Strictly Come Dancing star reveals upset at axe from show: "My world fell apart"

Michelle Tsiakkas has shared her upset at being dropped from the Strictly Come Dancing professionals line-up.

Over the last couple of weeks, the BBC has confirmed a flurry of exits, including Karen Hauer, Luba Mushtuk and Nadiya Bychkova, though is yet to officially confirm that Tsiakkas won't be returning.

In an interview with The Sun, Tsiakkas revealed she was told about her future on the programme during a "30-minute video call" with the show's executive producer, in which she "burst into tears" upon hearing the decision.

"It felt like my world was falling apart, my dream was shattered. I gave my everything to the show for the four years, it was my whole life," she told the publication.

"It felt out of the blue. It was very tough. I was heartbroken. I went through so many emotions. I gave my life to Strictly."

Radio Times has reached out to the BBC for comment.

Tsiakkas claimed she "wasn't given a reason" as to why she was being dropped from the line-up, "which made it harder to digest".

She added: "I was the second youngest female dancer on the cast. I was just told they were going in a different direction and wanted new faces to freshen it up."

The Cypriot dancer is now the fourth pro to be dropped from this year's line-up, though reports have suggested that Gorka Márquez has also been dropped.

It had previously been reported that Strictly producers were after a "fresh start", with a source telling The Sun at the time: "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."

The BBC is yet to comment on Tsiakkas's exit, though Radio Times understands that plans for Strictly Come Dancing 2026 will be announced in due course.

Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One and iPlayer later this year.

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