All the dancers leaving Strictly Come Dancing as BBC shakes up cast

Earlier this month, it was reported that five of the show's pros – including the longest serving female dancer – would not be returning.

Four of the dancers, all of them female, have since confirmed their exits. Another, Spanish pro Gorka Márquez has also reportedly been given the axe, although he is yet to comment on this.

Here are all the dancers saying goodbye to the Strictly ballroom so far…

Karen Hauer

The first dancer to announce her Strictly departure was Karen Hauer, who had been the show's longest standing remaining female pro after 14 years on the dance competition. The dancer was known for her spicy Latin routines, reaching the final with Mark Wright in 2014 and Jamie Laing in 2020. She also performed in one of the show’s same-sex partnerships, when she danced with Jayde Adams in 2022.

In a video posted to Instagram, Hauer, 43, broke down in tears while saying that it was the “right time” for her to leave the show and “take on new projects in other areas that I’m passionate about”.

The Venezuelan-American dancer, who was previously married to former Strictly pro Kevin Clifton, also singled out the show's welfare staff for “taking such good care” of the Strictly pros.

In a heartfelt statement, the BBC said: “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.”

Nadiya Bychkova

The next exit confirmed by the BBC was that of Ukrainian dancer Nadiya Bychkova, who joined the show in 2017 and had a celebrity partner in seven of her nine years on Strictly.

The tallest female pro, Nadiya, 36, was often paired with the taller male celebrities such as Dan Walker (who she reached quarter-final with), Bros’s Matt Goss, and most recently Chris Robshaw.

Confirming rumours of her departure on Wednesday (25 March), Bychkova wrote: “After nine wonderful years, this part of my journey with Strictly Come Dancing is evolving… This isn’t the end. I look forward to being part of the Strictly world for many years to come in ways I am beginning to explore.”

The BBC released their own statement praising the mother-of-one, saying: “Nadiya has brought elegance, artistry and unwavering dedication to the ballroom, and she will always remain a cherished member of the Strictly family.”

Luba Mushtuk

On Friday (27 March), Russian pro Luba Mushtuk shared that she, too, was leaving Strictly. Mushtuk had a dance partner in four of her eight years as a dancer on the show; her most successful pairing was with Adam Thomas in 2023, where the pair finished in ninth.

The 36-year-old wrote on Instagram that she would be leaving with “a heart full of gratitude”, adding: “The time has come for me to step away from Strictly Come Dancing.”

The BBC quickly paid tribute to Mushtuk, who first competed on the show in the 2018 Children in Need special. “Since joining in 2016 as an assistant choreographer and stepping into the professional dancer line-up two years later, Luba has been a valued member of the team – bringing professionalism, creativity, and her quality expertise year after year,” the post on the show’s social media account read.

While she will not return to the show for its 2026 series, Mushtuk is still competing on the upcoming Strictly: The Professionals UK tour, which kicks off at the end of April. Márquez, the Spanish dancer also rumoured to be leaving the show, is also taking part in the tour.

Michelle Tsiakkas

The only departing dancer not to receive an official post from the Strictly Instagram confirming her exit so far has been Michelle Tsiakkas, but she has confirmed her departure.

The Cypriot dancer, 30, joined the show in 2022, but only competed in 2024, when she was paired with Jamie Borthwick.

When her exit was initially reported, fans were shocked as Tsiakkas, like Mushtuk, was scheduled to take place on the upcoming affiliated professional dancer tour.

However, Tsiakkas quit the tour, seemingly confirming the reports. At the time, the BBC said: “We are naturally disappointed but respect her decision and wish her every success for the future.”

In her first interview following the reports, Tsiakkas said that her exit from the show had been conveyed to her over Zoom and had come “out of the blue”.

“It felt like my world was falling apart, my dream was shattered. I gave my everything to the show for the four years – it was my whole life,” she said.