Katya Jones and husband Neil are both definitely returning to Strictly Come Dancing this year, so there's no reason for fans to panic.
Reports emerged late Friday night (April 26) that Katya was being demoted from the main cast of Strictly for the next series. Instead of being paired with a celebrity, reports suggested she'd join the group dance team who perform on results night or stand in when a pro is injured.
What's more, these reports claimed that her husband Neil was being elevated to the main cast as her replacement and would be paired with a celebrity for the first time. This was all supposedly punishment for the bad publicity over Katya's kiss with dance partner Seann Walsh last year.
Digital Spy has learned from an insider that no such decisions have actually been made at Strictly Come Dancing because the cast of celebrities hasn't even been chosen yet.
No choice about the main set of pros or group dancers is expected to be finalised until the celebrity cast line-up is firmed up much later in the year.
The BBC did recently confirm that both Katya and Neil had been invited back to be part of the pro ranks for the 2019 series, along with fellow veterans Kevin Clifton, Oti Mabuse, Anton Du Beke and many more.
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Katya celebrated the announcement at the time, writing on Instagram: "I'm eternally grateful to be back on @bbcstrictly season 17 together with @mr_njonesofficial ! I still remember that feeling when we danced on red carpet launch show for my very first time in 2016!
"I have never felt anything like this before. The buzz, the energy and happiness filled my heart! I never thought I would love this job so much and become the biggest #strictly fan myself!
"To have the opportunity to perform, to create, teach a beginner, see them grow, get to wear all these glamorous costumes, work with the best team in all departments- is an absolute blessing, that’s never taken for granted! Thank you for having me back and I’m ready to give my absolute best again this season."
Strictly Come Dancing returns to BBC One later this year.
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Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
