The full line-up for this year's series of Strictly Come Dancing has now been announced, and fans of the hit BBC ballroom dancing show cannot wait for the stars to waltz onto their screens this autumn. Amongst this year's contestants is Bristolian comedian Jayde Adams, who has been hanging out with her Strictly 'mummy' Kaye Adams already.
Bedminster-born Jayde is just one of nine contestants this year who are either married or in a long-term relationship. Ahead of Strictly's return, a number of these soon-to-be-dancers have already shunned the show's infamous 'curse', which sees affair rumours swirl around celebrities and their pro dancer partners.
A number of former Strictly contestants and dancers have fallen 'victim' to the curse, including Brendan Cole, Katya Jones and Dianne Buswell, MyLondon reports. After pictures of Katya snogging celebrity dance partner Seann Walsh in the street emerged, her six-year marriage to Neil Jones fell apart.
Read more: Strictly Come Dancing line up is completed in full
Although her ex denies that it was the curse in action, Dianne broke up with her boyfriend Anthony Quinlan two months before she went public with her now-boyfriend and then Strictly partner Joe Sugg. Brendan may have been the first dancer to have been linked to the infamous curse when he denied rumours that he was having an affair with his celebrity partner, Natasha Kaplinsky.
His engagement to Camilla Dallerup, also a pro, was called off early in the first ever series of Strictly, during which he kissed Natasha on the lips live on-air, during one of their performances. Ahead of the upcoming series, we've put a list together of all the celebrities taking part that are married or in long-term relationships.
Jayde Adams
Bristol comedian Jayde is married to Clayton Wright, with whom she recently celebrated an anniversary with. Gushing over her husband on Instagram, Jayde wrote: "My husband.
"From being vicars, to funerals for sisters, from introducing me to all the best people I’ve met to feeding me this ragu. @clayton_wright_ here’s to the next 15 years my love."
The ex-vicar has also referred to the pair as 'a very successful duo'. Queer rave and LGBTQI+ events organiser Clayton has previously joked: "We're both allowed to sleep with whoever we want and live in separate houses."
Fleur East
Fleur is one of the favourites to win this year's show. The X Factor finalist married her partner of several years, French fashion designer Marcel Badiane-Robin, in 2019.
Marking their third wedding anniversary in June this year, the pair were 'reborn' in Mexico. They took part in an ancient ritual that could also protect them from the dreaded Curse. Fleur told The Mirror: "We went to Tabasco where a Hispanic ritual is performed.
"You go through portals in what looks like a clay igloo. It’s a wholly spiritual experience. We both felt really light and we felt new again.
"It’s like you’re reborn. So you kind of let go of, you know, any grudges, you’re holding… any negativity, any preconceived ideas that kind of hold you back."
Tony Adams MBE
Arsenal and England football legend Tony has been married to his wife Poppy since 2012. He and the whisky heiress share three children: Atticus, Hector, and Iris.
Tony also has two children, Oliver and Amber, from his first marriage to Jane Shea. They were married from 1992 to 1997.
Ellie Taylor
Ted Lasso star Ellie has been married to CNN International reporter Phil Black since 2015. The pair had their stunning intimate ceremony in London and share one daughter together. They keep much of their lives private.
When the comedian was announced as one of this year's celebrity contestants during an episode of Lorraine, stand-in host Ranvir Singh addressed the Strictly Curse and asked: "Have you had this chat with your husband?" Ellie said: "It's a wild thing to think isn't it?" and quickly shut down the curse rumours.
In 2018, the actress headed a Strictly sketch during an episode of The Mash Report, mocking the Curse. She said: "The favourite dancing show continues to be dogged by infidelity, experts studying the so called Strictly curse have been unable to fathom how two people spending days rubbing their genitals together to romantic music could possibly end up shagging." After comedic clips, Ellie concluded: "It seems we will never know how these relationships turn sexual, that friendship seemed as genuinely sweet as Tess Daly’s smile."
James Bye
EastEnders star James has been married to wife Victoria since 2012. The pair share three sons together: Edward, eight, Louis, six, and Hugo, three.
Victoria, who runs Instagram family blog lifewiththebyes, wrote of the Strictly news: "We’ve both been so nervous about the announcement, about the pressure, about the reaction.. and well, you’re all just bloody lovely.
"We can’t stop smiling… There’s a long road ahead on the Strictly journey and James is going to have some bloomin’ hard work to do… but he’s so up for it - and so are we! We’re so proud already and knowing that you lot are too, it just truly means the world…"
Kaye Adams
The Loose Women panellist is not married but has been in a long-term relationship with her partner for 26 years. Kaye met Ian Campbell when he was her tennis coach and they now share two children together: Charley, 19, and Bonnie, 15.
In 2016, she told The Mirror: "When we first met Ian was in his late 20s working as a tennis coach, spending half his life in Italy and half in Scotland, and he was not a man going to settle down. He's an unconventional person and I didn’t have any great thoughts of settling down at that stage either.
"It was just a relationship that carried on and carried on, very happily, and maybe we just passed the point of getting married." She also added: "If Ian wants to pop the question and I get a decent ring and a good holiday out of it I wouldn't say no!"
Richie Anderson
Richie Anderson is in long-term relationship with partner Dean Eagles. The pair recently enjoyed early 10-year anniversary celebrations on a Mediterranean cruise.
The BBC Radio 2 presenter will be competing in a same-sex partnership this year. It is not yet confirmed which pro-dancer he will be paired with.
Kym Marsh
During this year's series, Kym will celebrate her one year anniversary with husband Army Major Scott Ratcliff. The singer's wedding was just four months after their engagement as she later revealed her father had been diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer and she wanted to make sure he could be there.
Kym has been married twice before. The former Coronation Street star was married to EastEnders' Jack Ryder from 2002 to 2009 and then fellow soap actor Jamie Lomas from 2012 to 2014. Her first husband divorced her after she admitted to cheating. Coronation Street's Oliver Mellor also claimed she had an affair with him during her second marriage.
Will Mellor
The Two Pints of Larger and a Packet of Crisps actor has been married since 2007. His wife, Michelle McSween, is actually a dancer and performer so might be able to offer Will some tips.
The pair met in 1999 when they both starred in stage music Oh, What a Night. Living in Cheshire, they share two children: Jayden, 18 and Renee, 14.
Other celebrities who are not in confirmed long term relationships include:
- Hamza Yazzin
- Molly Rainford
- Matt Goss
- Ellie Simmonds
- Tyler West
- Helen Skelton
Helen Skelton recently had a shock break-up in April this year, after eight years of marriage to Richie Myler. The split came four months after welcoming baby daughter Elsie, their third child together. At the time, the Countryfile and Blue Peter star wrote on social media: "Very sad to say Richie and I are no longer a couple. He has left the family home. We will be doing our best to co-parent our small children."
The youngest contestant on this year's show, Molly, said to The Sun: "I’m only 21, so I’m not looking for a relationship on Strictly. That’s not in the picture right now. I want to focus on my career." She also added that she's single at the moment 'and doesn’t plan on changing it'.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One in September.
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