It’s not a dating show or even a soap opera, but love and romance are always at the heart of each season of Britain’s favorite dance competition, Strictly Come Dancing.
So much so that in recent years the term “Strictly Curse” has been coined — a superstition that describes the many high-profile breakups, affairs, and romances that happen before, during, and after the show year after year.
This year’s competition is set to return to the small screen on September 17, with celebrities such as Fleur East, Kaye Adams, Kym Marsh and Helen Skleton confirmed to be attending.
But before the couples put on their dancing shoes, here’s a look back at all of the relationships that have blossomed between Strictly partners of the past.
Ali Bastian and Brian Fortuna
Brian Fortuna and Ali Bastian
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Hollyoaks actor Ali Bastian and Fortuna started dating in 2009 after starring together in Strictly.
Their relationship was short-lived and they split in 2010.
Kristina Rihanoff and Ben Cohen
Kristina Rihanoff and Ben Cohen
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Dancer Kristina Rihanoff and rugby player Ben Cohen were partners on the 2013 series of Strictly.
Cohen was spotted with his arms around Rihanoff on a London Underground train in September 2014, although the two denied they were romantically involved at the time.
In the same year, Cohen separated from his eleven-year-old wife Abby.
Cohen and Rihanoff began dating and welcomed their first child, Milena, in 2016.
Jimi Mistry and Flavia Cacace
Flavia Cacace and Jimi Mistry
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Jimi Mistry and Flavia Cacace were partners on the 2010 series of Strictly.
In January 2013, Cacace announced that the couple were engaged. They married in December of that year.
Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev
Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev
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Rachel Riley split from her husband Jamie Gilbert in 2013 while she was at Strictly.
The following year, Riley announced that she was in a relationship with dance partner Pasha Kovalev.
The Countdown presenter insisted there was no crossover between their relationships.
The couple married in 2019 and now have two children, daughters Maven, two, and Noa, 10 months.
Kara Tointon and Artem Chigvintsev
Kara Tointon and Artem Chigvintsev
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EastEnders actress Kara Tointon began dating dance partner Artem Chigvintsev during her 2010 appearance on Strictly.
The couple dated for about three years and split in 2013.
Georgia May Foote and Giovanni Pernice
Georgia May Foote and Giovanni Pernice
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Georgia May Foote split from her Coronation Street co-star Sean Ward shortly after her participation in Strictly in 2015.
Shortly thereafter, she began a relationship with her dance partner Giovanni Pernice. The new couple split after just eight months, with Foote writing in a statement at the time that they had decided to just be friends.
“It is with great sadness that we have decided to part ways. There’s no one else involved,” she said.
“We both have very busy work schedules for the rest of the year so we will both be focused on our upcoming work projects and we wish each other all the best in the future.”
Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton
Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton
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Stacey Dooley confirmed her romance with Strictly Dance partner Kevin Clifton in April 2019.
The news came just a month after Dooley split from boyfriend of three years, Sam Tucknott.
In August of this year, Dooley confirmed that she and Clifton were expecting their first child together.
“Gaaaaaang…we’re having a baby!” said Dooley. “So damn pleased. Kev, you are magical, I love youuuu.”
Katya Jones and Seann Walsh
Katya Jones and Seann Walsh
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Photos surfaced in 2018 of dancer Katya Jones – who was then married to fellow dancer Neil Jones – kissing her famous dance partner, comedian Seann Walsh. Walsh was also in a relationship with actress Rebecca Humphries at the time.
Both Jones and Walsh apologized after the kiss, calling it a “one off drunken mistake.”
Joe Sugg and Dianne Buswell
Dianne Buswell and Joe Sugg
(Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
Strict partners Joe Sugg and Dianne Buswell made it to the finals in 2018. Shortly after the contest ended, Sugg announced in a post on his Instagram that they were in a relationship.
“I may not have won the Glitterball, but I’ve won something special a million times over,” he wrote.
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