Strictly's Karen Hauer addresses show future after swipe at co-stars over complaints

Wales Online

27-05-2025

Strictly's Karen Hauer addresses show future after swipe at co-stars over complaints
Strictly Come Dancing's longest-serving female professional dancer Karen Hauer shared what she doesn't like about some of her co-stars, as she prepares for her fourteenth series
Strictly's Karen Hauer is keen for a role on the judging panel
Strictly Come Dancing star Karen Hauer says she is keen to get a job on the judging panel, following 13 years on the show.
The 43-year-old is the BBC programme's longest-serving professional dancer of the current line-up, having joined in 2012.
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While she will be back on the dance floor for her fourteenth series this year, Karen admits she's been eyeing up other roles.
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In particular, she is keen to give critique to her co-stars alongside current judges; Anton Du Beke, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Craig Revel Horwood.
Quizzed on her future path, she shared: "I'd love to do a little bit of everything, you know, acting, hopefully, you never know, judging on Strictly.
"You know, judging anywhere else in any other country in another language, I speak Spanish if anyone wants to take me," she added, laughing.
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"Who knows? Writing a book, doing stuff, and also being with the community, being with people, helping children dance and helping adults dance and discover themselves from the inside."
Strictly's Karen Hauer with her 2024 partner Paul Merson
Quizzed further on a potential job on the judging panel by Paul C Brunson, she added: "Someone has to leave first, that's not happening," before joking: "Just put an extra chair for me."
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Discussing the competitive nature on the show, Karen said she tries her hardest to get the best out of her celebrity dance partners, whether they can dance or not.
Just some of her dance partners have included; comedian Chris Ramsey, chef Simon Rimmer, Heart Radio's Mark Wright, and more recently, former footballer Paul Merson.
Karen is yet to win the main competition, though has won a Children in Need special of Strictly with athlete Lutalo Muhammad.
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On whether anyone plays dirty behind-the-scenes, the professional dancer said this wasn't the case, though took issue with those who "complain a lot".
Strictly's Karen Hauer took a swipe at co-stars who 'complain a lot'
She shared on Paul's We Need To Talk podcast: "I'm like, ugh, stop complaining, you know, it is what it is, it's a show, it's a show!
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"You don't talk back to the judges, they're doing their job. Listen, don't get me wrong, there's times where I'm like, what did you just say back to me?
"Like, keep it in Karen, don't let that New Yorker out, smile just smile, it's a show, it's entertainment, don't take anything personally because that's when it starts hurting."
For the upcoming 2025 series, Karen returns to the dance floor alongside; reigning champion Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Amy Dowden, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Gorka Marquez, Luba Mushtuk, Jowita Przystal, Johannes Radebe, Aljaž Škorjanec, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas and Vito Coppola.
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Earlier this year, the BBC announced that two brand new professional dancers will also be revealed closer to the return of the show, as will the new line-up of celebrities hoping to win the Glitterball trophy.