Strictly Come Dancing star gets married in surprise wedding and shares beautiful pics
Strictly Come Dancing star Rhys Stephenson has just said 'I do' to his long-term love, Beth Johnson.
The Saturday Mash-Up presenter, who wowed audiences with his moves on Strictly back in 2021, celebrated his wedding over the weekend and has been sharing some adorable snaps from their special day.
Rhys revealed that he and Beth had a cute "pre-wedding handshake", posting a video on Instagram where they're seen perfecting it. He captioned the clip: "When your friend @rachsilvester secretly catches you doing your pre- wedding handshake with your new wife," complete with a laughing emoji.
The newlyweds also uploaded some lovely selfies from their big day, as they beamed in their wedding attire. Their heartfelt joint message online read: "Yesterday I married my best friend Thank you all, for the most beautiful messages and all the love. We couldn't have asked for a wedding more magical and special, love the Stephensons."
Their followers were quick to shower the couple with love and congratulations in the comments. One fan gushed: "This is wonderful", reports the Mirror.
Another chimed in with: "Aww huge congratulations to you both", while a third shared: "This has put such a smile on my face!!!"
Rhys's Strictly co-stars didn't miss out on the chance to send their well-wishes too, with Graziano Di Prima and Jowita Przystal both dropping a "Congratulations!" in response.
Rhys had shared the joyous news of his engagement to long-time love Beth with a snap from their holiday in the Cayman Islands, where Beth flaunted her new ring. The CBBC presenter captioned the moment: "She said yes! #caymanislands #engagement."
Despite keeping his romantic life private, Rhys let slip about his relationship during his time on Strictly Come Dancing. After performing a sultry Argentine Tango with pro dancer Nancy Xu, host Claudia Winkleman quizzed him, leading to Rhys sharing: "Beth said, 'If I'm not jealous, you're not doing it right! ' So, Beth I hope you're both proud and jealous!"
Earlier this year, Rhys opened up about his behind-the-scenes battle with stress and anxiety while competing on the BBC dance show. The former CBBC host and Children's Mental Health Week ambassador confessed that participating in Strictly was one of his life's most stressful periods, often feeling overwhelmed before each live performance.
However, he credited the show's counsellors and mental health support for helping him reach the semi-finals and manage his anxiety. Speaking candidly to The Mirror, Rhys discussed the immense pressure and the invaluable support he received during the competition.
He shared: "Moving from CBBC to Strictly was huge for me. The jump was just so big - from modest children's television to suddenly prime-time BBC One was astronomical for me. If you make a mistake on CBBC you laugh about it and the kids think it's funny, but when you're dancing, if you make a mistake, it's all over for you. You could be sent home and suddenly you're out of the series and life has changed again. It's huge, huge, pressure."
