Katya Jones shares ‘heartbreaking’ reason she almost quit Strictly Come Dancing

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Professional dancer Katya Jones has revealed she considered quitting Strictly Come Dancing because she was so “heartbroken” by her elimination last year.

Jones and her actor dance partner Lewis Cope, who were favourites to win the 2025 series, were dropped from the BBC competition in the quarter-finals in a shocking upset.

Jones admitted she “wasn’t sure if she could face” any further disappointment when asked to return for the new series – which is hosted by new presenters Emma Willis, Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe.

“Every year, I do question myself, like really think, ‘Are you ready for this really intense, really all-consuming thing again and again and again and again?’” she told MailOnline.

“Every time I ask myself, and if the answer is still yes, I’ll be here doing it. And I must say, last year I was very heartbroken. So there was a lot of doubt, like, ‘Can I face it again?’”

Jones added: “I guess our expectation was so high and not even from us, externally, you kind of see yourself getting all the way there. And then to have had it cut short was a little bit tough.”

Katya Jones considered quitting Strictly BBCJones also said that the moment she “doesn’t love Strictly” is the moment she will “walk away”.

The dancer broke down in tears last year on Strictly’s spin-off show, It Takes Two, while discussing hers and Cope’s exit from the competition in December.

“Looking back, obviously, I can’t help but think I could have done things differently to make things better for him,” she said while crying.

“He can only do what I’ve asked him to do, and he didn’t just do that this time. He did that every single time. We were in a tough position expected to deliver these almost-perfect, show stopping routines every single Saturday, which you did. I don’t know how you did. But you did.”

She is partnered with YouTube star John Nellis in the 2026 series. The duo made their debut performance on the show with a foxtrot to “Ordinary” by Alex Warren.

Jones and Lewis Cope were voted off last year in a major upset The routine left judges Motsi Mabuse and Shirley Ballas on their feet, while the studio erupted into thunderous applause.

The couple was awarded 31 points, after Anton Du Beke declared the routine “extraordinary” and Craig Revel Horwood applauded the dance as “classy, elegant and graceful”.

The pair also topped the leaderboard last week and Nellis is now among the favourites to win the show.

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Despite having millions of young followers, many older viewers said they were unfamiliar with Nellis, who now stands to become a household name.

Jones has been on 10 series of Strictly and is a seasoned favourite with fans – but has also experienced her fair share of scandal.

She set the internet ablaze in 2018 when she was caught kissing her dance partner, comedian Seann Walsh.

She is partnered with YouTuber John Nellis this year PAAt the time, Walsh was in a five-year relationship with actress Rebecca Humphries, whilst Jones was married to fellow professional dancer on the show Neil Jones. The kiss took place on Humphries’ birthday.

The controversy went from bad to worse when Humphries spoke out about what had gone on, alleging that Walsh had called her a “psycho” for suggesting that something might be going on between him and Jones, despite fans noticing their undeniable chemistry.

The pair appeared on the BBC Two spin-off show It Takes Two to address the situation, which they called a one-off mistake. They were voted off the show a few weeks later in October 2018.

The following year, Jones and Neil announced their separation, though claimed it had nothing to do with the kissing scandal.