Aljaž Škorjanec quit Strictly Come Dancing earlier this year, but he made a surprising cameo during this year’s series.
The hunky Slovenian dancer returned earlier this month when he appeared on spin-off show It Takes Two to chat about the international versions of Strictly.
Aljaž took viewers through the daring themes and ideas seen on international versions of Strictly, such as ‘trio week’ on the German edition of Strictly (Let’s Dance Germany) which sees each couple given an extra professional to perform with.
READ MORE: Strictly Come Dancing fans swoon as beloved pro ballroom dancer returns to BBC show
With viewers begging for Aljaž to return to the show, Daily Star has taken a closer look at the dancer’s dazzling life inside and outside of the ballroom.
Health battle
(Image: PA)
Fans might not have noticed it, but Aljaž has been suffering from a skin condition called psoriasis for over a decade – and he hid it during his Strictly stint.
Psoriasis is a skin condition which irritates the skin and causes red and flaky patches of skin covered with silvery sales.
He first developed the condition as a teen following the stress he felt when he quit competitive dancing at 18 and noticed odd patches on his knees which spread to his elbows.
(Image: @aljazskorjanec/ Instagram)
A dermatologist diagnosed him with the condition and prescribed steroid creams, and things improved for a while but got worse when he left home to work on a theatre show in Australia.
“I was 20 and it was really difficult because I didn’t really fully understand why all of a sudden my skin was changing so drastically,” he said. “It’s not really the most aesthetically pleasing thing to have.
“I was getting frustrated because, for the world that I work in, appearances mean so much and it had gone everywhere – even my face. But getting stressed only made it worse.”
(Image: PA)
Aljaž has seen around 20 different specialists and tried tons of different products in a bid to treat the condition – including an injection straight into the psoriasis – but the condition kept coming back.
The dancer admitted it was “frustrating” and that he has now become conscious of what he is wearing – and that he won’t wear shorts unless he’s on holiday.
He said his psoriasis was at its worst in 2016 when he was partnered up with Daisy Lowe, so he had to cover up in a turtleneck and long sleeves for the whole series, and makeup made his skin flare up.
(Image: BBC)
Luckily, he’s started using a natural skincare brand called Medovie which uses herbs from Chinese medicine and says the results have been “incredible”.
He’s now motivated to speak about about his psoriasis and encourage others to not feel as self-conscious as he once did.
Strictly romance
(Image: Aljaž Škorjanec/Instagram)
Aljaž has been married to fellow Strictly star and dancer Janette Manrara for over five years – but despite sharing the BBC ballroom together for years they actually met before Strictly.
Sparks flew shortly after the dancing duo met in 2009 on the Broadway show Burn The Floor, and they both became Strictly dancers in 2013.
It Takes Two host Janette admitted Strictly may have saved their relationship as he was about to move back to Slovenia at the time.
(Image: WireImage)
She said: “Getting Strictly Come Dancing was the most incredible thing, not just for my career but for my personal life and marriage with Aljaž because if it wasn’t for Strictly, I don’t know if we could have worked through the long-distance thing.”
Aljaž popped the question to Janette in 2015 in London at the very dance studio where they had first set eyes on each-other, and two years later they tied the knot.
They threw an incredible star-studded wedding in London with a guest list that boasted Strictly stars Karen Clifton, Natalie Lowe and Katya Jones.
The smitten Strictly couple now enjoy a quiet life in London and have both revealed they’d like to start a family.
Quitting Strictly
(Image: BBC)
Aljaž quit Strictly after nine years in the ballroom – after dancing with celebs like Alison Hammond, Gemma Atkinson and Sara Davies.
He won the show during his first ever series, where he danced with Peter Crouch’s model wife Abbey Clancy.
Announcing his exit, he told Instagram: “On a beautiful sunny day in May 2013 one phone call changed my life forever! It went like this… ‘We would like to offer you a position on @bbcstrictly as a professional dancer’.
“A dream became a reality and it was the biggest opportunity for a 23-year-old boy from Slovenia.
“It didn’t matter how many beautiful ballrooms I performed in during my competitive career, stepping onto the sacred Strictly floor was the most nervous I had ever been.
He added: “A little while ago I made the tough decision that Strictly 2021 would be my last. The show has given me an opportunity and freedom to create and express myself in front of millions of people every weekend for the last 9 years.
“The love and support I got from the team of producers was second to none.”
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