Where cha cha cha they now?
HOW STRICTLY STARS FARED AFTER THE SHOW
BRENDAN Cole has left Strictly Come Dancing with as much noise as he made on it during all 15 series.
The dance star didn’t want to go, but he’s far from the first to depart for new horizons. More than 50 professional dancers have featured on the BBC1 show, some just shooting stars in one series, other, like Brendan, waltzing away with viewers’ hearts for years.
And the good news for the New Zealander is there IS life after Strictly. Here’s what happened to some of the other pros after they left the show:
Camilla Dallerup (Six series, 2004 - 2008)
Was the real-life love of Brendan Cole before they split, and called the break-up the “most difficult period of my life”. Married Hollyoaks actor Kevin Sacre, 39, in Ibiza in 2010. Now 43, the Danish dancer lives in Los Angeles and is a successful life coach and author of two books: Strictly Inspirational and Reinvent me.
Erin Boag (10 series, 2004 - 2010)
Only female dancer to have competed in 10 series, she left to start a family. Now 42, she’s still close to pro partner Anton Du Beke. They’re currently on a national tour “Anton & Erin - From Broadway To Hollywood”.
“Bridesman” at her 2009 marriage to business consultant Peter O’Dowd, Anton is Godfather to their son.
Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova (Six series, 2004 - 2009)
Married in 1999, they joined Strictly in 2004.
After leaving Sheffield lad Darren, 40, and Russian Lilia, 39, worked on dance shows all over the world.
They have a little girl, Valentina Rose, now almost three, and are producers and choreographers on Ireland’s Dancing With The Stars.
Ian Waite (Six series, 2005 - 2010)
A regular presenter on Strictly’s sister show It Takes Two, he wed boyfriend Drew Merriman last July. Guests included Craig Revel Horwood, Natalie Lowe, Anton Du Beke, Zoe Ball and Denise Lewis. Ian, who teaches dance and zumba, has created a dance fitness programme. Tour with Oti Mabuse starts in Colchester March 20.
Matthew Cutlet, (Five series, 2005-9)
Lifted the Strictly trophy with Alesha Dixon in 2009, but after coming 16th in series seven the Essex dancer called it a day on Strictly. Afterwards he was a judge on Living’s Diet on the Dancefloor.
Matthew, 44, now teaches zumba and other classes in Croydon at Matico Dance Studio.
Karen Hardy (Four series, 2005 - 2009)
Joined sister show It Takes Two presenting choreography corner from 2011 to 2016. That year Karen, 47, revealed Strictly bosses had approached her about taking Len Goodman’s spot on the judging panel. Mum to Callum, 12 and Taylor, three, she runs a dance studio with husband Conrad Murray.
Flavia Cacace (Seven series, 2006 - 2012)
Flavia, 37, dated pro partner Vincent Simone, then EastEnders actor partner Matt Di Angelo, before marrying Corrie’s Jimi Mistry in 2013. Flavia and Vincent’s show Tango Moderno tours until April. She said: “I fancied trying my hand at something new, something I knew would challenge me.”
Vincent Simone (Seven series, 2006 - 2012)
Vincent, now 38, went on I’m a Celebrity before wedding longtime love Susan Duddy in 2015. Parents to Luca, seven, and Matteo, three, they’ve swapped London for rural Northern Ireland to help Susan beat the anxiety and exhaustion she felt while Vincent toured.
James (Eight series, 2006-14) and Ola Jordan (10 series, 2006-16)
The Jordans are now reality TV stars – she’s never fully recovered from a knee injury on Channel 4’s The Jump in 2014. In 2016 Polish Ola, 35, was third voted out on I’m A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!.
James, 39, third in the 2014 series of Celebrity Big Brother, is a regular on Channel 5’s The Wright Stuff. They have postponed an upcoming tour after James was injured during rehearsals.
Artem Chigvintsev (Four series, 2010-2013)
The Russian won Strictly in 2010 with actress Kara Tointon and they began a three year relationship. He later joined the US version, Dancing With The Stars, where he has been partnered with a host of famous faces, most recently Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan. The motorbike fan, 35, is currently on the Dancing With The Stars live tour, his brown hair now VERY blond.
Aliona Vilani (Six series, 2009 - 2015)
Kazakhstan-born Aliona was the first female dancer to win the show twice. She quit, reportedly to concentrate on starting a family with husband, Irish businessman Vincent Kavanagh whom she married in 2014. Daughter Bella was born last June. The doting mum, 33, now lives in Florida with her husband and child who she calls the “loves of her life.” Rumours she might rejoin Strictly as a choreographer.
Natalie Lowe (Seven series, 2009 - 2017)
The blonde Australian made the final with Hollyoaks actor Ricky Whittle on her debut. When she made the decision to leave she said: “I was competing against time and myself. I’ve still a few things to do before I start a family.”
Now aged 37, the former beauty therapist has set up a company running dance workout classes. On January 8 she married company director James Knibbs.
Robin Windsor (Five series, 2010-2014)
Forced to pull out of the 2014 series with a back injury, he battled back to health but was not asked to return the next year.
“I was heartbroken,” he said. Robin, 38, is currently touring with pro partner Kristina Rihanoff in Dance to the Music and is available for “teaching, demonstrations, weddings, hen nights, adjudicating and much more...”
He split up with X Factor star Marcus Collins after two years together.
Kristina Rihanoff (Eight series, 2008 - 2015)
The strictly siren, 40, was paired with rugby ace Ben Cohen, 39, for the 11th series. Ben split from wife Abby after the show and later announced he was in a relationship with Russian-born Kristina.
They are now proud parents to Milena, 19 months. Kristina is currently touring in Dance to the Music with pro partner Robin Windsor, ex-Strictly dancer Oksana Platero and X Factor singer Chris Maloney.