Professional dancer Karen Hauer has confirmed that she shall be leaving Strictly Come Dancing after 14 years.
After it was reported earlier this month that five professional dancers would be axed from the programme in 2026, together with Nadiya Bychkova and Gorka Marquez, Karen mentioned she would even be “closing this chapter and taking on new projects in other areas that I’m passionate about.”
“Strictly completely changed my life, not only as a performer and a teacher but as a human being,” she mentioned in a shifting Instagram video.
She defined that “None of this would have been possible” with out the followers of the present, and that Strictly is an “incredible machine powered by brilliant people.”
Breaking down in tears, she added: “Who would have thought than a young girl from the Bronx would end up becoming the longest serving female professional dancer on a British TV institution.”
She mentioned the TV competitors would at all times be in her coronary heart, and that she would proceed to cheer on her fellow skilled dancers on the present.
In a statement, Sarah James, government producer on the BBC thanked Karen for her “incredible contribution to Strictly Come Dancing over the last 14 years.”
“As the longest-serving female professional dancer in the history of the show, Karen has given so much of herself and her time to the programme, and we are extremely grateful for the passion, creativity and dedication she has brought to every single performance,” she mentioned.
James added that the dancer has “captivated audiences with her talent, warmth and genuine love of dance and has been responsible for some of the most iconic partnerships and joyous routines the Strictly dance floor has ever seen.”
She continued: “We thank her for all these memorable moments and for her incredible work ethic. Her professionalism and sense of humour shine through everything she achieves and we can’t wait to see where her next chapter takes her.”
Earlier this month, a spokesperson for the BBC informed Cosmopolitan: “Plans for Strictly Come Dancing 2026 will be confirmed in due course.”
