Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Neil Jones has been flooded with support from his co-stars after sharing heartbreaking news with his fans. The dancer took to Instagram to announce the passing of his beloved family pet, a dog named Crumble, as he and his fiancée Chyna Mills navigate this personal tragedy.
Neil Jones Pays Tribute to Beloved Dog Crumble
Neil shared a series of pictures of their dog Crumble on Instagram, tagging his fiancée Chyna Mills in the emotional post. He wrote: "Today we said goodbye to Crumble. She may have been small, but she had the biggest personality and brought so much joy to everyone who knew her. She loved cuddles, belly rubs, and being close to the people she loved."
He continued: "She will be missed more than words can say, but we find comfort in knowing she is finally at peace and no longer in pain. Sleep tight, Crumble." The post quickly garnered an outpouring of love from fellow Strictly stars.
Support from Strictly Come Dancing Co-Stars
Karen Hauer was among the first to comment, writing: "Oh Neil. I’m so sorry .. so sad .. she was a beautiful little girl sending all the love x." Gemma Atkinson added: "Im so sorry Neil," while Tyler West offered his condolences: "I’m so sorry guys."
Other stars including Shirley Ballas, Carlos Gu, Jowita Przystal, and Motsi Mabuse showed their support with broken heart and crying face emojis.
Recent Strictly Shake-Up
The sad news comes amid a major shake-up for Strictly Come Dancing, with five new professional dancers joining the show following a mass exodus. In May, it was confirmed that Emma Willis, Johannes Radebe, and Josh Widdicombe would take over as hosts after Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman stepped down.
Head judge Shirley Ballas admitted she was surprised by the third host but is thrilled with the new lineup. "I met Josh for the first time this week, he’s a charming chap. Emma, of course, I did Cooking With The Stars with – that’s a seasoned presenter and just a gorgeous lady. And who doesn’t love some Johannes? We all love him. It’s going to be interesting," she said.
Returning pro dancers include Neil Jones, Dianne Buswell, Julian Caillon, Amy Dowden, Katya Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Jowita Przystał, Aljaž Škorjanec, Alexis Warr, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, and Vito Coppola. Departing dancers include Karen Hauer, Gorka Marquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Luba Mushtuk, and Michelle Tsiakkas, with five new stars replacing them.
Shirley Ballas expressed excitement about the new series: "I think everybody is going to enjoy the new series. We got five new professionals coming in, some fantastic dancers. All in all, it’s having tweaks left, right and centre and it’s getting a new face!"
