Strictly fans upset as hunk Gleb Savchenko announces he has QUIT the show... while three new pros join the line-up

'I was hoping it wasn't true': Strictly fans reveal their grief on Twitter as hunk Gleb Savchenko announces he has QUIT the show... while three new pros join the line-up

• Gleb Savchenko has revealed he's leaving Strictly after one series
• The Russian hunk follows in the footsteps of pro dancers Ola Jordan, Kristina Rihanoff, Trisan MacManus and Aliona Vilani
• Fans on Twitter have shared their sadness over the 32-year-old's departure
• But three new professional dancers have been unveiled, including a World Champion  

By LUCY MAPSTONE FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 13:06, 28 June 2016 | UPDATED: 14:41, 28 June 2016

This year's Strictly Come Dancing is set to heat up as three new professionals are joining the line-up.

However, as the newcomers have been revealed, there is some sad news among the Strictly camp as beloved dancer Gleb Savchenko has joined Aliona Vilani, Kristina Rihanoff, Ola Jordan and Tristan MacManus in quitting the show, citing family commitments.

The BBC revealed in a press release: 'Strictly extends its thanks to those who announced at the end of last series that they wouldn't be returning to the show, and to Gleb Savchenko, who has decided that due to family commitments he will not be appearing in the next series.'

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It's over: Gleb Savchenko - who danced with Anita Rani in 2015 - has confirmed he is quitting Strictly Come Dancing

Gleb, 32, said: 'I thoroughly enjoyed taking part on the last series of Strictly Come Dancing and especially the way that the UK gave me such a warm welcome but due to family commitments I won't be returning to the show for the next series. 

The handsome Russian star - who is currently appearing on Celebrity Masterchef - added: 'I'll definitely be tuning in though.'

The good-looking gent, who reached the semi-finals of Strictly in 2015 with Countryfile presenter Anita Rani,is married to fellow dancer Elena Samodanova and has a young daughter.

Former The Wanted singer Jay McGuiness was eventually crowned the winner alongside his partner Aliona Vilani.

He'll be missed: Gleb - who sometimes went shirtless while on the show, treating his fans to his amazing muscular physique - only appeared on Strictly for one series

Hello there, handsome: Speaking about his departure from the show, Gleb revealed it's down to 'family commitments'

Aliona and fellow professional dancers Ola and Kristina announced at the end of the last series that they would not be returning to the show, which recently won a National Television Award and its first TV Bafta, while Tristan MacManus quit earlier this year.

However, Pasha Kovalevsky, Aljaz Skorjanec, Giovanni Pernice, Natalie Lowe, Joanne Clifton, Janette Manrara and Oti Mabuse will all join Anton Du Beke, Brendan Cole and the Cliftons as returning dancers. 

Unsurprisingly, there has been an outpouring of grief on Twitter following Gleb's reveal, with many of his fans clearly saddened by his exit after just one series.  

Oh no! Fans took to Twitter upon hearing the news of Gleb's exit from Strictly, with many saying he hadn't been on it enough yet... while another made a opportunistic Jeremy Corbyn joke

Strictly fan ‏@hazel_rhodes1 wrote: '@Gleb_Savchenko sad to see you go Gleb, you definitely brought something new to Strictly. All the best to you and your family!'

While a distraught @charbean1 commented: @Gleb_Savchenko @BBCOne @MasterChefUK i was hoping it wasn't true.'

Several Twitter users directed their messages to author and Strictly fan Marian Keyes, with @tracyf1971 writing: '@MarianKeyes have you heard the news?? No @Gleb_Savchenko on #SCD this year :-('

And @Mags_Peach added: '@MarianKeyes did you see @Gleb_Savchenko is leaving @bbcstrictly.'

Sharing her upset, @JudgeNatalie shared her disbelief on the social networking site: '@Gleb_Savchenko AND @TristanMacManus are gone!?'

New face: Oksana Platero is one of the new stars joining the professional dancers in the Strictly line-up for 2016

Addition to the team: World Champion dancer Katya Jones looks to be a hot new face on the Strictly pro team

Hunk: Top Spanish dance professional Gorka Marquez will no doubt be a favourite among fans of the BBC show

@ThunderbirdWPC revealed she didn't think there had been enough of the handsome Gleb on the show, writing: 'What no @Gleb_Savchenko or @TristanMacManus boo hoo. We haven't seen enough of them ☹️.'

And one opportunistic tweeter saw a chance to make a topical joke, and referred to the current state of the flailing Labour party following the EU Referendum.

'Today is not a good day for the slim cross-section of the Venn diagram that covers fans of Jeremy Corbyn and Gleb Savchenko,' @lukeeharman joked.

Meanwhile, World Champion Katya Jones, Ukrainian Champion Oksana Platero and top Spanish dance professional Gorka Marquez will help to guide this year's celebrity contestants on the BBC dance show which features judges Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, Craig Revel Horwood and Darcey Bussell.

The three new professionals are thrilled to be joining the long-running show and can't wait to get rehearsing.

Stunning brunette Katya said: 'I am so privileged to be joining Strictly Come Dancing. I know it is extremely intense, but so am I! I am fierce, fabulous, and would love to win!'

Gorka, a handsome replacement for Gleb, added: 'I feel very excited and grateful to be joining Strictly, and to be one of the professional dancers for the new series. 

'It's something that every dancer dreams of and something that I always wanted to have the opportunity to do.'

And Oksana gushed: 'Words cannot describe how extremely excited I am to be joining the Strictly Come Dancing family this year. 

Other jobs in the pipeline: Gleb, 32, is currently appearing in this year's Celebrity Masterchef

'I am so fortunate to be given the opportunity. It feels so surreal and I cannot wait to get started.'

Louise Rainbow, executive producer of Strictly Come Dancing, said: 'We are delighted with our professional dancer line-up this year and we welcome three new stunning dancers to our Strictly family.

'Our most recent series was a terrific one for Strictly, winning both an NTA and Bafta Television Award, and we are all so excited to build on that and look forward to yet another brilliant and entertaining series.'

Other professional dancers joining the line-up will be announced before the show returns and the celebrity competitors are revealed.  

Bye: Other professional quitters from Strictly this year include Ola Jordan (left, dancing with Steve Backshall) and Kristina Rihanoff (right, dancing with Daniel O'Donnell)

Reigning champs: Last year's winners were Jay McGuiness and Aliona Vilani, but she too has revealed she's leaving the professional line-up

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3663904/Strictly-hunk-Gleb-Savchenko-announces-quit-show.html#ixzz4CtnxwjWR
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2016 Strictly Professional Dancer line up revealed! Katya Jones, Gorka Marquez and Oksana Platero

2016 Strictly Professional Dancer line up revealed!

Tuesday 28 June 2016, 09:21

We're dusting off our dancing shoes to reveal our professional dancer line up for 2016 which includes three brand new dancers alongside the return of viewers’ favourites.

New to the fold are world-class Latin and Ballroom dance experts - World Champion Katya Jones, Ukrainian Champion Oksana Platero and top Spanish dance professional Gorka Marquez.

Returning to the Strictly dance floor are our male dancers, Anton du Beke, Brendan Cole, Kevin Clifton, Pasha Kovalev, Aljaž Škorjanec, Giovanni Pernice; and fabulous female dancers are Karen Clifton, Natalie Lowe, Joanne Clifton, Janette Manrara and Oti Mabuse.

Strictly extends its thanks to Tristan MacManus and also to Aliona Vilani, Kristina Rihanoff, Ola Jordan who announced at the end of last series that they wouldn’t be returning to the show, and finally to Gleb Savchenko who has decided that due to family commitments he will not be appearing in the next series.

Gleb said: “I thoroughly enjoyed taking part on the last series of Strictly Come Dancing and especially the way that the UK gave me such a warm welcome but due to family commitments I won't be returning to the show for the next series - I'll definitely be tuning in though.”

Katya Jones, Gorka Marquez and Oksana Platero

Katya Jones
World Latin Champion Katya was born in Saint-Petersburg, Russia and started dancing at the age of six, training in gymnastics as well as Ballroom and Latin-American dancing. In 2008, Katya formed a partnership with Neil Jones and together they won the World Amateur Latin Championships for the first time in 2010, going on to win the title a total of three times, before turning professional in 2013. In 2015, they became the World Professional Latin Showdance Champions and are four times undefeated British National Professional Champions.

Katya said, “I am so privileged to be joining Strictly Come Dancing. I know it is extremely intense, but so am I! I am fierce, fabulous, and would love to win!”

Gorka Marquez
Latin dancer Gorka began dancing at the age of 12 and was consistently one of the top dancers in his country, representing Spain in the World Latin Championships in 2010 and reaching the semi-finals of the 2012 WDSF World Cup. In 2014, Gorka joined the global Ballroom and Latin dance phenomenon ‘Burn the Floor’ as one of their leads and has toured with them all around the world. He joins Strictly this year for the first time and Gorka is hoping to bring his cheeky personality and some Latin passion to the ballroom.

Gorka said, “I feel very excited and grateful to be joining Strictly Come Dancing and to be one of the professional dancers for the new series. It’s something that every dancer dreams of and something that I always wanted to have the opportunity to do.”

Oksana Platero
Oksana has been dancing competitively since the age of six. In her native Ukraine, she was a Juvenile and Junior finalist before becoming National Youth Champion, an honour she held for three years consecutively. As an adult, she began to represent the United States and became a National US Champion taking first place in the Professional Rising Star Latin category. She also became the USDC World Professional Rising Star Champion. Oksana was a pro dancer on the US series Dancing with the Stars, where she danced for five seasons and has also worked as a choreographer for the US TV show So You Think You Can Dance.

Oksana said: “Words cannot describe how extremely excited I am to be joining the Strictly Come Dancing family this year. I am so fortunate to be given the opportunity. It feels so surreal and I cannot wait to get started.”

More news about our professional dancer line up to come - in the meantime keep up to date with all our Strictly news on Facebook and Twitter