Strictly Come Dancing isn’t all about the celebs, with the pro dancers rocketing to fame thanks to the show.
The BBC ballroom contest debuted in 2004 and since then plenty of professionals have found that it’s a really good springboard to launch showbiz careers.
This year Strictly opened its doors to a raft of new dancers, including Vito Coppola, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley and Michelle Tsiakkas.
READ MORE: Strictly’s Kym Marsh says husband ‘couldn’t care less’ about infamous ‘curse’
But there have also been a lot of goodbyes across the series.
We have a look at what some of them have been doing post-Strictly.
(Image: BBC)
AJ Pritchard
(Image: Getty Images)
AJ was a pro from 2016 to 2019 but he’s probably now better known for I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
The 27-year-old was one of the campers for the 2020 series when the show moved from its home Down Under to Gwrych Castle in Wales because of the coronavirus pandemic.
He finished sixth and then went on to land a role in Hollyoaks alongside his brother Curtis, who was a Love Island contestant.
AJ made his debut in the soap last year but it didn’t go great, with some viewers slating his acting skills and calling it a “car crash”.
Janette Manrara
(Image: BBC)
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Janette was been a dancer on the BBC show since its 11th series and was a huge favourite with viewers.
But she left last year, swapping the ballroom for the It Takes Two sofa, replacing Zoe Ball.
The brunette told fans that she’d loved being a pro on the show but that it was time for some “new cha cha challenges” and that she’d always loved the Strictly spin-off programme.
Janette, 38, now fronts the show with Rylan Clark.
James Jordan
(Image: PA)
James and his wife Ola both used to be dancers on the show, with James waltzing off the dancefloor in 2013 and Ola following two years later.
The TV star put his dancefloor fame to good use and hasn’t dropped out of the public eye as he has gone on to do shows like Celebrity Big Brother and Your Face Or Mine?
James, 44, also strapped on his skates for Dancing On Ice in 2019 and went on to win the competition.
There have also been developments in his private life, as in 2020 James and Ola welcomed a baby girl Ella, who was born after IVF treatment.
The dancer also keeps his eye on Strictly and has been known to share his thoughts of the contestants on social media.
He recently came under fire for saying that Ellie Simmonds needed to straighten her legs more, which some people considered to be offensive as Ellie has dwarfism.
But James later insisted he wasn’t being malicious and that he was talking about a technical aspect of the dance, and that it had been misconstrued.
Kevin Clifton
(Image: Getty Images for SOLT)
Kevin was a pro for seven years but left in 2020, saying it had been an “absolute dream and honour”.
The 39-year-old has been busy since, starring in a production of Rock Of Ages and gearing up to be on a tour of Strictly Ballroom.
he is also going to be pretty busy at home, as he and his partner Stacey Dooley are expecting a baby together.
The couple met after they were paired up on Strictly in 2018 and later went on to become an item.
In August Stacey confirmed that they were having a baby and that they were “bloody delighted”.
“Kev, you’re magic, I love youuuu,” she posted on Instagram.
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
