{"id":239998,"date":"2023-10-31T22:47:17","date_gmt":"2023-10-31T22:47:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lovemainstream.com\/?p=239998"},"modified":"2023-10-31T22:47:17","modified_gmt":"2023-10-31T22:47:17","slug":"bbc-strictly-star-unrecognisable-as-they-return-three-years-after-exit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lovemainstream.com\/tv-and-movies\/bbc-strictly-star-unrecognisable-as-they-return-three-years-after-exit\/","title":{"rendered":"BBC Strictly star unrecognisable as they return three years after exit"},"content":{"rendered":"

Strictly Come Dancing fans were over the moon to see Kevin Clifton back on their telly, three years after he bid farewell to the popular dance competition.\u00a0<\/p>\n

The 41 year old, who quit in 2020 after seven years, popped up on the show's spin-off It Takes Two for a surprise chat with host\u00a0Fleur East on Tuesday, 31 October.<\/p>\n

Kevin, always one for a bit of fun, got into the Halloween spirit and was unrecognisable dressed up as Wednesday Addams while filling in for his younger sister Joanne on the Choreography Corner segment.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Fans took to X, previously known as Twitter, to share their excitement at seeing him again, with one saying: "Great to see you back. We have all missed you so much." Another added: "So happy you're back," while a third commented: "Bless Kevin for dressing up as Wednesday Adams. The stubble is a great touch."<\/p>\n

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Kevin first danced his way onto Strictly in 2013 and left on good terms, telling his followers that his Strictly journey had "been some of the most wonderful years of my life."<\/p>\n

"I want to leave on a high and have therefore decided the time has come to move on and focus on other areas of my life and career," he shared on Instagram. "I want to thank all of the pros for inspiring me every day as well as all of my celebrity partners."<\/p>\n

"The whole team behind the scenes have made always made the Strictly family what it is and the loveliest show to work for," he continued. "Thank you to anyone who has ever voted for me and my partners. It means the world."<\/p>\n


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Over his years on the show, Kevin danced with celebs like The Saturdays singer Frankie Bridge and TV journalist Anneka Rice. In 2018, he won the show with partner Stacey Dooley. The VIP couple soon began a romantic relationship and in August 2022 announced they were expecting their first child together. Stacey gave birth to their daughter, Minnie, in January. <\/p>\n

Previously, Kevin was wed to fellow Strictly pro, Karen Hauer. The pair split in 2018, however, after three years of marriage. Speaking about the end of their relationship in July 2023, Karen said that her divorce from Kevin was "really tough" and "the most difficult thing I've faced on my own." The 41 year old also credited Betty, her rescue dog from Bosnia, for helping her through this dark phase of her life<\/p>\n

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"I discovered so much more about the power of therapy through my dog and being able to release stress through her," she said.<\/p>\n

"And just spending time with her, I didn't want to speak to anybody, I didn't want to be around people, I just wanted to be around my dog and it helped me release a lot."<\/p>\n

* This article was crafted with the help of an AI engine, which speeds up OK!'s editorial research and applies it to article templates created by journalists in our newsrooms. An OK! editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to okletters@reachplc.com <\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n