He has also been able to show off his acting skills, playing the role of news anchor Akintola in BBC One drama Noughts + Crosses.
2015- Jay McGuiness
(Image: BBC / WENN)
The Wanted singer Jay McGuiness won Strictly in 2015 with partner Aliona Vlani.
Jay went on to show off his newly honed dance skills in London Palladium show Rip it Up the 60s alongside fellow Strictly stars Harry Judd, Aston Merrygold and Louis Smith.
He has since reunited with his Wanted bandmates with the fivesome releasing a cover of East 17’s Stay Another Day and taking part in a UK tour before the death of bandmate Tom Parker in March 2022.
2014 – Caroline Flack
(Image: PA)
Caroline Flack won Strictly in 2014 with partner Pasha Kovalev.
The dancing duo landed three perfect scores of 40 in the finale with their performances, that included a show-stopper to Angels by Robbie Williams.
Following her stint on Strictly, Caroline bagged the role as the presenter of Love Island following the show’s reboot in 2015.
Sadly, Caroline took her own life at the age of 40 in February 2020 while awaiting a trial for assault.
2013 – Abbey Clancy
(Image: PA)
Peter Crouch’s model wife, Abbey Clancy, won Strictly in 2013 with Strictly pro Aljaz Skorjanec.
After her triumph, Abbey was announced as the new host of the revived series of Britains’ Next Top Model – nine years after she started her own career on the reality show.
She also went on to land a lucrative collaboration with high-street retailer Lipsy, who she continues to release collections with today.
After welcoming daughter Sophia in 2011, Abbey and husband Peter went on to have three more children; Liberty Rose in 2015, Johnny in 2018 and Jack in 2019.
2012 – Louis Smith
Following his success in the 2012 Olympics, gymnast Louis turned his attentions to Strictly Come Dancing later that same year.
He went on to win the show alongside partner Flavia Cacace, despite tense rivalry with Denise Van Outen to win the Glitterball Trophy.
After his success on the dance show, Louis represented Great Britain again at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro – where he finished second in the pommel horse behind teammate Max Whitlock.
He has also appeared in the London Palladium show Rip it Up the 60s, alongside Harry Judd, Aston Merrygold and Jay McGuiness in 2018 and also starred in a 70s adaption of the show the following year, as well as the West End production of Bring It On in 2021.
2011 – Harry Judd
(Image: BBC)
McFly drummer Harry Judd won Strictly in 2011 alongside partner Aliona Vilani.
Harry went on to put his new skills to good use by performing in a touring theatre show with some of his fellow Strictly male celebrities and the star also released a fitness book called Get Fit Get Happy in 2017.
Music-wise, Harry is still a member of chart-topping boyband McFly and the band occasionally tour across the UK.
Since the show, he also tied the knot to long-term partner Brittany ‘Izzy’ Johnston and the couple now share two children together.
2010 – Kara Tointon
(Image: Chertsey & Staines Titles)
Former EastEnders star Kara Tointon won the show in 2010 alongside pro dancer Artem Chigvinstev.
By the time Kara and Artem got to lift the Glitterball Trophy, they were secretly a couple.
However, the pair only dated for four years before splitting in 2014.
While she was in lucky in love with her Strictly partner, Kara’s career went from strength to strength as she landed the leading role of Eliza Doolittle in the West End production of Pygmalion, receiving rave reviews from critics, before landing a slew of other theatre and TV roles.
She is now engaged to Marius Jensen who she welcomed second son, Helly with in January 2021.
The pair are also parents to three-year-old Frey.
2009 – Chris Hollins
(Image: wenn)
Chris Hollins went on to win Strictly in 2009 with partner Ola Jordan.
After winning Strictly, Chris left his role as a sports pundit on BBC Breakfast behind to co-present Watchdog.
He has since followed this up with hosting slots on The One Show, Food Inspectors and Secret Britain.
2008 – Tom Chambers
Holby City actor Tom Chambers was partnered up with Camilla Dallerup in 2008 and the pair went on to win the show together.
Capitalising on his new found popularity, Tom left Holby for BBC drama Waterloo Road but his biggest success came on the stage.
Tom landed the role of Jerry Travers in the UK production of Top Hat after honing his skills on Strictly.
In more recent events, Tom has landed a role in the West End theatre production of Elf the Musical at the Dominion Theatre in London.
2007 – Alesha Dixon
(Image: BBC)
Pop star Alesha Dixon won Strictly in 2007 alongside partner Matthew Cutler.
At the time of the show, Alesha was still reeling from her bitter split with ex MC Harvey and being dropped from her record label but she soon impressed BBC bosses while on Strictly as she went on to replace Arlene Phillips on the judges panel.
Alesha quit the role after only three years but went on to land a spot on the panel of Britain’s Got Talent over on ITV.
Strictly also helped reignite Alesha’s stalled musical career as her second album The Alesha Show – released months after the show – went platinum.
Alesha is now a judge on Australia’s Got Talent, with a new series set to air soon.
2006 – Mark Ramprakash
Cricketer Mark Ramprakash was paired with Karen Hardy on the BBC show in 2006 and the couple went on to win the series.
He became the second consecutive cricketer to win the show, following former England team mate Darren Gough.
Following his Strictly win, Mark turned his back on showbiz opting instead to return to his sporting roots.
He was announced as batting coach with the England Lions in India before taking up the same role at Middlesex and later with England.
2005 – Darren Gough
(Image: Popperfoto via Getty Images)
Darren Gough did not have an easy start to Strictly as he ended up in the bottom two for several weeks in a row alongside partner Lilia Kopylova.
However, the partners surprised Strictly fans by wowing the judges as they went on to win the competition in 2005.
Two years later, Darren returned for the Strictly Christmas Special and proved his popularity with viewers as he went on to win again.
Following his success, the cricketer took part in the live tour in 2008 before hanging up his dancing shoes for good.
He was appointed an MBE in the 2020 Birthday Honours for his services to cricket and charity.
2004 – Jill Halfpenny
(Image: BBC)
EastEnders actress Jill Halfpenny made Strictly history in 2004 after she was the first celeb to reach a perfect score of 40 for her jive to I’m Still Standing by Elton John alongside partner, Darren Bennett.
Following her Strictly win, Jill quit her role as Kate Mitchell in EastEnders and it was soon announced that she was taking on the role of Roxie Hart in the West End musical Chicago.
She later went on to play Izzie Redpath in Waterloo Road and Diane Mannin in In The Club.
2004- Natasha Kaplinsky
(Image: BBC)
Strictly was a hit with viewers in 2004, with the BBC commissioning two series within 12 months of each other.
Before Jill picked up the Strictly trophy in the autumn of 2004, Natasha did it first in the May-June series.
After her win with partner Brendan Cole, Natasha went on to host the BBC’s Six O’Clock news.
In October 2007, she was recruited to help relaunch Channel 5 – earning herself the biggest fee ever paid to a UK newsreader in the process.
However, after just three years hosting Five News with Natasha Kaplinsky, she moved over to ITV News as a newsreader
In her personal life, Natasha married her partner Justin Bower a year after her Strictly win with whom she shares two children.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
