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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Emmeline Saunders

Katya Jones removes wedding ring after splitting from Strictly husband Neil Jones

Newly single Katya Jones has broken her silence for the first time since - and has already removed her wedding ring.

The Strictly Come Dancing professional shared a snap of herself with a bare left hand for the first time since marrying Neil Jones six years ago.

Wearing an enormous orange, red and peach ball gown with hot pink shoes, Katya quipped: "Ever wondered how I dress on Monday morning? Yeah... just a casual boring outfit. #happymonday #newweek #chicken #layingeggs #strictly #strictlycomedancing #dancer #feathers #outfit ."

She was pictured sitting on decking outside someone's house, resting her chin on her left hand, which was devoid of its usual metallic wedding band.

Katya's wedding ring was nowhere in sight as she posed in a feathered ball gown (Instagram)

Neil and Katya will still be appearing on the upcoming Strictly series, which launches next Monday with a red carpet event.

They insisted they'll remain close friends despite the split in an official Instagram statement.

"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 wrote.

"Our shared love of dance means we will keep working and dancing together as well as exploring individual projects. No matter what we do we will always support and respect each other."

Katya and Neil Jones released a statement online on Sunday 18 August 2019 (Instagram)

The now-exes added: "We wish one another every happiness and we will remain the best of friends. We are really looking forward to getting back to the ballroom and can't wait to keep on dancing."

It's believed both Katya and Neil will be given celebrity partners when the pairings are announced later this month.

For Neil, who has worked on the show as a choreographer for years, it will be the first time he's coupled up with someone.

And Katya has been confirmed to get her own celeb despite reports she'd been 'demoted' to a reserve dancer after last year's snogging scandal with Seann Walsh.

The pair will continue working together on Strictly - although they'll both have celebrity partners for the first time (PA)

There's been speculation the couple - who were together for 11 years in total - called time on their marriage because of Katya's extramarital exploits, but a spokeswoman for them insisted the split was a recent decision.

"It would be incorrect and unfair to attribute their separation to one isolated incident," she added.

It comes just days after the couple were spotted looking grumpy as they arrived at the first Strictly rehearsal together.

They were papped waiting outside the rehearsal studio not speaking to each other as Neil texted on his phone and Katya looked stony-faced into the distance.

*Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC1 in September

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