Where the original Strictly pros are now – From on-air row to romance breakdown
Strictly: Natasha Kaplinsky and Brendan Cole dance samba
Brendan Cole
New Zealand ballroom dancer Brendan Cole, 47, was the first winner of Strictly Come Dancing back in 2004 with journalist Natasha Kaplinsky. Before joining the iconic BBC dance show, he had been a contestant on its predecessor, Come Dancing, from 1996, and a professional from 2002 until 2004.
He remained on Strictly Come Dancing for 15 series, performing with the likes of Fiona Phillips, Kelly Brook and Good Morning Britain’s Charlotte Hawkins.
In 2017, he was axed from the show and admitted his “strong personality” may have been the reason.
He famously did not see eye-to-eye with some of his partners, including singer Lulu who he described as “not a particularly nice person” during an appearance on Loose Women.
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Brendan also had a confrontation with head judge Shirley Ballas, memorably addressing her as “my dear” after she criticised one of his performances with Charlotte Hawkins.
He then reportedly refused to speak to her backstage and Bruno Tonioli branded him “disrespectful”.
Following his axe, he appeared as a contestant on Dancing On Ice in 2022 opposite Vanessa Bauer. Together, they reached the final and finished second.
In 2010, he married British model Zoe Hobbs and they share two children: Aurelia, 11, and Dante, five. The family now live in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire.
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Hanna Karttunen
The Finnish dancer, 49, was partnered with EastEnders star Christopher Parker and finished in second place. Despite her successful season, Hanna did not return to the show and instead focused on her professional dancing career.
She has won the World Championships and British Open Championships three times. Hanna has also appeared as a guest performer on the Russian, South African, Italian and American versions of Strictly.
She has been married to Finnish television personality Jone Nikula since 2014.
Anton du Beke
Anton has been a part of Strictly from the very beginning and finished his first season in third place with classical singer Lesley Garrett.
The show catapulted the 57-year-old to fame and can be credited for launching his TV career. He has gone on to present BBC cookery show Step Up to the Plate in 2008 and the UK version of Hole in the Wall.
He became a permanent Strictly judge in 2021, replacing Bruno Tonioli when he could not travel from the United States due to Covid restrictions.
Anton has since become one of the most popular stars on television, even scooping up the Best Talent Show Judge gong at the National Television Awards 2022.
Erin Boag
Anton’s professional partner, Erin Boag, was part of the first 10 series of Strictly Come Dancing. Her most successful partners were athlete Colin Jackson, who finished second in 2005, and Julian Clary who finished third the year before.
Away from the show, Erin and Anton embarked on a three-month UK tour, From Broadway to Hollywood, in 2018. They also made an appearance at Donahey’s Dancing With The Stars Weekends.
She married business consultant Peter O’Dowd in 2009 and they share one son, Ewan, nine. Anton is his godfather.
John Byrnes
John only appeared in the first series and came fifth with Brookside star Claire Sweeney. He now runs his own dance studio in London.
With his partner, Jane, he starred at Elton John’s Celebrity Birthday Party, performed in Madonna’s Evita (1996) and also appeared in Cold Comfort Farm starring Joanna Lumley and Ian McKellen (1995).
Paul Killick
Paul appeared in the first two series of Strictly, dancing with Verona Joseph and Carol Vorderman.
He has won The World Cup, World Trophy, World Masters, World Series, Universal and British Professional Latin American DanceSport Championships on six occasions. He also received the Ballroom Dancers’ Federation’s Most Outstanding Contribution to Dance honour in both 1994 and 2004.
As well as his contributions to dance, Killick has also been involved with numerous charities including Childline, Cancer Research UK and Variety Club.
Camilla Dallerup
Camilla Dallerup became a popular professional on Strictly after joining the show alongside her then-fiancé Brendan Cole. She finished in seventh place with David Dickinson but continued to appear on the show for five more series.
Memorably, her eight-year relationship with Brendan broke down during the inaugural year and sparked the first rumours of the “Strictly curse”.
Brendan’s chemistry with newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky prompted rumours to circulate that there was more going on behind the scenes – something which they have both denied.
He said of their breakup: “Camilla left me three weeks into the show, the night she got kicked off.
“I still remember, she stood there in the line-up and it gets down to Camilla and myself. Her and David Dickinson, and myself and Kaplinsky.
“They announced that we were safe and Camilla and David were leaving. And, you know, your natural reaction to news like that is you go like, you know, we’re safe. She took that as, ‘You unsupportive so-and-so’.”
Despite the end of their relationship, Brendan and Camilla continued to dance professionally together, representing the UK at the Eurovision Dance Contest 2007.
Following her departure from Strictly, she entered I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! in 2009 and has acted as the head judge on New Zealand’s Dancing With The Stars since 2018.
She married Hollyoaks actor Kevin Sacre in 2010 and they live between Los Angeles and Surrey.
Kylie Jones
British Ballroom Champion Kylie took part in the first series of Strictly with stand-up comedian Jason Wood. They were the first to leave the competition and she did not return for a second series.
Kylie retired from competing in 2002 and now teaches pilates in Surrey.
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