Michelle Tsiakkas’s ‘reason for quitting Strictly pro live tour is revealed as friends say she felt she was promised one thing and given another’ after being ‘axed from main show’

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Friends say Michelle Tsiakkas left the Strictly Come Dancing live tour because she felt the job wasn’t what she’d been led to expect.

Michelle has left the upcoming live tour, scheduled to begin in April, following reports that she’s also been removed from the main BBC program.

The tour was originally scheduled to begin in April, but Michelle has left the show, according to a post on the tour’s official Instagram account.

A friend of the dancer recently told The Sun that Michelle left the show because she’s going through a difficult time and needs to focus on herself.

‘She’s made a lot of personal sacrifices for the show and was in it for the long term. 

‘I think she feels like she was promised one thing but has been given something totally different.’ 

The Daily Mail has contacted the BBC and representatives for Michelle for comment. 

Michelle Tsiakkas has chosen not to join the 2026 Strictly The Professionals tour.

While we’re certainly disappointed, we respect her choice and wish her all the best in her future endeavors.

We’re excited to begin tour rehearsals with Julian, Vito, Neil, Gorka, Lauren, Jowita, Luba, Alexis, Kai, and Nancy early next month.

After Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman left the show, BBC has made significant changes, and Michelle has been removed from the professional dancer lineup along with Karen Hauer, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk, and Gorka Márquez.

Just days ago, Karen, a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing since 2012 and one of the show’s longest-serving pros, was told her contract wouldn’t be renewed, according to an exclusive report in The Daily Mail.

Despite some cast changes, Katya Jones will continue to be part of the show, having recently signed a new contract.

This news follows the recent departures of Michelle, Karen, Nadiya, Luba, and Gorka from the show. Sources say all the professional dancers already knew these changes were coming.

According to a source at the Daily Mail, dancer Karen has been informed that her contract won’t be renewed for the upcoming season.

After many years as a professional dancer on Strictly, Karen was informed last week that she won’t be returning to the show. It’s a changing of the guard, with new dancers taking over.

Another source said it’s heartbreaking for the professional dancers who’ve spent their careers on the show.

Oh my gosh, when I heard the news about Karen, my heart just broke for her! She was so shaken, you could just see it, but honestly, she’s incredible. She’s determined to stay strong and look forward. It’s amazing because she’s so talented – she’s a choreographer, and she’s saying she’s going to really pour herself into that, and also keep up with all her fitness work. It’s like, she’s taking control, and I’m just so proud of her!

Leaders are reportedly planning a complete overhaul after years of complaints and issues with the professional dancers.

As a lifestyle expert, I’m always following the buzz around shows like this, and it looks like a couple of our pro dancers are switching things up this year! Both Neil Jones, 43, and Nancy Xu, 34, won’t be paired with a celebrity contestant this season – a bit of a change for Neil, who hasn’t often had a celebrity partner. It’ll be interesting to see how this impacts the dynamic!

It’s believed they may still appear in the big group dance numbers. 

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2026-03-13 23:36