Neil And Katya Jones Split: Strictly Come Dancing Couple Announce Break-Up After 11 Years
19 August 2019, 10:50 | Updated: 19 August 2019, 11:05
Neil and Katya Jones have split up weeks ahead of the new series of Strictly Come Dancing.
Strictly Come Dancing couple Katya and Neil Jones have announced their separation after 11 years together, less than one year after Katya was pictured kissing her dance partner Seann Walsh.
The dancers – who married in 2013 – are both still lined up to dance on this year’s series.
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Announcing the news on Instagram, Neil and Katya shared a statement reading: “We will always love each other, just in a different way as friends. This will never change what a great team we make and we are really proud of everything we have achieved together.”
They added that they will continue to “support and respect” each other, before finishing the statement with: “We are really looking forward to getting back to the ballroom and can’t wait to keep on dancing.”
A spokesperson for the show has also confirmed Katya’s kissing scandal was not the cause of their split.
"It would be incorrect and unfair to attribute their separation to one isolated incident," the spokeswoman said.
The incident led to the end of Seann’s relationship with former long-term girlfriend Rebecca Humphries.
Katya will be in the main line-up once again this year, paired with a celebrity dance partner – despite rumours she was to be demoted to “reserve” dancer following her fling with Seann.
Neil will also have a celebrity dance partner for the first time, replacing Gorka Marquez after years of being a backing dancer.
Instead, Gorka will now be one of the reserves.
Both Katya and Neil have resumed their social media presence since announcing their split, with Katya posting a photo of herself on Instagram in a colourful gown while Neil shared a picture of himself with a statue elephant.
It appears the dancers have already removed their wedding rings since confirming the news.
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