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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Rose Hill

Strictly's Katya Jones gifted a rose and bear-hugged by Seann Walsh lookalike

It's been four years since Strictly's famous Kissgate scandal and the world has since moved on.

But when coming face-to-face with her past in the form of a Seann Walsh lookalike, pro Katya Jones is now able to tackle it head on with a laugh.

Currently, Katya is travelling the country with fellow pros Giovanni Pernice, Aljaz Skorjanec, Kai Widdrington, Nikita Kusmin, Nancy Xu and Johannes Radebe for the Strictly live tour.

Among the celebs taking part this year include 2021 winner Rose Ayling-Ellis, Sara Davies, Max George, Maisie Smith, Tilly Ramsay, Rhys Stephenson and John Whaite.

(CH-IMAGE)

But gearing up for their performance at the O2, which is being judged by Craig Revel-Horwood, Shirley Ballas and Bruno Tonioli during the tour this year, Katya was surprised by a fan at her hotel.

Bearing a strong resemblance to comic Seann with his wild shoulder-length light brown hair and shades, the man spoke to her in the hotel lobby.

Katya appeared startled to meet the man who offered her a rose, which she took with a laugh.

Wearing an oversized tartan sweatshirt and over-the knee boots, Katya took it all in good humour as she opened up her arms for a bear-hug

.

Katya Jones came face-to-face with the fan (CH-IMAGE)
The man looked remarkably like Seann Walsh (CH-IMAGE)

While Katya appears to have moved on from the 2018 scandal, Seann admitted last year that he's still haunted by it and claims it "destroyed his dreams".

After hitting the pub following a late night dance rehearsal, the pair were papped sharing a kiss in the street - plunging Seann, Katya, their respective partners and the BBC show into a huge media frenzy.

The 36-year-old comedian revealed that his mental health is still affected by the incident and that he has full-body panic attacks.

Katya took it all in good humour (CH-IMAGE)
Katya was bear-hugged by the fan in the hotel lobby (CH-IMAGE)

Speaking on the Take Flight podcast, Seann described his 'trauma' over what he went though.

He said: "I wanted to be a comedian my whole life and leave my mark. You have to have belief that you can do something special... and that had gone with the kiss.

"It was the first time I'd lived without hope.

"I felt like I'd destroyed my dreams, who I was and why I got up in the day.

Katya was pictured kissing former dance partner Seann Walsh back in 2018 (BBC)

"And it's still all I think about. What my life could have been. What I could have made of myself is gone. And what do you do?"

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