Tamzin Outhwaite 'so happy' as she confirms relationship status after devastating split

Tamzin Outhwaite is on a glittering personal journey, complete with sequins and salsas as she confronts her fears head-on. The 54 year old star has elegantly stepped into the Strictly Come Dancing 2024 Christmas Special line-up, partnering with salsa sensation Nikita Kuzmin.

Despite finding the experience "terrifying" and suffering from back pain that leaves her waking up "like a nana", Tamzin is embracing the challenge to push her boundaries, pursue joy, and "fill up my own cup". "I’m just trying to stay open, get out of my comfort zone and do different things to help me grow," Tamzin shares. “I’m on a bit of a mission at the moment. I want to do more things that give you fear because even going through the fear is important. That’s where your growth happens as a person.”

Her journey of transformation began when menopause struck amidst her hectic life balancing roles as an actress, mother of two, and caring daughter to her elderly father who resides "at the end of the garden".

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Feeling overwhelmed, Tamzin dived into wellness, exploring breathwork, enhancing her yoga routine, and even installing a sauna in her spare room.

Tamzin reflects on the importance of self-care, saying, "Taking stock, taking a breath and retreating is something I’ve been learning to do so I can fill up my own cup then come back into my life and do everything that I do, which is keeping up a career, keeping up home, keeping up everything to do with my children and my dad, who lives with me at the end of the garden. It’s making sure everyone is OK. I’m not a saint but juggling all the plates and a career on top of that can be quite stifling."

Earlier this year, Tamzin ended her six-year relationship with Tom Child, 33. Prior to that, her marriage to actor Tom Ellis, 46, crumbled in 2013 when she reportedly found out he had an affair with a co-star, leading to their divorce the following year. Ending a long-term relationship is never easy, but Tamzin is relishing her independence and isn't rushing into a new romance. "I’m happy single," she asserts. "There’s a lot on! Life is really busy, throwing a relationship into that is a whole other thing. Freedom fills up my cup, freedom to do as you please is a lovely thing. That makes me happy."

In the festive edition of Strictly, Tamzin is paired with Nikita, who has earned a nickname in the home she shares with her daughters Florence, 16, and Marnie, 12. "We call him Prince Charming," reveals Tamzin. "He just has the hair and face and the body and everything. He looks like Prince Charming."

Over Strictly’s 20 years, there have been several romances between the show’s celebrities and their professional dance partners. However, Tamzin insists she's never been at risk of falling for her partner. "Of course I haven’t!" she chuckles. "He’s a 26 year old man with a wonderful girlfriend.

However, the pair have enjoyed their rehearsals, with Nikita teaching her the Viennese waltz. "He’s got such great energy," praises Tamzin. "As soon as I walked in the room I could tell that his energy was a similar vibe to mine," she shared.

Unable to commit to a full series, Tamzin described her participation in the Christmas Special as "a little snippet, a little hors d’oeuvre of Strictly". However, training left her completely engrossed with ballroom dancing and craving more. She confessed, "I thought, I’ll never get sucked into the Strictly thing, no way, it’s only a couple of weeks. But I fell hook, line and sinker into this little magic bubble!"

Despite this, she admitted that the idea of performing in front of millions is daunting. "The idea of doing Strictly does fill me with fear," the former EastEnders star revealed. "You’re out of your comfort zone and doing a dance you’ve never even done a step of and knowing it’s in front of millions of people."

The rigorous training is also taking its toll on her. "I’m of a certain age and waking up the following morning in agony thinking, ‘Why didn’t I do this in my forties?’ I’ve been holding the frame of a Viennese waltz, which I’ve never done, and my back was in such an alien position but it felt beautiful to do it. But dancing brought all the joy of dance back into my life – it sounds cheesy but it’s real and it really happened."

Last year, fellow EastEnders' star Jamie Borthwick participated in the festive special and enjoyed it so much he joined this year’s main competition. So, would Tamzin consider signing up for 2025? "It would terrify me," she confessed. "I don’t think my body would hold out. Maybe I should have done it when I was younger."

Instead, she's keen to enrol in classes to continue dancing. While she's not under the pressure of facing feedback from judges Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse and Anton Du Beke, Tamzin admits: "I’ve got the bug to do a class, or do some ballroom or go to a workshop."

Following her self-care revelation, Tamzin launched her own charity, We Free Women, which organises free retreats for women struggling with the demands of their hectic lives.

“We’re helping women who are stuck and who can’t carry the load,” says Tamzin. “Women are the people who really hold society and family together a lot of the time and when they hit a certain age and menopause kicks in they can’t keep spinning all the plates. That’s how I felt three or four years ago. I was on a retreat and I came up with this idea and then basically I got an influx of people saying, ‘This is what I need, I need to escape from life and not be a plate spinner.’”

Now, alongside acting, Tamzin holds six retreats a year for eight to 10 women at a time. She says, “They’re completely financed from fundraising. It’s a wonderful, life-affirming thing and I really love doing it.”

Part of Tamzin’s self-care routine involves maintaining strong friendships, including with fellow TV stars Lisa Faulkner, Amanda Holden, Sarah Parish and Angela Griffin. At the time of our chat, she’s about to enjoy a festive weekend with her girl gang. However, she’s slightly concerned she won’t be able to stop thinking about Strictly.

“I’m seeing them all this weekend, which I’m really excited about,” says Tamzin. “It’s our Christmas weekend we do every year – I must remember not to bore them with my Strictly stuff!”