Joanne Clifton, a former professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, has announced she is pregnant with her first child at the age of 42. The dancer, who won the BBC series in 2016 with partner Ore Oduba, shared the news on Instagram alongside her fiancé, actor and musician AJ Jenks. The couple posted a picture of a 'Baby on board' badge, with AJ writing in the caption: 'Can't wait to meet…ErlingbellinghamDebrunyeLennonMcCartneyTaylorHansonHelenMcroryClaudiaWinklemanAlanCarrBuddyHollyPollyShermanPrincessFiona Clifton-Jenks. Cya in December!' The humorous name is clearly not the baby's actual name, but the post delighted fans.
Strictly Stars Congratulate the Couple
Fellow Strictly stars quickly flooded the comments with congratulations. Neil Jones, recently married, wrote: 'The best news. Congratulations.' Karen Hauer added: 'Aww wonderful news!! Congratulations,' while Janette Manrara called it 'amazing news'. Joanne's brother Kevin Clifton, a former Strictly pro, replied with a row of heart emojis, as did his partner Stacey Dooley, whom he was paired with on the show in 2018. Sara Davies commented: 'Beyond thrilled!!' and Fleur East wrote: 'Wooo! Congratulations.'
Joanne's Strictly Journey and Engagement
Joanne was part of the Strictly professional line-up from 2014 to 2016, winning the Glitterball Trophy in her final year with Ore Oduba. She continued to appear on the spin-off show It Takes Two after leaving. In September 2025, she announced her engagement to AJ Jenks, whom she began dating in 2020. Reflecting on her decision to leave the show in 2017, Joanne told Metro: 'I've absolutely loved every minute of it.' She also discussed the competitiveness between her and her brother Kevin, saying: 'I'm the more competitive one of the two anyway. When I was younger, Kevin was the competitive one, but as I got older I got to be more competitive.'
Upcoming Theatre Tour with Ore Oduba
Joanne and Ore Oduba are set to embark on a limited theatre tour titled 10: Champions Reignited, marking a decade since their Strictly win. Ore told West End Best Friend: 'It's gonna be nostalgic. There'll be lots that people remember from Joanne and my partnership on Strictly, but it's also a look back at the last 10 years of our lives on stage.' Joanne added: 'Expect to relive moments from 10 years ago on Strictly! Hopefully they'll all come back when people watch our versions of those dances and it'll bring back joy and those lovely memories.'
Strictly Come Dancing returns later this year on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
