In a move that has sent shockwaves through the world of British television, the BBC’s hit show Strictly Come Dancing is undergoing one of its most dramatic shake-ups in recent memory. Reports emerging on March 11, 2026, reveal that five of the show’s long-serving professional dancers have been dropped ahead of the upcoming 2026 series, while one fan favorite, Katya Jones, has been handed a contract extension, securing her place on the iconic dancefloor.
The list of professionals reportedly axed includes Karen Hauer, Gorka Márquez, Luba Mushtuk, Michelle Tsiakkas, and Nadiya Bychkova. For many fans, these names are synonymous with the glitz and glamour of Strictly, making the news especially poignant. According to The Independent and The Sun, the decision comes as part of a broader revamp following the departure of beloved hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman last year.
Katya Jones, aged 36, has managed to dodge the so-called “Strictly bloodbath.” A source told MailOnline, “She is not leaving, Katya is remaining on Strictly, the bosses think she’s a legend. They know how much viewers love her and they are also in awe of her choreography talents.” The BBC has confirmed that “plans for Strictly Come Dancing 2026 will be confirmed in due course,” but the message is clear: Jones is here to stay, at least for now.
Jones made her Strictly debut in 2016, first dancing with Good Morning Britain presenter and former politician Ed Balls. She quickly became a household name, winning the show in 2017 alongside Holby City star Joe McFadden. Her journey on the show has been anything but uneventful. In 2018, she found herself embroiled in controversy after being photographed kissing her celebrity dance partner, comedian Seann Walsh, while both were in relationships. Jones issued a public apology at the time, calling the incident a “one-off mistake.”
But Katya’s career has been defined by more than just scandal. In 2020, she made history by becoming the first professional to be paired with a same-sex partner, Olympic boxer Nicola Adams. The pairing was widely praised for its groundbreaking representation, and it marked a significant moment for the show’s evolution. More recently, in 2025, Jones partnered with Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope. The duo’s creative routines and chemistry made them favorites to win, but they were eliminated just weeks before the final, finishing in fifth place. The exit hit Jones hard. She broke down in tears on the companion show It Takes Two, saying, “Looking back, I can't help but think how maybe I could have done things differently and to make it work for him better.”
For the professionals who weren’t so lucky this time, the news has been a bitter pill to swallow. Karen Hauer, the show’s longest-standing pro, joined in 2010 and has been paired with a diverse roster of celebrities, including the late chef Dave Myers and Made in Chelsea star Jamie Laing, with whom she finished as runner-up. Gorka Márquez, who joined in 2016, reached the final twice and met his fiancée Gemma Atkinson on the show. Luba Mushtuk, a Russian dancer, became a regular in 2018, while Cypriot Michelle Tsiakkas joined in 2022 for a single series. Nadiya Bychkova, another Russian pro who joined in 2017, has been paired with some of the tallest male contestants due to her own height of 5ft 8in, though she has never reached the final.
The process of letting dancers go is, by all accounts, a harsh one. According to The Sun, many professionals only receive short-term contracts covering a single series, leaving them in a constant state of uncertainty. “Some of the dancers have been told their fate in a 15 minute phone call, even when they’d been on the show for years,” a source revealed. “Many of them feel like the BBC has pulled the rug from under them, with no warning.” The report adds that the pay for professionals ranges from £50,000 to £65,000 per series, with an additional potential £30,000 for the live tour. However, the financial security is fleeting. Once dancers are dropped, they often lose not just their main source of income, but also lucrative side gigs and the fame that comes with being on prime-time television.
Some professionals, like Anton Du Beke and Janette Manrara, have managed to transition into presenting and judging roles on Strictly. For others, the end can be abrupt and difficult. Dancer Brendan Cole, who was let go in 2018 after nearly 15 years on the show, described the experience as “quite hard to talk about.” He told The Sun, “The BBC haven’t renewed my contract. We get contracted year upon year and they’ve made an editorial decision not to have me back on the show. I’m a little bit in shock, I’m quite emotional, a bit raw about it. It’s done via a process of a phone call and stuff.”
The uncertainty doesn’t end with the contracts. As one insider put it, “While the judges are offered two year contracts, the dancers are only given a short-term contract to cover each series, so are always in danger of the axe. They live in fear of new dancers coming in and eclipsing them and new additions Alexis Warr and Julian Caillon did exactly that in the last series, getting to the final and semi-final.”
It’s a high-pressure environment, and the stakes are even higher for those who rely on their Strictly fame for other opportunities, such as solo tours and brand endorsements. “Unless they are very savvy and have made foolproof plans for the future, it will leave them high and dry. It doesn’t take long for the public to forget dancers,” the source added.
For the 2026 series, it appears that only a handful of the established professionals will return, with Neil Jones and Nancy Xu reportedly limited to group dances and not paired with celebrity contestants. The full list of professionals—who’s in and who’s out—will likely not be made public for another month, but “difficult conversations” are already taking place behind the scenes, according to insiders.
As Strictly Come Dancing prepares for its next chapter, fans are left to reflect on the ever-changing nature of show business. The ballroom may glitter, but for many of its stars, the spotlight can fade in the blink of an eye.