Strictly Come Dancing looks set to have a popularity crisis for the upcoming 20th season as two of the show’s biggest stars have quit the series.
Earlier this year, Oti Mabuse left fans of the long running BBC dance competition devastated as she revealed she was quitting the show after seven years of service.
And now, just weeks later, dishy dancer Aljaž Škorjanec has revealed that he too is hanging up his dance shoes after having enough of the series following nine years.
The decision could plunge Strictly into a ratings crisis as both 31-year-old Oti and 32-year-old Aljaž are firm favourites of viewers.
Over the weekend, Oti shared details on her decision to quit Strictly during an interview with You magazine, saying she decided to walk away after realising she had achieved all she’d set out to on the series.
She told the weekend supplement: “When I came to Britain I said to myself, ’My dream is to win Strictly.′ And I have, and it was such an amazing seven years, but I’ve done what I needed to do.
“I feel so emotional. I lived my best life on that show and it gave me the career I have now, but you need to know when it’s the right time to get off that wave and try new things.”
While Aljaž left fans heartbroken on Monday when he announced he was giving up on the show.
In a social media post, the star wrote: “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.
“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. Louise Rainbow, Sarah James, Kim Winston, Jack Gledhill are just a few of the unsung heroes behind the success of the show - I am forever grateful to them!”
Oti won Strictly twice – first in 2019 with soap star Kelvin Fletcher, and then again the following year with comedian Bill Bailey.
While Aljaž won the series during his first series in 2013 when he competed alongside the model Abbey Clancy.
His decision to quit Strictly comes a year after his wife, Janette Manrara, also quit the show – freeing up time for her to take the reigns of spin-off series, It Takes Two.
Janette, 38, took over hosting the show after Zoe Ball decided to step down in 2021.
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