Strictly Come Dancing star Simon Rimmer appears to have confirmed the longest-serving current pro, Karen Hauer, is exiting the dance floor.
The long-running BBC reality series is reportedly doing a major overhaul of the pro dancers in what is being called a bloodbath, with several on the firing line, including Karen, 43.
Gorka Marquez, 35, Luba Mushtuk, 36, and Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, were the first reported to have been axed from the show.
This was shortly followed by Nadiya Bychkova, 36, Karen and both Neil Jones, 43, and Nancy Xu, 34 have reportedly been benched, all according to The Sun.
Metro understands that official plans for Strictly Come Dancing 2026 will be announced by the BBC in due course.
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Katya Jones, 36, was also said to be at risk, although new reports claim she is set to sign a new contract to mark 10 years on the show. It seems, now, that no such luck has come for stalwart dance star Karen, however.
In an Instagram post, her 2017 dance partner, Sunday Brunch host Simon with whom she finished 11th place, shared a poignant message alongside a picture of the two on the dance floor.
‘Absolutely gutted that the very best teacher and dancer Karen Hauer has been axed from @bbcstrictly – thanks for everything Karen. #friendsforlife,’ he wrote in the caption.
Neither Karen nor Strictly has officially addressed the speculation over her axing, so this is the closest to confirmation fans have had since the news broke.
The full list of dancers rumours said to have been axed
- Gorka Marquez
- Luba Mushtuk
- Michelle Tsiakkas
- Karen Hauer
- Nadiya Bychkova
The post has led to a flurry of sadness and confusion over what Karen’s fate on the show is.
Fans are commiserating over her potential loss, calling her a ‘staple of the show’ and saying they are also absolutely ‘gutted’.
According to insiders, the pros who have been axed learned their fate in brief 15-minute phone calls with BBC bosses, leaving them totally blindsided, with one source calling it ‘brutal’.
It has been said pro Nadiya, who joined in 2017, was left ‘distraught’ after finding out she has reportedly been axed, and insiders have claimed that ‘diva-like’ behaviour was a factor in the decision to let her go.
The turbulence comes as the BBC looks towards a new era for the show with longtime co-hosts, Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, stepping down at the end of last year.
There is no word yet on who will replace them, or what the show will look like, come this autumn when it returns.
Metro has reached out to the BBC and Karen Hauer’s representatives for comment.
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