Strictly Come Dancing Professionals Evade Questions on Mass Dancer Sacking During BBC Breakfast Appearance
Strictly Come Dancing stars Amy Dowden and Carlos Gu skillfully dodged questions about the recent mass sacking of professional dancers during their appearance on Thursday morning's episode of BBC Breakfast. This follows the revelation earlier this week that five professional dancers have been axed by BBC bosses ahead of the 2026 series, creating significant speculation and concern within the show's community.
Five Professional Dancers Sensationally Dropped from the Programme
The dancers who have been sensationally dropped from the popular BBC programme include Gorka Márquez, aged 35, Luba Mushtuk, 36, Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, Nadiya Bychkova, 35, and Karen Hauer, 43. Karen Hauer, in particular, holds the distinction of being the show's longest-serving female professional, having joined in 2012, making her departure especially notable.
Amy Dowden, who has been a part of the BBC show since 2017, and Carlos Gu, who joined in 2022, appeared on the iconic red sofa to chat with hosts Charlie Stayt, 63, and Naga Munchetty, 51. Their primary focus was to discuss their upcoming live tour, Amy and Carlos: Reborn, but the conversation inevitably turned to the recent upheaval within Strictly Come Dancing.
Awkward Questions and Diplomatic Responses
During the interview, Charlie Stayt directly addressed the latest changes within the show, stating, 'You will both be aware, I’m sure, it’s that time of year where there’s a lot of speculation about which dancers are going to be on Strictly Come Dancing, as in, on TV. There’s a lot of it knocking around at the moment, are you able to say anything about that?'
Amy Dowden responded diplomatically, saying, 'You know, obviously, we’re getting asked this all the time. Nothing has come from the BBC officially, yet. So we’re really hoping to be back dancing with our gorgeous Strictly family later this year, but wait until any official announcements are made. There is so much speculation, but nothing has come from the BBC.'
Charlie Stayt then probed further, noting, 'I think in a way, it's work for you, sometimes people get caught up in the glamour, they are excited about the show. This is a job for you, so it's like speculating whether or not you’ve got a job or not, and that’s quite tricky in a way, isn’t it, it’s work?'
Amy replied, 'It is, but we put our heart and soul into it, we love it.' Carlos Gu added emphatically, 'It's our life! It’s not only work. For us, as a dancer, I think it’s the best platform you can ever be on and to give you an opportunity to really shine through your talent. As a dancer and as an artist, both we are, we live our life and give everything that we have. We put our heart and soul into it, so, beyond that, actually, it’s more than just a job, just work, it’s our life.'
Background on the Axed Dancers and BBC's Strategy
Earlier this week, a source told The Sun about the major changes, stating, 'There are major changes taking place with dancers having meetings about their contracts over the next few weeks. Bosses want a fresh start and to bring in new faces after all the drama in recent years and create a new era.' This indicates a strategic shift by BBC bosses to revitalise the show following various controversies.
Gorka Márquez, who met his partner Gemma Atkinson on the show in 2017, has been a staple of the series for a decade, featuring in three finales. Luba Mushtuk joined the show eight years ago but has not been given a celebrity dance partner in recent years, which may have contributed to her departure.
Michelle Tsiakkas joined the series in 2022 alongside fellow professionals including Vito Coppola, Carlos Gu, and Lauren Oakley. She received her first celebrity partner in 2024 when paired with Jamie Borthwick, though they were eliminated in week 10. The Daily Mail then revealed that Nadiya Bychkova has been dropped from the show; the glamorous dancer had been in Strictly Come Dancing for eight years, partnering with celebrities such as TV presenter Dan Walker, singer Matt Goss, and actor Davood Ghadami.
Additionally, it was exclusively revealed that Strictly bosses have axed professional dancer Karen Hauer, marking the end of an era for the show's longest-serving female professional.
BBC Breakfast airs daily on BBC One from 6am and is available to stream on iPlayer, providing a platform where such sensitive topics are often broached with caution by guests like Amy and Carlos.
