Strictly Come Dancing pro, Michelle Tsiakkas, will not be joining the 2026 Professionals live tour amid reports of a mass pro dancer cull on the main show.
In an official post on social media, the Strictly Come Dancing live tour Instagram wrote: ‘Michelle Tsiakkas has decided not to take part in Strictly The Professionals 2026 Tour.
‘We are naturally disappointed but respect her decision and wish her every success for the future.
‘We look forward to starting the tour rehearsals early next month with Julian, Vito, Neil, Gorka, Lauren, Jowita, Luba, Alexis, Kai and Nancy.’
The tour is set to kick off on April 29 and travel throughout the country, ending at Blackpool Opera House on May 30.
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Cypriot dancer Michelle, 30, joined the long-running BBC dance competition series in 2022 and performed with celebrity partner Jamie Borthwick in the 2024 season.
She, along with Gorka Marquez and Luba Mushtuk, was the first to be reported as dropped from the show. This was followed by the longest serving current pro, Karen Hauer, and Nadiya Bychkova.
Elsewhere, insiders have shared that Neil Jones and Nancy Xu have been benched and will not receive celebrity partners, come autumn.
Michelle did not receive a celebrity partner in the latest season (which also marked co-hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly’s swan song), and she expressed her disappointment at the time.
‘To those of you asking how I am, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t gutted but I think that’s a normal feeling to have.
‘Last year was my first year with a partner and it made me realise how much I enjoy the process. I think it’s the most beautiful and rewarding part of the show,’ she told followers.
Michelle has not directly addressed the recent rumours that she has been axed from the show, nor her decision to step back from the live tour.
Just a few days ago, however, to mark International Women’s Day, she did post a picture of herself from childhood alongside a poignant caption to her younger self.
‘There were moments that shaped her, challenged her and quietly changed her. But somehow, through it all, she never lost her sparkle.
‘Because strength isn’t about never breaking… it’s about finding the light again, even after the storm,’ she said.
Discussing the reported axings, a source told The Sun: ‘There are major changes taking place with dancers having meetings about their contracts over the next few weeks.
‘‘Bosses want a fresh start and to bring in new faces after all the drama in recent years and create a new era.’
Another insider claimed the shelved professionals learned their fates in ‘brutal’ 15-minute phone calls with stars like Nadiya said to be ‘distraught’ at the development.
Metro has reached out to Michelle Tsiakkas’ representatives for comment.
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