Janette Manrara is currently co-hosting Strictly: It Takes Two with Fleur East but she was once a professional dancer on the BBC One competition. But the 39-year-old quit to focus on starting a family with her co-star husband.
First joining Strictly as a professional dancer in 2013, Janette was paired with fashion designer Julien Macdonald, but the couple bowed out in Week Four. In 2014, she teamed up with EastEnders star Jake Wood and made it all the way to the semi-final, thanks in part to a body-bending Salsa in Week Two.
Janette was in reaching distance of the glitterball trophy in 2020 as she reached the final with popstar HRVY. The pair came second after comedian Bill Bailey and dance partner Oti Mabuse won the competition.
READ MORE: EastEnders' Bobby Brazier shares sweet throwback after Strictly performance
In 2021, Janette announced she would be stepping down as a dancer on Strictly as she turned her talents to presenting. She first fronted BBC daytime show ‘Morning Live', before becoming a host on the spin-off It Takes Two.
Discussing her reasons for quitting Strictly, Janette revealed she and her husband Aljaž Škorjanecare looking forward to having children. She told Hello! magazine: "Starting a family is something we have been talking about for a while now and dancing was something I really had to think about when it came to making any kind of decision.
"The level of pressure that comes with being a professional on Strictly has now been lifted from my life, so I feel like I can breathe now when it comes to starting a family. We definitely want to be parents and this has given us an opportunity to really take a look at that part of our lives and see what we can do moving forward."
Janette and Aljaž welcome baby
In 2015, Manrara became engaged to long-time partner Strictly Come Dancing and Burn the Floor co-star Aljaž Škorjanec. They were married on 15 July 2017.
The couple welcomed adorable Lyra on July 28 at London’s Portland Hospital, weighing 7lb 7oz. Taking to Instagram to announce their new arrival, Janette and Aljaž shared a black and white photo alongside the tot only moments are Lyra was born.
Strictly Come Dancing star Aljaž, 33, also shocked fans in 2021 after announcing he was leaving the BBC series as a professional dancer. During his time on the show, the dance pro managed to win with model Abbey Clancy back in 2013, lifting up the Glitterball trophy for the first and last time.
Aljaz did make it to the final again in 2017 with actress Gemma Atkinson, but they were beaten by Holby City actor Joe McFadden and Katya Jones. He had been a staple on the dance contestant for nine years before making his swift departure.
At the time, Aljaz released a statement on his social media addressing why he wanted to leave. The dancer penned: "It didn't matter how many beautiful ballrooms I performed in during my competitive career stepping onto the sacred Strictly floor was the most nervous I'd ever been.
"A little while ago I made the decision that 2021 would be my last. The show has given me the opportunity and freedom to create and express myself in front of millions of people every weekend for the last nine years."
Strictly: It Takes Two airs weekdays at 6:30 pm on BBC2.
Strictly Come Dancing week four airs on Saturday at 6:20pm.
For the latest Strictly news and gossip, follow our live Strictly blog here
Want more Strictly Come Dancing news and gossip? Visit our dedicated page here.
