Strictly Come Dancing’s Karen Hauer has weighed-in on the show’s so-called curse.
The “Strictly Curse” as it has come to be known, generally refers to when a contestant ends up falling for their dance partner, despite one or both of them already being in a relationship.
The term has also been used when a dancer or contestant's relationship breaks down during their time on the show.
While some call it nonsense, professional dancer Hauer - who has been part of the BBC dance competition since 2012 - says not only does she believe in it, she has seen it happen.
Speaking out ahead of the new series returning in September, she told New magazine: "I've seen things. I'm not gonna talk about them. It exists. It's there. Whoever wants to go and play, that's there on them."
Acknowledging that the dancers can get "up close and personal" with contestants amid hours of rehearsals, Hauer noted that she has never gone "there" herself out of respect for her job and co-stars.
Hauer’s remarks also imply that there may be instances of the curse that have managed to go under the radar.
One incident which certainly didn’t was when professional dancer Katya Jones and comedian Seann Walsh were pictured kissing outside a London pub in 2018.
Jones was married to fellow Strictly pro Neil Jones at the time, while Walsh had been in a relationship for five years with Rebecca Humphries.
Despite both issuing a public apology, neither of their relationships survived the incident.
