31 October 2023 , 20:30
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Strictly Come Dancing fans were thrilled to see Kevin Clifton return to their screens tonight, three years after his departure from the glitzy competition.
The 41-year-old, who left the BBC One reality series in 2020 after seven years, joined the show's spin-off It Takes Two on Tuesday evening for a surprise interview.
Never one to miss a fashion opportunity, Kevin embraced the Halloween theme by dressing up as Wednesday Addams as he filled in for his younger sister Joanne on the Choreography Corner segment. Fans took to X, formerly known as Twitter, to express their joy at seeing him back, with one saying: "Great to see you back. We have all missed you so much." Another added: "So happy you're back," while a third commented: "Bless Kevin for dressing up as Wednesday Adams. The stubble is a great touch."
Kevin Clifton delighted Strictly fans with his Halloween costume on Tuesday (BBC)Kevin first joined Strictly in 2013 and departed on good terms, insisting to his followers that his Strictly journey had "been some of the most wonderful years of my life."
"I want to leave on a high and have therefore decided the time has come to move on and focus on other areas of my life and career," he wrote on Instagram. "I want to thank all of the pros for inspiring me every day as well as all of my celebrity partners."
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"The whole team behind the scenes have made always made the Strictly family what it is and the loveliest show to work for," he continued. "Thank you to anyone who has ever voted for me and my partners. It means the world."
Over his years on the show, Kevin danced with celebs like The Saturdays singer Frankie Bridge and TV journalist Anneka Rice. In 2018, he won the show with partner Stacey Dooley. The VIP couple soon began a romantic relationship and in August 2022 announced they were expecting their first child together. Stacey gave birth to their daughter, Minnie, in January.
Stacey Dooley and Kevin won Strictly in 2018 (BBC / Guy Levy)
Karen and Kevin divorced in 2018 after three years of marriage (WireImage)Previously, Kevin was wed to fellow Strictly pro, Karen Hauer. The pair split in 2018, however, after three years of marriage. Speaking about the end of their relationship in July 2023, Karen said that her divorce from Kevin was "really tough" and "the most difficult thing I've faced on my own." The 41-year-old also credited Betty, her rescue dog from Bosnia, for helping her through this dark phase of her life.
"I discovered so much more about the power of therapy through my dog and being able to release stress through her," she said.
"And just spending time with her, I didn’t want to speak to anybody, I didn’t want to be around people, I just wanted to be around my dog and it helped me release a lot."
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