Strictly Come Dancing professional Dianne Buswell and YouTube star Joe Sugg have ended their six-year relationship, sources confirm. The couple, who met when paired on the 2017 series of the BBC One dance competition, had been considered one of the show's strongest love stories.
Buswell, 34, and Sugg, 32, finished as runners-up in the 2017 series behind Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton. Their romance blossomed after Buswell split from soap star Anthony Quinlan, who starred in Hollyoaks and Emmerdale. Sugg announced their relationship with an Instagram post saying he had 'won something a million times more special' than the glitterball trophy.
The couple bought their first home together in 2021 and frequently shared glimpses of their life on social media. However, they had indicated they were in no rush to marry or start a family. In 2021, Buswell said marriage was 'not on the cards' and that they were 'playing it by ear'. She also expressed hope to start a family 'when it feels right'.
Sugg previously admitted Buswell was his first 'proper' girlfriend, telling The Sunday Times in 2021: 'Dianne is my first girlfriend. Other than, like, my penpal from when I was 10.' He also said they rarely argued, describing their relationship as 'relaxed'.
The split marks the end of a relationship that had defied the so-called 'Strictly curse', which has ended other couples formed on the show. Neither Buswell nor Sugg has publicly commented on the separation.
