Strictly Come Dancing star Aljaž Škorjanec has defended the show’s decision to axe professionals, stating it keeps things “fresh”.
The BBC series is currently undergoing significant change following the departure of long-time hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, and it was reported last week that pros Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, Gorka Márquez, 35, Luba Mushtuk, 36, Nadiya Bychkova, 36, and Karen Hauer, 43, had been dropped from the show.
While Škorjanec, 36, has said everyone is “waiting for the official announcement”, he stated that “whatever the Strictly bosses do is in the best interest of the show”.
Addressing the axing of professionals in the past, the Slovenian dancer told The Mirror on Sunday (15 March) that, while it’s sad to see his co-stars leave, “it’s equally exciting to see new faces, fresh energy, and people who bring something different”.
He said bringing in new faces “means the show never gets stale”.
The BBC told The Independent that the official announcement about this year’s professionals and new hosts will be announced in due course.
Shortly after the report surfaced, Cypriot dancer Tsiakkas – who joined the show in 2022 – quit the 2026 professionals tour, seemingly in response to the news.
Professional dancer Škorjanec first appeared on the BBC competition series in 2013, which he won with Abbey Clancy. In 2022, he announced that he would not be returning to Strictly, instead opting to focus on family life with his wife, It Takes Two host Janette Manrara, with whom he has one daughter.
However, he returned two years later, becoming the first professional to be brought back after leaving.
Márquez joined Strictly in 2016 and has featured in three finals with celebrity partners Alexandra Burke, Maisie Smith and Helen Skelton. He also met his partner, influencer and presenter Gemma Atkinson, on the show in 2017.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day
New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.
Try for free
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Watch Apple TV+ free for 7 day
New subscribers only. £9.99/mo. after free trial. Plan auto-renews until cancelled.
Try for free
ADVERTISEMENT. If you sign up to this service we will earn commission. This revenue helps to fund journalism across The Independent.
Mushtuk first appeared on Strictly eight years ago but has not been partnered with a celebrity on the contest in recent years, while Bychkova, who joined the cast in 2017, has competed with the likes of Davood Ghadami and Dan Walker. She has never reached the final.
Meanwhile, Hauer is the show’s longest-standing professional and has been partnered with stars ranging from late Hairy Bikers chef Dave Myers to Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing since her 2010 debut. With Laing, she finished in second place.
It’s also been reported that Neil Jones and Nancy Xu will remain on the show, but won’t have celebrity partners.
Jones, the ex-husband of fellow Strictly professional Katya, has competed three times since 2017, with celebrities Alex Scott, Nina Wadia and Toyah Wilcox, while Xu, who most memorably competed with Will Mellor in 2024, made headlines after being left without a partner in 2025.
The Chinese dancer said she was left disappointed after being told the news, telling her fans on Instagram: “In the very beginning, when I received the message, it did upset me and I do feel disappointed.” However, she said she was “good because” she was “still part of the Strictly family” and competed in group performances throughout the series.
There’s also a big question surrounding who will replace Daly and Winkleman as hosts after the pair bowed out in December 2025. Frontrunner contenders include The One Show’s Alex Jones and Zoe Ball, who previously hosted companion series Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two.
