Vanessa Feltz has said she is "not one bit" surprised after hearing Rose Ayling-Ellis has split from her boyfriend following her appearance on Strictly Come Dancing.
The 60-year-old TV personality said the 'Strictly curse' has struck again and admitted to falling in love with her own professional dancer James Jordan during her appearance on the BBC show back in 2013.
The so-called curse refers to the trend of celebrities and professional dancers upheaving their personal lives after or during the show.
The intense schedules, passionate dances and physical closeness seems to cause rifts between some celebrities and their partners, ultimately causing them to break up.
In other cases, new romances blossom between the professional dancers and celebrity contestants.
EastEnders actress Rose, 27, won Strictly last year with her dance partner Giovanni Pernice. She had an incredible stint on the show, with the deaf star raising awareness for her community.
Earlier this month, Rose reportedly split from her boyfriend Samuel Arnold. He is said to have grown close to one of her friends after the pair had been together for seven years.
A friend explained: "It’s very amicable and they’ll remain close friends, but unfortunately, there is no future for them romantically.
"They spent a lot of time apart while Rose was away on tour, which has had an impact.
"It’s been difficult for them both, of course, but they’re certain it’s the right move."
Writing in her column for The Sun, Vanessa explained why she was unsurprised by the news.
"Picture the scene: One minute you’re lying in bed next to your boring old partner in your winceyette pyjamas, the next you’re spray-tanned, sprinkled with sequins and pressing against a gorgeous professional dancer with the body of an athlete.
"Before you know it, bits of you that you’d forgotten even existed are gently — or sometimes quite rampantly — grinding against someone you’ve barely met, but who is incredibly good-looking, amazingly athletic."
She added: "On top of all that, it’s hot, it’s sweaty and you’re spending hours together in the rather siege-like conditions the Strictly process imposes on you.
"Your pro partner quickly becomes your confidant. And when you come to do the actual live show, you feel even closer because you’re terribly nervous and cling to your partner as if to a rock."
Vanessa said an intimate relationship develops between contestants and their pro partners and said she even fell in love on the show, despite being in a happy relationship with Ben Ofoedu.
She said: "I didn’t think my professional dance partner would fancy me — or that I could possibly fancy them.
"But for about three or four days, I was deeply in love with James."
Vanessa said she knew she would not leave "beautiful Ben" and didn't think James would split with "the lovely Orla", but she said she was "absolutely bedazzled" by her BBC partner.
Vanessa learnt from the experience and believes the Strictly curse isn't fuelled by a desire for someone else, "but more the result of people rethinking who they are".
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