Strictly pro says Neil Jones deserves more after show snub sparked outrage
Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Aljaz Skorjanec has called for the BBC to put Neil Jones with a celebrity partner more often, after he missed out again this year. Despite being on the show for eight years, the dancer has only ever had two partners, Alex Scott in 2019, and Nina Wadia in 2021.
Speaking to Express.co.uk, former winning profesional Aljaz said Neil is one of the only Strictly stars he still speaks to after leaving the show last year, and wishes he was given more of a chance. He spilled: “Neil, I still speak quite a lot to now because he’s just had a little baby girl who is absolutely beautiful.
“I wish we would’ve seen him more. I think he’s such a cool and funny guy. He has this really lovely personality. It’s a shame that we haven’t seen more of him really.
“I think he’s a tremendous dancer as well, he’s a world champion, he’s a Blackpool champion, when I was a part of it he was the only one really, him and Katya [Jones], that had those big titles.
“Nadiya [Bychkova] has them in all ten dances, but Neil and Katya were kind of the only ones who were excelling on an amateur level out of the professionals. I hope and I wish that he gets more chances on the Strictly floor, I think he definetly deserves it.”
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After viewers learned he wasn’t a part of the pairings earlier this year, many took to social media to hit out about the decision. One wrote: “What does Neil have to do to get a partner? Robbed us again of seeing one of the best male pro dancers and choreographers.” A second echoed: “Very miffed that Neil hasn’t got a partner again.”
A third added: “What does Neil have to do to get a partner?! Flaming Nora!” Neil, 37, said of the decision: “If anyone makes a joke and we do joke around with each other a lot it’s still I won 45 titles… four-times world champion… 15 times British… I have done it all, I don’t need it.
“The guys know it as well and they really respect me, and they will even make the joke when something happens, ‘but Neil is a four-time world champion’ and they have never won any of those events,” he added to Mail Online.
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“We have done that, Strictly is a different thing. Our roles are not about us, I understand on the show that the professional dancers have become very popular, but we are there for the celebrities and to make them shine.”
Despite his lack of partners, he went on to say he loved being a part of the show “whichever way it is”. This year, Neil appreciated not having a huge commitment on the show due to his wife-to-be Chyna Mills being pregnant and giving birth in October.
Addressing the news on the show, he excitedly shared: “I cant stop smiling, it’s the best feeling in the world… Better than a 10 from Craig [Revel Horwood]!” The dancer was previously married to his fellow dance partner Katya, who danced with Nigel Harman this series before he quit for medical reasons.
Catch Janette and Aljaz on their nationwide Dancing In A Winter Wonderland tour, which runs until December 19. For more information and tickets, click here.
Strictly Come Dancing: The Final airs Saturday at 7pm on BBC One.
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