Former Strictly Come Dancing star Janette Manrara has described juggling a demanding career with motherhood as a constant "battle". The dancer shares three-year-old daughter Lyra with Strictly professional Aljaž Škorjanec, whom she married in 2017.
As a performer, the 42-year-old knows the demands of long hours in rehearsal rooms, which can sometimes mean spending several months away from home. Last year, Janette took on the role of Roxie Hart in the UK and Ireland tour of Chicago, spending six months on the road. She is now preparing to star in the comedy production Affluenza at Riverside Studios alongside Stranger Things actor Noah Schnapp.
Balancing family and work
Asked how she balances family life with her work commitments, Janette told Hello! magazine that switching between the two worlds is not always easy, particularly after taking an extended break from work.
"It's a forever battle and it's really tough because I just came from having a lot of time off," she said. "If I'm at home, I'm disconnected from work and just focused on being with Lyra and doing things around the house. If I'm at work, as much as I miss her, I try to compartmentalise that, so that I can focus on my job and do a good job with the play."
Last weekend, Janette told fans she was looking forward to spending quality time with her husband and daughter following Aljaž's celebrity dance partner Melanie Walters' departure from Strictly Come Dancing. The Gavin and Stacey star found herself in the bottom two alongside Shaun Wright-Phillips, with the judges ultimately saving the latter in a split decision.
Family support and career changes
Following the result, Janette took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message, writing: "I could not be prouder of these two on @bbcstrictly. They worked so hard every day and made sure to have all the fun along the way. Lyra and I love you so much Bučko, and now we’ll be home together having all the family time and cuddles!"
Janette was a professional dancer on Strictly from 2013 to 2020 before moving into presenting, taking over hosting duties on Strictly: It Takes Two. However, as part of a major shake-up this year, she and co-host Fleur East were replaced by Ellie Taylor.
The dancer-turned-presenter also auditioned to become one of the new hosts of Strictly following the departures of Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman. However, she missed out on the role, which went to Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe.
Reaction to missing out
Opening up about her disappointment at missing out on the opportunity, Janette spoke candidly on Jamie Laing's Great Company podcast.
"I remember coming home and it was a really hard pill to swallow. I sobbed for a week. I'm not going to even begin to lie. I was devastated," she shared.
The dancer went on to explain that she had assumed she would be a "front runner" for the role because of her longstanding association with the show.
"I went from being a professional dancer for eight years on the show. Then I became the host of It Takes Two for five years and at the same time hosted the Strictly Live tour for five years," she added. "And in the Strictly Live Tour, I play both Tess and Claudia with all the judges and the couples. So when you just put it on paper, you assume, okay, I've got a shot because all the pieces were there."
