TOGETHER SINCE OUR FIRST DANCE

DANCING with the Stars professional dancing couple Jillian Bromwich and Montel Hewson have revealed how their eyes first locked across a dance floor when they were still in primary school.

The talented couple – who were crowned World Latin Dance Champions last year – were paired with celebrity dancers Rory Cowan and Miriam Mullins, who were the first and second contestants to exit this year’s series.

Despite this, Jillian and Montel said they thoroughly enjoyed their brief stint on DWTS and hope to return next year.

In the meantime, the couple will have more time to spend together. They revealed how the seeds of their fairytale romance were sown when they were just children.

Montel was 11-years-old when his family returned home to Ireland after living abroad for several years. He soon enrolled in a local dance school, and it was here he first saw Jillian.

He told the Irish Mail on Sunday: ‘I was living in Spain, and when I came home to Ireland my mam joined me in a dance school. Jill was in the same class, even though she was a few years younger. But that’s where we first met.’

Laughing, Jillian recalled: ‘Of course, I noticed him – all the girls noticed him. He was the only boy, and he was an amazing dancer, even back then.

‘Montel was that bit older than me, so the teacher partnered him with another girl in class. In fairness, she was that bit more advanced than me and so was Montel, but still I wanted to be his dance partner. Everyone did.’

But Montel only had eyes for Jillian.

‘I really wanted to dance with Jill, but she was a few years younger and so I was a bit more ahead. So I was put with another girl in the class and danced with her.’

Eventually, the day came when the couple were finally paired together. And the rest, as they say, is history.

Jillian said: ‘I was about 15 when we first realised there was something else there, other than dance…’

‘Yeah, we sure did,’ Montel agreed with a twinkle in his eye. ‘And we’ve been together ever since.’