Strictly Come Dancing has always been associated with the infamous TV ‘curse’ where contestants and dancers start off the series in committed relationships only to have their heads turned by their gorgeous dance partners.
Viewers have seen it happen to pro dancer Brendan Cole and Natasha Kaplinsky in the first series, and Flavia Cacace and Matt Di Angelo in series four.
But by far the most memorable incident took place in 2018 after comedian Seann Walsh and Katya Jones were pictured kissing during the series while she was still married to her husband and fellow pro dancer Neil Jones.
While love is often lost on the talent show, it’s not all doom and gloom for many of the stars, with many long-standing couples surviving the dreaded curse throughout their time on the show.
READ MORE: Strictly Come Dancing’s Daisy Lowe announces engagement to real estate fiancé
With the 20th series of the beloved BBC One dance competition just around the corner, Daily Star took a deep dive inside all the successful romances to come from the show.
Ola & James Jordan
(Image: Getty Images)
James Jordan, 43, and his loving wife Ola, 39, are best known for transforming dance-novice celebrities into mind-blowing ballroom dancers on the popular talent show.
And it was easy to see the chemistry between the loving couple on the BBC show, but what many viewers may not know is that the pair actually met years before they performed on Strictly together.
The pro dancers first met at the famous Blackpool ballroom back in 1999 where James – who had already established himself in the dance community – was competing with his Polish girlfriend and partner at the time.
(Image: PA)
But that didn’t put Ola off the Gillingham-born star, as she recalled the first moment they locked eyes in an interview with Heart magazine.
She told the publication: “He was tall and very good-looking, with slicked-back hair and piercing blue eyes. His dancing was amazing.
“His partner was Polish, and when I watched them dance together I was filled with just one thought: ‘I want to have a partner like that one day’.”
(Image: WireImage)
And months later the blonde bombshell got her wish after she partnered up with the TV hunk just a few months later where they solidified their partnership.
It didn’t take long for their professional relationship to blossom into a romantic one, with the pair making things official just two years later.
A further two years after they started dating, James soon got down on one knee and popped the question which led to the happy couple tying the know in a sweet ceremony on October 12, 2003.
(Image: Ola Jordan/Instagram)
Since then, the professional dancers have gone on to appear on Celebrity Big Brother, I’m a Celebrity and even Dancing on Ice.
The dancers have since welcomed a daughter together via IVF in 2020 after years of trying for a baby who they beautifully named Ella.
Janette Manrara and Aljaz Skorjanec
(Image: PA Wire/Press Association Images)
Strictly stars Janette Manrara and Aljaz Skorjanec are known as the stunning sweethearts of the BBC One dance show, and unlike many couples the fan-favourites have managed to consistently avoid the dreaded Strictly curse.
But before they started dating, Janette dated former Strictly dancers Artem Chigvintsev and Pasha Kovalev but their brief romances soon fizzled out.
The happy couple first locked eyes at London studios Dance Attic back in 2010 and went on to star alongside each other on the hit US show Burn the Floor.
Sparks soon flew between the pair and the happy couple made their long distance relationship work until they were reunited as pro dancers on Strictly in 2013.
(Image: Dave Benett/Getty Images)
Just two years later, Aljaz surprised the Cuban-American dancer by taking her to the dance studios where they first met and getting down on one knee.
Two years later, they tied the knot as they celebrated their union with their family, friends and fellow Strictly stars.
But they didn’t scrimp on their big day, as the dynamic duo went on to host three weddings in three different countries, one in London with their British friends, one in Slovenia with Aljaz’s family and one in Miami to celebrate with Janette’s loved ones.
(Image: WireImage)
Since then, the showbiz couple have continued to live a fairy tale marriage, and Janette even confessed to FUBAR Radio listeners that she had “fallen in love with him all over again” during the covid-19 lockdown.
Nearly seven years into their marriage, the pair have hinted that children could be in their future but due to their busy schedules, they’re finding it tricky to get the timing right.
The loving wife told Hello! Magazine: “It’s never going to be the perfect time to have a baby but we do talk about it a lot and we are very much looking forward to becoming a mum and dad.
“So it’s definitely going to happen. When, we don’t know, we’ll see. We’re kind of taking it slowly.”
Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez
(Image: Getty Images)
Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez first got together when their friendship grew behind the scenes on Strictly Come Dancing in 2017.
During the show, the Hollyoaks star, 37, was actually paired up with Aljaz Skorjanec while Gorka was matched up with Alexandra Burke.
Throughout their time on the show, the duo continued to deny rumours of romance as they continued to remain close friends after the show came to an end that winter.
(Image: BBC/Guy Levy)
But on Valentine’s Day 2018, the happy couple decided to open up about their relationship online where they have continued to build a loving relationship together.
And in February 2019, the couple confirmed they were expecting their first child together, a baby girl they named Mia who was born a few months later in July.
Two years later, the pro dancer got down on one knee on Valentine’s Day 2021, but the loving couple have yet to announce a wedding date online.
(Image: Daily Record)
The new parents have also shared their plans to welcome baby number two as Gemma told The Sun that they would likely try for another child before they tie the knot.
She told the publication: “We’ve said we would prefer to try for another baby rather than have a big, fancy wedding.
“There are people who will spend £50k on a wedding and you think, ‘Oh my God’. Twice we have thought about going to the register office and just doing it and then having a big party.”
Dianne Buswell and Joe Sugg
(Image: PA)
Arguably the most recent successful romance to come out of Strictly Come Dancing is YouTuber Joe Sugg and Dianne Buswell.
The duo first met when they were paired up on the BBC competition back in 2018 where they went on to storm their way to the final show before they landed in second place.
And weeks after the show came to an end, following months of speculation about a blossoming romance, the pair went public with their relationship and confirmed they were boyfriend and girlfriend on Instagram.
(Image: joe_sugg/Instagram)
While they never shared the exact date they took their friendship to the next level, it is understood that the happy couple are approaching their fourth anniversary as they regularly update their loyal legion of fans with gushing snaps together on social media.
Joe and Dianne have since gone on to move into a sprawling home together as engagement rumours continue to swirl around the happy couple, but so far nothing has been confirmed online.
As the fiery red-head settles into her new digs with the online influencer, Dianne has opened up about what it would be like to have children with Joe in a previous edition of Happiful.
She told the publication: “He’d be like that dad that dresses up for them – he’d play characters every day, he’d be a lot of fun, he’d be just like a kid!”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
