Strictly Come Dancing professional Karen Hauer has confirmed she is leaving the BBC show after 14 years, breaking her silence in a tearful video posted on Instagram. The 42-year-old dancer, the longest-serving female professional on the programme, addressed fans directly in a moodily lit empty venue, fighting back tears as she announced her departure.
In the video, Hauer said: 'After 14 years on Strictly Come Dancing, I've decided this is the right time for me to close this chapter and take on new projects in other areas that I'm passionate about.' She did not specify whether the decision was her own or made by BBC bosses, following weeks of speculation that she had been axed as part of a reported 'blood-bath' among the professional dancers.
Hauer paid tribute to the show, describing it as 'an incredible machine powered by brilliant people'. She thanked fellow dancers, crew, judges, and presenters Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman, joking: 'Maybe now we can finally be ladies who lunch in the autumn.' She also remembered late hosts Sir Bruce Forsyth and Len Goodman, who were part of the show when she joined.
The dancer, originally from the Bronx, New York, became emotional as she reflected on her journey: 'Who would have thought that a young girl from the Bronx would end up becoming the longest serving female professional dancer on a British TV institution.' She assured fans: 'This isn't a goodbye, it's simply see you later because I will never stop dancing.'
Hauer's exit follows rumours that several other professionals, including Nadiya Bychkova, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, and Michelle Tsiakkas, have also been dropped, though none have confirmed their departures. The BBC has not yet announced the official professional line-up for the upcoming series, which is typically revealed in April.
