Strictly's Ugo Monye splits from wife of five years just days before 2021 series launch

Strictly Come Dancing star Ugo Monye has split from his wife just days before the new series kicks off.

The 38-year-old former England rugby union ace has decided to go public with his break-up from Lucy before he pre-recorded the launch show on Friday.

Ugo and Lucy, who were married for five years, met through a mutual friend in 2014 and have two daughters, four-year-old Phoenix and Ruby, one.

He told The Sun : “It’s been hard. At times things have seemed a bit overwhelming but it’s been a tough period for us both. In some relationships there is a moment, a ‘thing’, that breaks the couple.

“It can be an exterior influence. It can be anything. But with us it was a number of things.

“We weren’t in a volatile relationship, we never hated each other and there was no third party. Forget the Strictly curse — it’s the Covid curse! We ended up where we ended up.”

The news comes after Ugo’s dad sadly passed away last week following a battle with prostate cancer.

However, the sportsman has refused to quit the BBC One dancing show.

Ugo and Lucy are planning on focusing on their children and “fostering an amazing family unit”.

He moved out of their family home in West London a few weeks ago but the pair still pose for snaps with each other on social media.

Former Harlequins player Ugo confirmed his Strictly Come Dancing place on Channel 4’s The Lateish Show with Mo Gilligan last month.

Originally from Islington, he was a student at Lord Wandsworth College before being introduced to Harlequin’s coach Colin Osborne.

The star has played all sorts of positions including wing, centre and fullback in his career.

While the curse of Strictly hasn’t struck Ugo, the show had already been hit by the phenomenon as new professional Kai Widdrington split from his long-term girlfriend in July.

The former Britain’s Got Talent star, 25, is one of four new dancers that will dazzle in the ballroom this autumn and had been in a relationship with fellow dancer Giulia Dotta, 29, for five years.

A spokesperson for Giulia confirmed to The Mirror that they were no longer together.

They went their separate ways nine months ago.

Ugo is set to take to the dancefloor for the first time next week alongside the likes of McFly’s Tom Fletcher, Dragons’ Den beauty Sara Davies and Hollyoaks actress Katie McGlynn.

Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One on September 18

Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk