Is the Strictly curse real? Here’s everyone who has been impacted

It’s that time of year again, when celebrities lace up their dancing shoes and take to the BBC’s ballroom floor to show viewers what they’re really made of. There’s sequins galore, many a two-step and tango and plenty of surprising partnerships. While some bond over friendship, others explore their chemistry off the dance floor, leading to unexpected romantic entanglements that send the rumour mill spinning. Whether it be the time commitments to the intensive training or the up close and personal nature of the show, Strictly’s earned itself a reputation for breakups and breakdowns of contestants’ personal relationships. Here’s a look at all the celebrities who have fallen into the trap of the Strictly curse…

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© Guy Levy
Pete and Jowita were partners for the 2024 series of the show

Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal – 2024

The Only Way Is Essex star partnered with Jowita on last year’s series of the show, and one year later, it seems the former dance partners have confirmed their romance with a public kiss. During his time on the competition series, Pete was dating Love Island’s Maura Higgins, whom he split from in February of this year. Rumours of a romantic connection between Pete and Jowita started shortly after his breakup with Maura but nothing was confirmed until the pair shared a very public make-out session. The couple kissed three times on stage at London’s 02 Arena during a live performance of Pete’s podcast he hosts with Made In Chelsea star Sam Thompson.

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Katya and Seann were filmed kissing each other following a few drinks at a bar

Seann Walsh and Katya Jones – 2018

In perhaps the most public moment of the ‘Strictly Curse’ yet, Katya and Seann were filmed kissing each other following a few drinks at a bar. Although the pair apologised publicly for their actions, Seann’s ex-girlfriend Rebecca Humphries posted a statement revealing that he had berated her for being suspicious of his relationship with Katya. The statement read: “He aggressively, and repeatedly, called me a psycho/nuts/mental. As he has done countless times throughout our relationship when I’ve questioned his inappropriate, hurtful behaviour.” It has been confirmed the pair will continue to star on the show.

3/13
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Joe and Dianne announced they are expecting their first child together

Joe Sugg and Dianne Buswell – 2018

Dianne Buswell partnered up with YouTuber and brother of Zoella Joe Sugg in 2018 and subsequently split from her then-boyfriend, Emmerdale actor Anthony Quinlan. Joe and Dianne pursued a relationship after the cameras stopped rolling, moved in together in Brighton and are now expecting their first child.

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The former couple were both dancers on the show

Kevin and Karen Clifton – 2018

Kevin and Karen, both professional dancers on the show, announced their split back in March 2018. In an exclusive interview with HELLO!, Kevin said: “It was important to be honest about everything. I think there is a lot of pressure on people to be perfect all the time, and so there is this fairytale image of everything, but at the end of the day we are just like other people. We are just two people who love what we do and we never want to pretend to our fans or to anybody.” The pair are still good friends, and went on a two-person tour together.

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Stacey denied she sparked up a romance with Kevin while on the show

Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton – 2018

Just a few months after completing Strictly, Stacey split from her boyfriend of three years, Sam Tucknott. According to The Sun at the time, Stacey’s increasingly busy schedule put pressure on the relationship, particularly since the couple weren’t able to spend time together while Stacey was on the Strictly Live! Tour. Stacey and Kevin went on to eventually confirm their relationship and welcomed a daughter, Minnie, together.

6/13
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Louise split from her husband of 19 years just a few months after reaching the final of the show

Louise and Jamie Redknapp – 2017

Despite joking about the Strictly curse before the beginning of the series, Louise split from her husband of 19 years just a few months after reaching the final of the show. Speaking about their split on This Morning¸ she said: “It’s been so heavily documented and of course, we all go through hard times. My priority, and his priority, are our children. Protecting them and keeping as much private as possible and loving them and putting them first and that’s really what we are focusing on. For me, going back to work has been something that has been a real saviour. Doing Strictly does something. For me it was all about performing. And to go back on stage every night and to get the opportunity again. It’s great. I’d been at home for 12 years doing the mum thing.”

7/13
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Georgia and Giovanni struck up a romance while partnered on the show

Georgia May Foote and Giovanni Pernice – 2015

Georgia was in a relationship with her Coronation Street co-star Sean Ward before starting a new relationship with her Strictly dance partner, Giovanni Pernice. Speaking about their relationship, she previously told the Daily Mail: “Gio is everything to me. I’m 100 per cent happy with Gio. He’s smitten and I’m the same. We trust each other. We fell in love as friends before anything happened.” Their relationship ended in 2016, and Georgia posted a statement which read: “It is with great sadness we have decided to split up. There is nobody else involved. Although it was not an easy decision to make, sometimes you realise that it is better to be friends and this is one of these times.”

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Helen was married to Oliver for three years

Helen George and Oliver Boot – 2015

After appearing on Strictly in 2015, Helen George called it quits with her husband Oliver Boot after three years of marriage.

9/13
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The Countdown star has since married Pasha – with the pair tying the knot in 2019

Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev – 2013

Rachel, 32, met Pasha, 38, in 2013 when they were partnered together on Strictly. At the time she was in her first year of marriage to high school sweetheart Jamie Gilbert; the couple announced their split in November 2013, following her appearance on the dancing show. The TV star went on to confess that she remained “good friends” with her ex James. The Countdown star has since married Pasha – with the pair tying the knot in 2019. They welcomed two daughters together, Maven and Noa.

10/13
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Ben and Kristina confirmed their relationship a year after dancing on the show

Ben Cohen and Kristina Rihanoff – 2013

Ben Cohen took part in Strictly back in 2013, where he was partnered with Kristina Rihanoff. A few months after completing the show, Ben announced his split from his wife of 11 years, Abby Cohen. Ben and Kristina confirmed their relationship a year later, with Kristina telling the Mirror: “He left his wife a year ago. Recently we started dating but we’re allowed to see each other as two single people. I don’t know why I am always attacked. I am a hard-working, self-made person.” Speaking about the situation to the Sun on Sunday, Abby said: “I don’t want to cause stress or further damage by stirring things up. But I’m just trying to recover from what has been the most horrific time of my life.”

11/13
© Nat Jag
Joe split from his girlfriend of five yearsafter the first week of rehearsals with his dance partner, Kristina

Joe Calzaghe and Kristina Rihanoff – 2009

Joe split from his girlfriend of five years, Jo-Emma Larvin, after the first week of rehearsals with his dance partner, Kristina Rihanoff. Speaking about their split, Jo-Emma told the Daily Star: “I never imagined that anything like this would happen. We broke up during his first week of training with Kristina… I couldn’t believe what was happening. As far as I was concerned, Joe was The One and my whole world had been turned upside down. At this point I had no idea he was seeing Kristina. It was only when they were pictured together and he phoned me that I found out.” Kristina and Joe dated until 2013.

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Flavia’s ballroom chemistry with Matt was hard to miss

Matt Di Angelo and Flavia Cacace – 2007

In 2007, former EastEnders actor embarked on a relationship with Italian dancer Flavia, who broke off her 13-year relationship with fellow Strictly pro Vincent Simone. Flavia’s ballroom chemistry with Matt was hard to miss, they came out on top more than any other couple during that series. They went on to date for three years before their romance ended in 2010, and a few weeks later Flavia revealed she was dating her latest celebrity dance partner, actor Jimi Mistry – whom she is now married to. Vincent, who met Flavia when they were teenagers, were professional dance partners for 13 years and have lived together for 11 years. After their split, Vincent told People: “Matt has stolen the only woman I’ve ever loved. I feel empty and am beside myself. I’ve never felt like this before and all I want is to have her back.” He added: “She’s the love of my life and I thought we’d be together forever and get married but now I don’t know what’s going on. I didn’t even want to go to the end-of-show wrap party but I forced myself. When she and Matt went off to cosy up on a sofa in the corner together, that was it.”

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The dancer denied he had a relationship with Natasha at the time

Natasha Kaplinsky and Brendan Cole – 2004

Natasha and Brendan began the ‘Strictly curse’ in 2004 after the professional dancer split from his fiancee, Camilla Dallerup, while starring on the show. Although the dancer has denied that he had a relationship with Natasha, he told the Daily Mail: “I’ve never talked about what relationship Natasha and I had on the show. What I did learn is that Strictly is not reality. It’s a television show where emotions are very much heightened. “It’s a unique situation and a fantastic show to be part of, but when you take it away, life just goes back to normal.”