Strictly Come Dancing professional Dianne Buswell has said she wants to show how “absolutely incredible” a woman’s body is by competing in the BBC dance competition while pregnant.
The 36-year-old announced she and her boyfriend, YouTuber Joe Sugg, 34, were expecting their first child together earlier this month.
Buswell made Strictly history as the first professional to perform on the show while pregnant on Saturday night (20 September) and will dance the rest of the series as planned with Neighbours star Stefan Dennis.
“What I want to achieve here is to actually show that the woman’s body is absolutely incredible,” Buswell said alongside Sugg in a vlog he shared following their baby announcement. The couple were partners on the programme in 2018.
“Strictly knew a while ago, and they’ve been so supportive of my decision, and obviously looking after me as well. I’m very well looked after on Strictly and loved, very, very loved.”
The pair confirmed Buswell would dance throughout her pregnancy and will be able to return to Strictly next year after she’s given birth, something other professional athletes are often unable to do.
“I’ve been asking the midwife one hundred questions,” Sugg said, adding that despite being a “panicky dad”, he and Buswell are excited to meet their “healthy little boy” next year.
Buswell’s pregnancy comes after the dancer previously revealed she’d put her plans to start a family on hold due to the demanding nature of her job.
“I would like to have children, 100 per cent. Joe and I love kids and that’s definitely something that we would absolutely love,” she told The Sun.
“My job is quite demanding and I love it so much. It is a tough one to balance out and think about. It would take a lot of thought but eventually one day we’ll get there. It will happen when it’s supposed to.”
Buswell joined the Strictly Come Dancing cast in 2017 and reached the final with Sugg in 2018 and EastEnders star Bobby Brazier in 2023 before winning with comedian Chris McCausland in 2024.
Sugg and the dancer confirmed their relationship not long after the show’s final in 2018. The YouTuber said: “I may not have won the glitter ball, but I’ve won something a million times more special.”
