Strictly pro almost quit the BBC show after quarter-final elimination

• Strictly Come Dancing pro Katya Jones revealed she almost quit the BBC show after her elimination last year.
• Jones and her 2025 partner, actor Lewis Cope, were favourites to win before making a shock exit in the quarter-finals.
• The dancer admitted she questioned whether she could face the potential disappointment again before agreeing to return.
• For the 2026 series, Jones is partnered with YouTube star John Nellis, with the pair topping the leaderboard in the first week.
• Celebrity hairstylist Chris Appleton and partner Amy Dowden have become the first couple eliminated from the current series.

IN FULL

Strictly pro Katya Jones says she considered quitting series after last year’s ‘heartbreaking’ elimination