Karen Hauer 'couldn't get out of bed' after Kevin Clifton got with Stacey Dooley

17 October 2023 , 16:30

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Karen Hauer 'couldn't get out of bed' after Kevin Clifton got with Stacey Dooley

As a World Mambo Champion with an electrifying stage presence, Strictly Come Dancing star Karen Hauer brings joy to fans every single week with her extraordinary talent for dance. Behind the scenes, however, the 41-year-old was left heartbroken after splitting from former husband Kevin Clifton in March 2018, in what she has described as the "toughest period of her life".

Fellow professional dancer Kevin found love again with broadcaster and former contestant Stacey Dooley, whom he met during the 2018 season of Strictly. Looking back, Karen has admitted that she was "blindsided" at the time by just how quickly her husband of three years had moved on, all while she was still "struggling to get out of bed".

Kevin and Karen were married for three years (PA)

Kevin moved on quickly with former contestant Stacey Dooley (mirror.co.uk)

In an interview with The Sun Karen praised her rescue dog Betty for helping her through such a painful time, stating: "I went through a really tough divorce, and it was the most difficult thing I've faced on my own. Betty saved my life, pretty much. Having that unconditional love and having her there to help me actually get up out of bed."

In a separate interview with The Divorce Club podcast, Karen recalled: "I would have never let go of it. I wouldn't have never, never let go of it. I would have liked to have fought for it and it took me a year after we separated to actually let go of him. It took me a long time to cut the umbilical cord that I had connected to him. Because it was connected for such a long time and at a completely different level than my first marriage, because this marriage was what I was always looking for."

Karen and Kevin announced their split in early 2018, but continued to work together on Strictly. The couple appear to be on good terms, with Karen even offering her congratulations to Kevin and Stacey after the birth of their daughter Minnie in January 2023. Last week, it was reported that Karen, who attended the recent Pride of Britain Awards without her wedding ring, had split from her third husband, Jordan Wyn-Jones, whom she married in June 2022.

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A source told the Mirror: "Karen and Jordan have had a tough time in the past few months and decided to split. It's obviously very sad for both of them. But there’s no ill will whatsoever. The split is amicable, and they wish each other the best."

Julia Banim