Rachel Lopez, the ex-girlfriend of Strictly Come Dancing contestant Lewis Cope, has said she is "broken" after their split. The former Strictly star and actress ended their eight-year relationship last month, with reports suggesting they had parted ways over the summer.
Both Lewis, 31, and Rachel had previously shared aspects of their relationship on social media. Fans had speculated about the state of their romance after the couple stopped posting pictures of one another, before the split was made public.
Rachel's social media message
Weeks on, Rachel has taken to social media to describe a turbulent couple of weeks that left her "broken", while adding that her "faith in humanity" had been restored.
Writing to her 9,356 Instagram followers, she said: "100 @lululemon ambassadors came together, and in this one room, I discovered that sometimes the people who feel most like home are the ones you are yet to meet. I arrived broken, and left with a restored faith in humanity. I found people who don't compete for the light, but make space for everyone to shine. There is something extraordinary about genuine connection, empathy and finding the people you never knew you were searching for."
"And somehow, I found them all in one room. Thank you for bringing me back, for holding space for me. I finally feel safe enough to become her again," she added.
Source describes a difficult time
It was said that Rachel was in "pain" after the breakup, which she did not see coming, but she has decided to channel her energy into her career.
Speaking to The Sun, a source said: "It has been a difficult time for Rachel – break-ups are never easy, and it wasn't necessarily something she was expecting. She has confided in close pals who have been there to support her through it all. Heartbreak is never a nice thing to go through, particularly when it is in the public eye."
The source added: "Rachel has also been incredibly stoic throughout it all. She has done her best to keep things private and low-key and does not wish to make a big song and dance about it – even amidst the pain it has caused her."
The source went on to say that Rachel's confidence had "taken a little knock", but she is set on putting the split firmly in her past to excel in her career, with "some fantastic opportunities on the horizon".
Lewis's earlier comments on the Strictly curse
When Lewis joined Strictly last year, he said Rachel was far from worried about the show's infamous curse. He said at the time: "Over the years I've had to kiss a lot of people on stage or onscreen, as an actor, so she's used to me kissing boys actually, but it hasn't been a problem."
"Katya and Rachel have all met; it's never been a conversation between us," he added.
