BBC Strictly Katya Jones' divorce from co-star after kiss with celebrity dance partner

Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones has been a hit with viewers since joining the BBC show in 2016, but she has also made headlines for her high-profile romances

Strictly Come Dancing's Katya Jones has experienced her fair share of ups and downs over the years - but she refuses to let it define her.

The 35-year-old professional dancer and choreographer has impressed judges and audiences alike with her footwork since joining the BBC line-up in 2016. She was previously partnered with politician Ed Balls and comedian Seann Walsh, and is now paired up with Welsh opera singer Wynne Evans for the 2024 series.

But they are one of the favourites to leave this weekend after finding themselves in hot water following the last live show when, they say, they misjudged two 'pranks'. Clips taken from the show and shared widely on social media showed Katya turn her back on Wynne as he tried to 'high five' her and she was also seen moving his hand as it wandered across her waist. The pair later issued an apology on social media for their actions and said they were "heartbroken" by the reaction.

Off the dancefloor, Katya's tumultuous love life has also made headlines - from a scandalous kiss with a contestant to a divorce from a fellow dancer.

The notorious Strictly 'curse' suggests that taking part in the show could potentially wreak havoc on your current relationship. Over time, eagle-eyed viewers have spotted this apparent trend among contestants and professional dancers, and it seems Katya hasn't been immune, reports the Mirror.

In 2018, Katya and her partner for that series, Seann Walsh, were caught in a compromising position, despite Katya being married to fellow Strictly pro dancer Neil Jones. Seann, who was dating actress Rebecca Humphries at the time, subsequently fled to America in the wake of the scandal, and he has since expressed his regret.

In his 2022 stand-up act, Seann shared a telling moment: "I left the wardrobe department and before I could order my first beer, my agent came over to and asked if he could have a word with me outside. I thought, 'He is going to tell me I have got Michael McIntyre's Big Show! I had better act surprised!"

But the reality was quite unexpected: "Turns out, I didn't have to act surprised. We went into the car park, my agent looked over his glasses and said, 'About 20 minutes ago, they posted a photo of you kissing Katya outside a pub'. It was at that exact point that my life would turn upside down - the dream turned into a nightmare."

He admitted: "I was in a relationship, my dance partner Katya was married. After training, we went for a drink, one thing led to another and we were photographed kissing outside a pub. Awful, I know. It's awful - I'm sorry. I'm still sorry now."

On the flip side, when Katya appeared on The Lovejoy Hour podcast, she reflected on the episode, insisting it "doesn't define her" while detailing how much she has developed since the incident. She stated emphatically: "Whatever is written or whatever people think, it doesn't matter. I'm so disconnected from it."

In 2019, Katya and Neil decided to end their six-year marriage. Despite rumours, Neil asserted that the incident with Seann wasn't the root cause of their parting. In a 2020 interview with The Sun, Neil opened up about his split with Katya, saying: "We found that we'd grown apart like people do, so we were like, 'OK, let's go our separate ways'. We are lucky that we don't have kids."

He continued to reflect on their relationship post-split: "It had nothing to do with what happened [with Seann]. We were moving in different directions but we are friends again now. Katya is a great girl and I've got nothing bad to say about her. "

At 41, Neil has found happiness with former Love Island star Chyna Mills, with whom he is engaged and recently welcomed a daughter, Havana Jones. Discussing future for their child with Hello! Neil expressed: "It would be amazing if she wants to be a dancer, but she can be whatever she wants to be."

Meanwhile, Katya shared earlier this year her plans for a unique approach to finding love, uninterested in traditional dating apps. Speaking to The Sun, she revealed: "We will be definitely going on a husband-hunting trip very soon. I mean we're constantly husband-hunting. Modern dating is very complicated, I don't always understand men's thinking, but I'd like to think I'm a good judge of character."

During a recent conversation with the Daily Express, Katya was quizzed on her quest for a husband. She responded with enthusiasm, "It's going! It's still going! It's still on."

Her friend, Olympian snowboarder Aimee Fuller, jumped in to add, "The hunt is on. There are lots of good events in the next few weeks so we will be out, living. That's what it's all about. Good conversation and meeting people is everything."

Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC One on Saturdays and Sundays and on BBC iPlayer