STRICTLY UNKNOWN

Professional stars as you’ve never seen them before

They’ve jived, shimmied and foxtrotted their way into the nation’s hearts.

But these are your Strictly professionals as you have never seen them before – with their pasts revealed in a one-off programme.

Airing ahead of the 17th series, where the dancing will start on Saturday, September 21, it explores the current professionals’ route into dancing and the sacrifices they have made along the way to get to the top of their game.

Strictly Come Dancing – The Professionals airs on Saturday at 7pm on BBC1.

ABOUT to start her third series of the show, NADIYA

BYCHKOVA is a busy lady. The 30-year-old, who was born in the Ukraine, splits her time between the UK and her home in Slovenia where she lives with her fiance and young daughter.

After starting dancing aged four, she is a twotime World Champion and European Champion in ballroom and Latin.

She has also appeared on the Bosnian version of Strictly, and will this year partner former England goalkeeper David James.

AT just 24 years old, AJ PRITCHARD is the show’s youngest professional dancer.

He started dancing at the age of 12, and in 2015 became the British Open Youth Latin Champion and European Youth Latin Champion.

After making it to three consecutive semi-finals, he’ll have his eyes firmly on the glitterball this year.

He will dance with Youtube sensation Saffron Barker.

HAILING from Russia, 30-yearo l d KATYA JONES started dancing when she was just six.

In her career, she won a slew of accolades with dance partner, husband, and fellow strictly professional Neil Jones. The pair split last month after she was pictured kissing last year’s partner, comedian Seann Walsh.

Memorably, she was the dance partner of former shadow chancellor Ed Balls in 2016. They finished sixth.

She went on to win the show with actor Joe McFadden in 2017, and this year will be the partner of BBC sports presenter Mike Bushell.

DANCING is in the family for KEVIN CLIFTON, pictured with sister Joanne, also a Strictly star. After last year’s win with now-girlfriend Stacey Dooley, he’s paired with Anneka Rice.

BORN in Germany, British dancer NEIL JONES took his first ballet class aged three. The 37-year-old will dance with former women’s footballer Alex Scott.

BORN in Venezuela, she moved to New York and began dancing at eight. Now 37, KAREN HAUER, ex-wife of Kevin Clifton, is paired with comedian Chris Ramsey.