Upload video Video is not available The video will play automatically soon8Cancel Play now Strictly speaking: Aljaz gives an emotional speech to Sara after the exclusion Aljaž orkorjanec has announced that he will retire from Strictly Come Dancing after nine years on the show as a professional dancer. The star, who competed with Dragon’s Den’s Sara Davies last year, admitted that he had decided that 2021 would be his last appearance “a while ago”. Paying tribute to his last associates, the Strictly team behind the scenes and his fellow professionals, Aljaž said he was very excited to be gone after almost a decade. He also made a special appeal to his wife Janette Manrara, who left the show in 2021. Aljaž orkorjanec dances with Dragons’ Den Sara Davies star in 2021 ( Picture: PA) “We were dating when we started together on the show and now we’re married,” he told Janette, who has since hosted the spin-off show It Takes Two. In a statement issued today explaining his decision, Aljaž said: “On a beautiful sunny day in May 2013, a phone call changed my life forever! “It went like this … we would like to offer you a place at @bbcstrictly as a professional dancer. A dream came true and it was the biggest opportunity for a 23 year old boy from Slovenia. It did not matter how many beautiful ballrooms I showed up at During my racing career, going to the sacred floor Strictly was the most nervous thing I had ever had. “I recently made the difficult decision that Strictly 2021 would be my last. The show gave me the opportunity and the freedom to create and express myself in front of millions of people every weekend for the last 9 years. The love and support I got from the production team. Louise Rainbow, Sarah James, Kim Winston, Jack Gledhill are just some of the invisible heroes behind the success of the series – I’m forever grateful to them! “Being part of a team of professionals who inspire you and push you to get better at every step is humiliating and I will carry that inspiration with me forever. Every year the line-up of dancers changed but one thing remained the same, WE WERE THE BEST! And that’s one thing I know will never change in Strictly! “Strictly also has the BEST team in the background – the hair and makeup team, costume department, lighting, sound, sets and special effects, camera operators… THANK YOU! “My beautiful collaborators – Abby Clancy, Allison Hammond, Ellen George, Daisy Lowe, Kate Silverton, Gemma Atkinson, Emma Weymouth, Clara Ampho and Sarah Davis. “It is difficult to describe in words how many beautiful memories we had. I LOVE YOU ALL! “For my sake .. from choosing songs, creating stories and choreographing steps, we always did it as a group. Your talent and selflessness knows no bounds. We were dating when we started together on the show and now we are married. We played with Andrea Bocelli, Michael Buble, Ed Sheeran, Taylor Swift, BBC Symphony Orchestra .. moments that I will keep in my heart forever. I LOVE YOU! “And finally, thank you, the people watching Strictly who have been so kind to me all these years. Every comment, vote, polite message has never gone unnoticed. You are the reason we all do that, thank you! ”
Aljaž ended his message by teasing his plans for the future. “I have planned many exciting things that I will complete soon. I look forward to seeing what the future holds! “KEEP DANCING!”