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The Strictly Come Dancing couples still together

From Cosmopolitan

Strictly Come Dancing is a show that's no stranger to a bit of relationship drama, and there have been some serious Strictly scandals over the years.

The infamous Strictly curse has seen various contestants split from their real-life partners after appearing on the show, and the dance floor has also helped plenty of relationships to blossom between celebs and professional dancers. Plus, after 16 years of the show, there have even been some Strictly marriages and Strictly babies.

So, who are the couples that met on Strictly, which ones are still together, and which Strictly couples have split up?

Which Strictly couples are still together?

Dianne Buswell and Joe Sugg

These two Strictly partners met when they were paired up together on the 2018 season of the show, and they're still going strong today.

While it's unclear when exactly Joe and Dianne's relationship started during the series, they eventually went public as a couple the day after dancing in the final, where they came runner-up to Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton.

Joe made the announcement with a sweet Instagram picture and caption, writing, "I may not have won the glitter ball, but I’ve won something a million times more special." Adorable!

The couple have since moved in together, and Joe even flew all the way to Australia to meet Dianne's family for Christmas in 2019.

As for what the future holds, Dianne recently revealed whether the couple plan to get married, telling Hello! magazine, "I'm quite an unorganised person actually, Joe and I don't really talk about that kind of thing [marriage]. We're both so relaxed so we just play it by ear. We really enjoy each other's company so much and whatever happens, happens."

Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez

Gemma and Gorka met during the 2017 series of the show, but they weren't actually partnered together. Gemma danced with Aljaž Skorjanec, while Gorka was partnered with Alexandra Burke - but that didn't stop them hitting it off backstage.

The pair finally went public in February 2018 after the show finished, and they moved in together later that year. Plus, Gemma and Gorka are proud parents to a Strictly baby! Gemma gave birth to their daughter, Mia, in July 2019 and the trio make the sweetest family.

As for whether there'll be any wedding bells, Gemma hinted that she and Gorka will have to get married so that she can have the same surname as daughter Mia.

Speaking to Hits Radio, Gemma said, "I'm the only one who’s not a Marquez in the family. I said to him [Gorka], 'You do know now we need to get married otherwise I'm not part of the family'. He’s like, 'Yeah, we have time, it's OK'."

Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton

Stacey and Kevin won Strictly as an epic dance duo back in 2018, prompting romance rumours to start swirling.

The pair kept silent on the rumours at first, and it wasn't until July 2019 that Stacey spoke publicly about Kevin, telling The Guardian, "Kev and I have agreed not to go into too much detail about our private lives because you can’t really indulge that and then ask for privacy. That's why we've turned down interviews that have offered us tens of thousands of pounds."

She added, "What I am happy to say is Kev's amazing, I'm happy, life happens, I've got an amazing career and I’m very lucky."

The couple have since become more public, sharing pictures and videos together on social media, and they're also living together. However, they still keep the details of their relationships under wraps, with Stacey telling The Telegraph in January 2021, "I underestimated how much interest there would be in my personal life, which required adjustment."
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Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev

Countdown presenter Rachel and dancer Pasha met when they became dance partners in the 2013 series of Strictly, although they only made it to week five of the competition. Rachel was married to her long-term partner Jamie Gilbert when she appeared on Strictly, but she announced their split weeks after appearing on the show.

While Rachel and Pasha weren't an item during Strictly, rumours that they were dating started circulating the following year, with the couple confirming their relationship in September 2014.

Rachel and Pasha got married in Vegas in June 2019, before welcoming their baby girl Maven in December of the same year - and they've been busy being adorable in lockdown!

Flavia Cacace and Jimi Mistry

Coronation Street star Jimi Mistry and dancer Flavia Cacace were partnered together on the show all the way back in 2010, before becoming a couple. It seems like this Strictly relationship was built to last, with the pair getting married in 2013 - and they're still together now!

Ben Cohen and Kristina Rihanoff

Ben and Kristina met when they were dance partners on Strictly in 2013, with Ben splitting from his wife of 11 years, Abby Blayney, shortly after leaving the show. Ben and Kristina later confirmed their relationship, and they welcomed their baby daughter, Milena, in June 2016. They recently shared an adorable family pic celebrating Christmas together alongside Ben's twin daughters Harriette and Isabelle.

Which Strictly couples have split up?

While there are plenty of Strictly relationships that are still thriving, there are also a fair few former couples who met on the show but have since split, including:

  • Ashley Roberts and Giovanni Pernice

  • Georgia May Foote and Giovanni Pernice

  • Joe Calzaghe and Kristina Rihanoff

  • Matt Di Angelo and Flavia Cacace

  • Kara Tointon and Artem Chigvintsev

  • Ali Bastian and Brian Fortuna

Strictly has also claimed the relationships of multiple professional dancer couples, who were together before joining the show but have since split:

  • Katya Jones and Neil Jones

  • Karen and Kevin Clifton

  • Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace

  • Brendan Cole and Camilla Dallerup

Seems like the Strictly curse is still going strong, eh?

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