Strictly’s Karen Hauer ‘stopped in her tracks’ after alopecia diagnosis: ‘I never thought would happen to me’

Strictly star Karen Hauer previously opened up about the moment she was told she had alopecia, revealing it ‘stopped her in her tracks’.

The dancer is best known for being one of the pros on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. For 13 years, Karen – who is on Sunday Brunch today (February 16) – has been a regular on the dance floor.

However, following an “intense” 2022, Karen developed alopecia.

Strictly star Karen Hauer on stress that led to alopecia

In a candid interview from 2023, Karen spoke out about being diagnosed with alopecia.

Taking to Hello, she recalled how 2022 was an “intense” year for her. The TV star was on tour, preparing her wedding to Jordan Wyn-Jones, and also had family coming over.

“I was highly stressed and I started losing my hair on the back of my ear and I had a little bald spot,” Karen shared.

‘It literally stalls you’

Karen then shared how it was her hairdresser who noticed she had developed a “massive” bald patch on her head.

“Until something dramatic like that happens to you, that’s when you kind of stop yourself in your tracks. It literally stalls you. It wasn’t just the hair, it was the eye twitches too and the panic attacks,” the dancer said.

Karen revealed that she even had a panic attack while dancing on stage, admitting she came off stage unable to breathe while crying.

Karen ‘never thought it would happen to her’

Realising she “had to slow down”, and due to her never experiencing anything like it before, Karen went to the doctor.

It stopped me on my tracks this time around.

At the doctor’s, Karen was told she had alopecia, triggered by stress. She was given steroid cream and was told by the editors to “breathe and relax” and “slow down”.

Understandably, the diagnosis still left Karen shocked.

She admitted: “I never thought it would happen to me, because I always felt invincible in a way, like I can take on the whole world, but it stopped me on my tracks this time around.”

Watch Karen on Sunday Brunch on Sunday (February 16) at 10am on Channel 4.

Read more: Strictly star Annabel Croft reveals behind-the-scenes ‘stress’ as ‘doors slammed’ and contestant seen ‘running down road crying’