Strictly Come Dancing Winners: Full List & Pro Updates

Few Saturday night traditions feel quite as British as watching celebrities cha-cha across the Strictly floor. For two decades, the glitterball trophy has been the prize — but the real story often happens off the dance floor. Here’s the full list of winners since 2004, plus the latest on the professional dancers whose personal lives keep fans talking.

Number of series to date: 22 (as of 2024) ·
First winner: Natasha Kaplinsky (2004 with Brendan Cole) ·
Most recent winner: Chris McCausland (2024 with Dianne Buswell) ·
Total celebrity winners: 22 ·
Longest-serving professional dancer: Anton du Beke (2004–2021, now judge)

Key facts about the winners include these figures.

What was the order of winners in Strictly?

The complete winner list spans 22 series, with 22 different celebrities lifting the glitterball (no one has ever won twice as a contestant). The pattern over two decades shows how the show evolved from a relatively small BBC experiment to a cultural juggernaut.

Full list of winners by year

22 winners, one pattern: a mix of athletes, actors, pop stars, and even a deaf presenter broke new ground. Here’s every champion:

The pattern: Oti Mabuse is the only professional to win back-to-back titles (with Kelvin Fletcher in 2019 and Bill Bailey in 2020). Aljaž Skorjanec also has two wins (Abbey Clancy in 2013 and later with Tasha Ghouri as a finalist in 2024, though that was a runner-up).

Who is the most successful Strictly dancer?

In terms of wins, Oti Mabuse holds the record for most glitterball trophies as a professional: two (2019 and 2020). Aliona Vilani also has two wins (2011 and 2015). Aljaž Skorjanec and Kevin Clifton each have one win as professionals (though Kevin won with Stacey Dooley in 2018). Anton du Beke never won as a professional in 17 series; he became a judge in 2021.

Winners of the last 10 years

From 2015 onward, the champions have included a McFly drummer, a Paralympic swimmer, a wildlife cameraman, and an EastEnders actress – reflecting the show’s broad appeal. The full recent list: Jay McGuiness (2015), Ore Oduba (2016), Joe McFadden (2017), Stacey Dooley (2018), Kelvin Fletcher (2019), Bill Bailey (2020), Rose Ayling-Ellis (2021), Hamza Yassin (2022), Ellie Leach (2023), Chris McCausland (2024).

Has Gorka been axed?

Gorka Marquez has been a Strictly professional since 2016, but social media speculation in early 2025 suggested he might be leaving. As of now, neither the BBC nor Gorka has confirmed any departure. He was still listed in the series 22 line-up. His long-term partner, actress Gemma Atkinson, has publicly addressed why they remain engaged without setting a wedding date.

Gorka Marquez departure details

No official statement from the BBC indicates Gorka has been axed. Instagram posts that fans interpreted as a goodbye were later clarified as unrelated to the show’s future. According to HELLO! (celebrity news outlet), the couple are “happy as they are” and have not announced any career change.

Why Gemma Atkinson won’t marry Gorka

In a 2023 interview with HELLO! (celebrity news outlet), Gemma said: “We’re happy as we are. We don’t need a piece of paper.” The couple have two children together and remain engaged without a date set. The implication: their decision is personal, not a sign of relationship trouble.

The implication: until an official announcement, Gorka remains a Strictly professional.

Who did Katya have a fling with on Strictly?

Katya Jones, who won series 15 with Joe McFadden, became tabloid headline material in 2018 when she kissed her celebrity partner Seann Walsh. The brief relationship during series 16 was widely covered.

Katya Jones affair with Seann Walsh

In 2018, paparazzi photos showed Katya Jones and Seann Walsh kissing during a night out, despite both being in other relationships at the time. BBC News (UK broadcaster) reported that Walsh’s girlfriend at the time ended the relationship. Katya later separated from her then-husband, fellow Strictly pro Neil Jones. Both dancers remained in the show for subsequent series.

Katya’s gender identity

A common confusion online: Katya Jones (the Strictly pro) is sometimes mixed up with Katya Zamolodchikova, a Russian drag queen known from RuPaul’s Drag Race. Katya Jones is a female dancer from Russia, not a drag performer. The two share a first name but are entirely different people.

Is Katya leaving Strictly?

As of 2025, Katya Jones remains part of the Strictly professional roster. She was in the series 22 line-up and no official announcement about her departure has been made.

Is Janette Manrara a professional dancer?

Yes – Janette Manrara is a highly accomplished Latin and ballroom dancer who competed as a pro on Strictly from 2013 to 2021. She now co-hosts the companion show Strictly: It Takes Two alongside Fleur East.

Janette Manrara’s dance career

Janette trained in Latin dance from age 16 and turned professional at 18. She joined Strictly in 2013, partnering with celebrities such as Jake Wood and Melvin Odoom. In 2021, she left the professional dancer role to take over as full-time co-presenter of It Takes Two, a move announced by BBC Media Centre (official BBC announcements).

Kai Widdrington heritage

Kai Widdrington, a professional dancer who joined Strictly in 2021, is of mixed English and Chinese descent. His mother is Chinese, as confirmed in interviews. He was not a finalist in 2024 but remains a popular member of the pro team.

Which Strictly dancer has split from her husband?

Karen Hauer, a Strictly professional since 2012, separated from fellow dancer Kevin Clifton in 2018 after three years of marriage. The split was amicable, but it made headlines because Kevin later began a relationship with celebrity winner Stacey Dooley.

Karen Hauer and Kevin Clifton split

Karen and Kevin were married in 2015. In 2018, they confirmed their separation. Speaking to HELLO! (celebrity news outlet), Karen said: “We just grew apart. It was amicable.” Both remained professionals on the show for several years afterwards. Kevin left Strictly in 2020; Karen continues to appear as a pro.

The pattern: Strictly’s intense environment can lead to both romances and breakups.

For the BBC, the challenge is clear: keep the show fresh with new professional talent while managing the tabloid interest that inevitably follows personal dramas. For viewers, the dance floor spectacle remains the main draw, but the off-stage stories of the professionals – from departures to relationships – add a layer of human drama that keeps audiences invested year after year.