Strictly Come Dancing has thrust many a celebrity and dancer together in its 19-year history – but sometimes it’s resulted in the ‘curse’.
The heat from the dance floor has several times followed its stars into their personal life. The Strictly ‘curse’ is a thing – and has been for years – and here are the couples still thriving after meeting on the BBC show.
What is the Strictly ‘curse’?
With the new season well underway, fans will probably wonder if anyone will fall victim to the so-called curse.
Strictly sees professional dancers and celebrities put their personal relationships to the ultimate test as they dance with each other. Each week, they get closer and explore new styles, from the intense pasodoble to a romantic waltz or cheeky cha cha.
The ‘curse’ first struck in season one with Brendan Cole and Camilla Dallerup. Brendan’s relationship could not withstand the show’s magnetism when he and celebrity partner newsreader Natasha Kaplinsky got together. He has always denied they had an affair but he and Camilla split up at the time.
The pair didn’t last long, but did the ‘curse’ serve anyone well?
Who is still together?
Rachel Riley
Countdown star Rachel Riley is now married to professional dancer Pasha Kovalev. The pair have two children together. The couple have not always been an item though.
Rachel danced with Pasha on the 2013 series when she was married to Jamie Gilbert.
Shortly after the show, her marriage ended and she and Pasha started to date. The numbers whiz denied anything happened on the show, with them officially coming forward as an item in early 2014.
Ben Cohen
Former rugby player Ben Cohen was married to Abby Blayney when he appeared on the 2013 season. They ended their 11-year marriage after his stint on the show.
Ben was partnered with professional dancer Kristina Rihanoff while on the show. The pair soon became an item and he proposed to her last year in the Maldives.
Another success story lies with professional dancer Dianne Buswell and her 2018 celebrity partner Joe Sugg.
At the time of the competition, Dianne was dating actor Anthony Quinlan.
The pair split mutually. However, many rumours of the ‘curse’ started circulating as Joe and the pro seemed to get together quickly.
Another 2018 ‘curse’ casualty was Stacey Dooley.
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In the 2018 season Stacey and Kevin Clifton were paired together.
At the time of filming, Stacey was in a relationship with long-term partner Sam Tucknott. However, they soon parted ways, and Kevin and Stacey announced they were dating in early 2019.
They now have a child together and appear to be deeply in love. Her personal trainer ex Sam, told The Sun that he called Kevin a “snake” for dating his ex so soon after they broke up.
Other casualties were not quite so lucky.
Other love stories
An unusual success story from the show saw two individuals get together who were not paired, and they lasted.
Gemma Atkinson met the now father of her two children Gorka Marquez on Strictly in 2017. Their romance was kept under lock and key until after the show finished. However, Gemma was partnered with Aljaz Skorjanec, and Gorka danced with Alexandra Burke that season.
A few other couples also met on the show or the tour production are dating despite not being paired together. Max George and Maisie Smith and Tyler West and Molly Rainford are two celeb pairings.
A relationship expert spilled all on the so-called curse and explained why it happens. Hayley Quinn, dating expert for Match, told ED!: “Training for Strictly is demanding and means long hours away from your partner. The dances are often highly sensual and necessitates lots of physical touch. Dancing in this way also means that one person ‘leads’ the dance, and the other person ‘follows’; to dance well, the follower has to really submit to the leading of their dance partner, which creates a sexual dynamic.
“There’s also an intensity to participating in Strictly as a whole, which almost always becomes a bonding experience for the competitors. When we share an intense experience with someone else, it also creates a stronger connection to that person; so it’s easy to see why Strictly has created so many romances. ”
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