Neil Jones has opened up about being left homeless as a teenager as he tried to forge a career in dance, years before finding stardom on Strictly.
Neil is a massive fan favourite on the BBC show, with many viewers left angry on his behalf last year that he wasn't given a celebrity partner, having previously been teamed up with Alex Scott and Nina Wadia.
While he wasn't at the heart of competition in Strictly 2022, Neil was still very much part of the show, performing in all the professional group numbers and being seen in the background and studio audience to react to performances and judges' scores.
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But, while he is now at home within the sparkle and sequins of Strictly, Neil has revealed that things were startlingly different when he started out as a young dancer with dreams of becoming a star. A young Neil headed across Europe to Finland for dance training but, in an interview with homelessness charity Centre Point, revealed that, unable to pay the bills and living in a foreign country without a support structure, he found himself living on the streets and in a very vulnerable position at such a young age.
Thankfully, after a while, a local charity helped him find accommodation and he was able to find safety and move on.
Recalling the moment he is still massively grateful for, Neil said: "My breakthrough moment was when a homeless organisation offered me safe accommodation and got me off the streets so I could focus on my dancing. Since then I've used those low times to push me to succeed"
Neil shared his experience via Centre Point on his Instagram grid, with it immediately getting a huge reaction from his friends and followers. Strictly contestant Tyler West replied: "Incredibly inspiring bro," with another of the class of 2022, Kym Marsh, commenting: "Incredible."
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