‘It’s disgusting. What message does it send?’: Fresh row as friends of ‘distraught’ Karen Hauer blast BBC after star is cut in Strictly bloodbath – and sources tell CODIE BULLEN surprising reason Katya Jones avoided axe

by

She was once the leading lady of Strictly.

Karen Hauer, who is married to Kevin Clifton, was a particularly impressive dancer on the show, especially considering she was competing with other talented professionals like Katya Jones and Ola Jordan.

Karen Hauer was surprised and upset when she was unexpectedly let go from Strictly Come Dancing last week by show boss Sarah James. Not only had she been a professional dancer on the show the longest, but she was also the oldest. According to those who know the show well, she was completely dedicated to her work.

Karen is reportedly very upset after being let go by the BBC. Her friends are furious, claiming the dismissal was both ageist and sexist, especially since it happened just weeks before her 44th birthday.

She wasn’t the only one affected by the cuts. Nadiya Bychkova, Michelle Tsiakkas, Luba Mushtuk, and Gorka MĂĄrquez were also let go last week as part of a larger staff reduction.

Friends of Karen point out that the dancers leaving the show makes sense given their recent circumstances. Nadiya hasn’t been paired with a celebrity contestant for three years, Michelle isn’t as well-known, Luba also hasn’t had a celebrity partner lately, and Gorka took a job as a judge on the Spanish version of the show, ‘Bailando con las Estrellas’.

This situation has led to a strong backlash against the BBC from people close to the Venezuelan contestant, who point out that Anton Du Beke was allowed to continue dancing successfully well into his fifties.

As a lifestyle commentator, I’ve been hearing concerns about recent casting choices at the BBC. A friend pointed out what feels like a troubling trend: the implication that women over 40 aren’t considered viable for prominent roles on mainstream TV. It sends a really negative message to the public, suggesting that visibility and relevance fade with age, and honestly, it’s something we need to be talking about.

A friend of the actor claims the BBC talks a lot about including older women in its programming, but doesn’t actually follow through with it.

Karen is approaching 44, but it feels like the BBC considers her past her prime. This wasn’t the case with Anton, who continued dancing professionally until age 54 and wasn’t removed from that role until he became a judge. It seems there was a different standard for him.

This situation sends a terrible message to women. The BBC promotes itself as a diverse and inclusive organization, but the firing of Karen, the only female professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing over the age of 40, proves otherwise. It’s deeply unfair and frankly, appalling.

People have drawn parallels between the way Karen was treated and what happened to Dame Arlene Phillips. Phillips was removed as a judge at 65 in 2008, and replaced by Alesha Dixon, who was 30 years younger and had recently won a dance competition.

The situation caused a major scandal, attracting attention even from Harriet Harman, who was the Minister for Women and Equality at the time.

In a surprising move, Labour’s Deputy Leader strongly criticized the BBC’s decision to remove Dame Arlene and asked them to give her the job back, calling the decision ‘absolutely shocking’.

‘It all feels like it’s happening again,’ says one source. ‘Didn’t they learn from Arlene?

The BBC tries to be kind to people they let go, but it’s still a harsh experience. Karen has devoted her life to Strictly Come Dancing, and there’s no easy way to handle losing her job.

Karen has become a memorable contestant on the show. She previously partnered with Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, the Gladiator star, and before that, danced with former footballer Paul Merson. In 2023, she was paired with comedian Eddie Kadi.

Oh my gosh, she’s just incredible! Not only is she an amazing dancer, but she totally blew me away collaborating with the hilarious Jayde Adams in 2022! And it was so groundbreaking, following in the footsteps of Katya Jones, who was a total trailblazer as the first Strictly pro to dance with another woman – a true icon! It just proves how unbelievably talented and versatile she is, pushing boundaries and making history with every performance!

Karen has also danced with TV personalities like Simon Rimmer, the host of Sunday Brunch, and Mark Wright from The Only Way Is Essex, who was one of the first reality TV stars to join the show.

Karen has been dedicated to Strictly for years, but she hasn’t yet won the competition. She came close in 2014, reaching the final with her partner Mark.

Karen was once married to Strictly Come Dancing professional Kevin, but they divorced after three years. Even after their split, they continued to work together on the show. After Karen and Kevin separated, Kevin began a relationship with documentary filmmaker Stacey Dooley, and together they won Strictly Come Dancing in December 2018.

Karen is in a new relationship with personal trainer Simon Davidson.

Despite recent changes among the professional dancers on Strictly, Katya is set to return for a tenth season. BBC executives were keen to re-sign the popular 36-year-old Russian dancer, recognizing her strong appeal with the show’s audience.

According to a source at the show, Katya won’t be leaving Strictly Come Dancing. Producers consider her a valuable asset, recognizing both her popularity with viewers and her impressive skills as a choreographer.

The recent changes to Strictly Come Dancing follow the departure of longtime hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly, who left after last year’s Christmas special. Since then, the BBC has been looking for new presenters to lead the show.

The friend said it was awful how Karen was being treated, and wondered how the audience would react.

Read More

2026-03-11 04:12