Strictly Come Dancing’s Janette Manrara has revealed that she will be following in the footsteps of some of the UK’s biggest hosting stars with her new role. Excitingly, Janette will be hosting the 2022 version of Strictly Come Dancing: The Live Tour!
If her previous hosting successes are anything to go buy, we’re sure she’ll do an amazing job. But who is the Strictly star, and where have we seen her before?
Who is Janette Manrara?
Janette Manrara, full name Janette Manrara Škorjanec, is a Cuban-American television presenter, choreographer and professional dancer. You will probably recognise her from BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, where she worked as a professional dancer until this year, getting paired up with celebrities to compete with each year.
Originally a salsa dancer, Manrara began formal training at 19 years old and has appeared on the US dance reality television competition So You Think You Can Dance and then later on musical TV series Glee. Manrara was picked up by the show’s producers after her performance in SYTYCD, then began appearing in Ryan Murphy's show as a principal dancer back in 2010. She showed off her moves in several episodes of the successful series.
Janette moved to the UK to join the Strictly professional dancers back in 2013 but retired earlier this year.
While working on Strictly Come Dancing, she met and married Alijaz Skorjanec, who also works as a professional dancer on Strictly. After meeting at a dance studio in 2009, the couple became engaged and later married during their time as Strictly stars. The two have been happily married since 2017, and dance in several UK tours together.
After leaving the Strictly dance floor- which devastated loyal fans - Manrara went on to host Strictly's popular spin-off show It Takes Two every Wednesday and Thursday.
Will Alijaz Skorjanec quit Strictly too?
Rumours are circulating that Manrar’s husband and former co-star, Alijaz Skorjanec may also retire from the Strictly ballroom as his wife did. The professional dancer, who was matched with Dragon’s Den’s Sara Davies this year, prompted rumours of his exit after an emotional elimination speech.
After being voted off last weekend, he said he would miss the show. However, today, Janette Manrara clarified that although it is ‘not guaranteed’ he will be staying on the show, at the moment he is planning on returning for the 2022 series.
What’s to be expected from the 2022 tour?
The much-lauded Strictly Come Dancing Live Tour will take place in arenas across the UK. In a post on her Instagram on Tuesday, Janette announced the exciting news to her 475,000 followers.
She wrote: “BIG DAY TODAY!!! Not only is it my birthday, but the news is officially out….. I’ll be hosting the @strictlycomedancinglive 2022 Arena Tour!!”
“I have missed performing live, and that beautiful chemistry that exists w/ a live audience.”
She continued, ‘Also….. I’LL BE DANCING AGAIN!!! Hosting duties are first call, but I cannot wait to dance once again alongside the amazing pros and celebs! It will be EPIC!! Make sure to get your tickets!! See you all very soon!!”
Janette will be joined by Dianne Buswell, Gorka Marquez, Johannes Radebe, Kai Widdrington, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Luba Mushtuk, Joshua Keefe and Neil Jones for a dance extravaganza.
The exact date for the tour is yet to be announced, but it’s much-anticipated and bound to be packed with excitement, as it is the first tour since the 2020 one which was completed before the UK went into lockdown as the Covid 19 pandemic began.
Much dancing is needed to make up for lost time, but Manrara promises to deliver in her caption with ‘She continued: “It has been 2 years since we’ve been able to perform for you all so you can imagine this one will be BIGGER and BETTER than ever!’
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