Strictly star confirms split with partner with emotional statement

A former celebrity contestant who appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2020 has revealed that they are now single. HRVY, who was paired with Janette Manrara and made it all the way to the final, has confirmed that he is no longer in a relationship and has split with his ex-Emmerdale girlfriend. The singer and TV personality had been dating soap star Mimi Slinger, but he has now shared in a new video, which has since been deleted, that the pair have gone their separate ways. He captioned the post on TikTok: "I'm now single... I blame that Vogue article."

This refers to the recent article published in British Vogue, which has gone viral, as the topic discusses whether it's embarrassing to have a boyfriend. The article notably pointed out changes in "the way people showcase their relationships online" and has since sparked a nationwide debate on social media.

HRVY - whose real name Harvey Leigh Cantwell - previously told The Sun what their relationship was like, saying: "We get to see each other all the time. It's a nice balance and because we're both in the industry we both understand, so it's easy."

He added: "She sings as well. We sing at home, but I don't think we'd ever release anything together. She loves to sing so we definitely do annoy everyone in the house."

HRVY made it all the way to the Strictly final, where he and Janette became joint runners-up alongside Maisie Smith and Gorka Márquez, and Jamie Laing and Karen Hauer.

The series was eventually won by Bill Bailey and his pro partner Oti Mabuse. HRVY released his first single in 2013 and has supported major bands, including The Wanted and Little Mix, as well as artists such as Conor Maynard.

In other news, 2024 winner Chris McCausland "knew nothing" about Strictly Come Dancing when he signed up for the show.

The 48-year-old comedian became the first blind contestant on the BBC dance competition last year - going on to lift the Glitterball Trophy with his professional partner Dianne Buswell - and confessed that the programme was "not on (his) radar" beforehand.

Speaking on The Graham Norton Show, Chris said: "Strictly was not on my radar, I knew nothing about it, and it was so far out of my comfort zone. It was intense and terrifying and because of that, I couldn't be prouder."

Strictly Come Dancing resumes this Saturday on BBC One and iPlayer.