Professional dancer Katya Jones and her celebrity partner, Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope, are set to reunite for a special event following their explosive exit from this year's Strictly Come Dancing. The pair, whose elimination two weeks before the final sparked outrage among fans, will host a one-off dance workshop in Cope's hometown.
Fan Fury Over Strictly Departure
The duo's journey on the BBC competition ended after they faced Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin in the dance-off. Their departure was met with a fierce backlash from viewers, with many threatening to boycott the show. Social media was flooded with complaints, with one fan declaring the result "the biggest robbery in Strictly history" and others stating they would stop watching the series entirely.
Lewis, 30, paid a heartfelt tribute to Katya after their elimination, stating: "It’s been incredible and will be a memory for the rest of my life, and I think it's all down to you." Katya became emotional in return, praising Lewis as potentially "the best male celebrity we ever had on the show."
One-Off Workshop Announcement
Now, giving their supporters a chance to see them dance together again, Jones and Cope have announced 'Dance With Lewis and Katya'. The event will be held in Hartlepool on Sunday 22 February, running from 10am until 11.30am.
Tickets for the workshop are priced at £75 each, plus any applicable booking fee. The pair broke the news on Katya's Instagram Stories, with Lewis explaining: "So a lot of people have been messaging us and commenting and saying they want to dance with us." Katya added: "So we’ve decided that we want to dance with you."
Lewis Cope's Dance Background
The actor's casting on Strictly had initially raised some eyebrows due to his prior dance experience. Lewis previously appeared in a stage production of Billy Elliot and was a runner-up in the Sky One competition Got to Dance back in 2013. Despite this, he and Katya became firm audience favourites, with Lewis reflecting on the show's positive impact.
"What is life without people," he mused. "I’ve seen how it’s brought people together... It’s brought my family, four generations, together every Saturday night." He also highlighted how the show has inspired "young boys who thought it wasn’t accessible" to start dancing.
The Hartlepool workshop offers fans a final opportunity to experience the partnership that caused such a stir, promising a session of dance, questions, and personal interaction with the controversial but beloved duo.
