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Neil Jones 'to be given celebrity partner on Strictly'

Neil Jones 'to be given celebrity partner on Strictly'
© BBC
Neil Jones will be given a celebrity partner on Strictly Come Dancing this year, according to a report, but Luba Mushtuk will miss out.

Neil Jones will reportedly be given a celebrity partner again on the new series of Strictly Come Dancing after missing out last year.

The 39-year-old was paired up with Alex Scott in the 2019 series but found himself frozen out in 2020 as the number of celebrities taking part was reduced due to coronavirus.

According to The Sun, Jones will be back in the main lineup when the show returns next month but Luba Mushtuk will be relegated back to the wider dance ensemble.

"Neil will be thrilled by this turnaround as he must have wondered whether his star would drastically fade without a famous face to be partnered with," a source told the newspaper.

"The fact he has got a pairing will seem like an even greater feat given that Luba has been denied one.

"Although a highly regarded dancer, she hasn't quite enjoyed the same profile as other pros on Strictly since she first joined two years ago.

"That's partly because she was paired with James Cracknell and Jason Bell, both of whom went out early."

This year's pairings will be revealed in the Strictly launch show on September 12.

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Written by
Neil Wilkes

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