Skin agony wreckedmy self-esteem
Strictly pro Aljaz hopes opening up about his battle with psoriasis will help others, writes
WATCHING him glide with effortless cool across the Strictly Come Dancing floor, you wouldn’t know Aljaz Skorjanec has a lack of confidence.
But the Slovenian dancer, 30, has revealed how being diagnosed with the skin condition psoriasis 12 years ago knocked his self-esteem.
He said: “I was so ashamed of it in a way. It really brought my self-esteem down.
“I stressed about it for so long. Working on TV, being exposed physical ly like that and then having a skin condition doesn’t help in any way, shape or form.
“I figured that if I talk about it, it might make someone else feel a bit better about themselves.
“I’m the most at peace that I’ve been, specifically with the psoriasis. I don’t care half as much as I used to about it.”
Psoriasis makes the skin build up into dry, red patches covered with white scales. It can appear anywhere on the body.
Whi le Aljaz is slowly overcoming the condition, he hopes there wi l l be an advancement in treatment.
He told the Power of 10 podcast: “I do hope that one day there is going to be a cream or a pill that people take and it’s going to make it go away.
“I do hope that one day people can get on with their lives and not worry about a red patch on their skin.”
Aljaz became a professional dancer on Strictly in 2013 and reached the final two years ago with Gemma Atkinson, who lost out to Joe McFadden.
This year, Al jaz was partnered with DJ Clara Amfo but they were the fifth pair to leave the competition.
He’s still very invested in the show as his wife Janette Manrara, 37, is paired with HRVY – a favourite to take the Glitterball trophy.
Cuban-born Janette has for the first time made it to the grand finale, where she and
HRVY will go up against Maisie Smith and Gorka Marquez, Bill Bailey and Oti Mabuse, and Jamie Laing and Karen Hauer.
Aljaz said: “I feel like Janette is going to win. Definitely.”
The couple have been married since 2017 – and this year has seen them living apart for the first time in more than a decade as they moved into bubbles with their dance partners for the show. Aljaz said: “We can see each other on a Friday and Saturday in the studio, obviously keeping to two-metre distance. But the two of us are so focused with jobs, so at the moment it’s OK because we’re so busy.”
Aljaz is clearly besotted with his wife. When asked if he had a dream celebrity dance partner, he replied: “If I could do Strictly with Janette one year that would be amazing.
“I’m sure we would have a little bit of an advantage, solely because we know each other a little bit – but nothing to do with dancing.” ● The Strictly Come Dancing final is on BBC1 at 6pm on Saturday. Decathlon’s Power of 10 podcast, including the episode with Aljaz, is now available to stream or download via Spotify, iTunes, Google Podcasts and all other major podcasting channels.