Strictly Come Dancing champion Carlos Gu has openly discussed his potential departure from the BBC's flagship dance competition, revealing his future on the show is 'out of my hands'. The professional dancer, who lifted the Glitterball trophy with Karen Carney in 2025, made the candid admission during an appearance on Kate Thornton's White Wine Question Time podcast.
Transition from Competitive Dance to Television
Reflecting on his journey from the competitive dance circuit to television entertainment, Gu described the transition as moving into 'a completely different world'. The 33-year-old dancer spent two decades competing professionally with partner Susan Sun, winning multiple competitions and establishing themselves as a well-known duo in dance circles.
'We worked so hard for 20 years and we made our way there and everybody knows us,' Gu explained. 'We come out, everyone knows Carlos and Susan.'
The Unstable Nature of Dance Careers
The professional dancer shed light on the challenging realities of dance careers, describing the industry as 'very challenging and hard' while also being fundamentally 'unstable'.
'It doesn't matter how hard you work or how good you are, you are the one always being judged and being chosen,' Gu elaborated. 'Your results are always unstable. You never know, today might be good but tomorrow might not.'
Strictly Come Dancing Experience
Gu joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2022 and has since performed with three celebrity partners: Molly Rainford, Angela Scanlon, and his winning partner Karen Carney. However, his first year on the show saw him without a celebrity partner, an experience that reminded him of the unpredictable nature of selection processes in entertainment.
'Then joining Strictly and not being given a partner made me realise I'm going back again to being chosen,' Gu revealed. 'Because to have a partner or to not have a partner is out of my control, it doesn't base on how good I am or how hard I am working, it's not, it's purely out of your control.'
Future Uncertainty Amid Cast Changes
When questioned about his future on Strictly Come Dancing, Gu admitted he remains uncertain about whether he will return for another season. His comments come amid significant changes to the show's lineup, with several professional dancers having recently departed.
'I know we've heard, we've all seen the news but nothing confirmed by the BBC yet, so we're waiting,' Gu stated regarding the cast changes. 'I think they're going to make the final announcement for all the cast.'
The dancer expressed apprehension about his position, saying: 'But like I said, being in a position not knowing if you're going to stay or not is scary. We work so hard in our lives, but those things are out of your hands.'
Recent Strictly Come Dancing Departures
The show has experienced notable changes recently, with professional dancers Luba Mushtuk, Karen Hauer, Michelle Tsiakkas, and Nadiya Bychkova all having left the program. Karen Hauer's departure marked the end of a significant era, as she had been the longest-standing female professional on the show with fourteen years of service.
In her exit statement, Hauer told fans: 'It was the right time to close this chapter and take on new projects in other areas I'm passionate about.'
These professional departures follow the earlier announcement that hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman would be stepping away from their main show duties after eleven years together, signaling a period of substantial transition for the beloved BBC program.
