Ruth Langsford has broken her silence about the uncomfortable atmosphere she experienced on Strictly Come Dancing following her separation from husband Eamonn Holmes, revealing she felt treated completely differently behind the scenes.
The 64-year-old Loose Women presenter, who competed in the 2017 series of the hit BBC dance show, confessed that the dynamic with production staff shifted noticeably after news of her marriage breakdown became public knowledge.
The Unspoken Change
"I'd be lying if I said I didn't notice a difference," Langsford revealed during an emotional discussion on her podcast. "When you're in that Strictly bubble, everyone becomes like family - or at least that's how it feels initially."
She described how the warm, inclusive atmosphere she'd enjoyed during the early weeks of competition seemed to evaporate once her personal life became tabloid fodder. "There was definitely a shift in how some people interacted with me. It's those subtle changes - the conversations that stop when you enter a room, the slightly too-long pauses before someone responds."
Strictly's Relationship Curse Strikes Again
The television personality, who was partnered with professional dancer Anton du Beke during her Strictly stint, stopped short of naming individuals but made it clear the experience left her feeling isolated during what was already a challenging period.
"Strictly is famously intense - you're spending hours every day with your dance partner, you're exhausted, you're emotionally vulnerable," she explained. "When you're going through personal turmoil on top of that, and then sense that the support system isn't what it was, it becomes incredibly difficult."
A Familiar Pattern
Langsford's revelations will resonate with previous contestants who've spoken about the show's infamous "Strictly curse" - where relationships often fracture under the pressure of the competition. Her experience suggests the curse might extend beyond romantic partnerships to affect how contestants are treated by production when their personal lives hit the headlines.
"You're still the same person, still giving your all to the competition, but suddenly people are looking at you differently, talking about you differently," she reflected. "It's a lonely feeling when you're in the middle of what's supposed to be this glittering, joyful experience."
The presenter's candid comments provide a rare glimpse behind the sequinned curtain of one of British television's most beloved shows, revealing that not everything is as glamorous as it appears on screen.
