Katya Jones reveals she questioned her future on Strictly Come Dancing after her and Lewis Cope's elimination
Katya Jones was partnered with Emmerdale's Lewis Cope on the 2025 series of Strictly Come Dancing.
Katya Jones questioned her future on Strictly Come Dancing after being left "heartbroken" by her and Emmerdale star Lewis Cope's elimination last year.
Fans were shocked that the pair's salsa to Dance at the Gym, from West Side Story, failed to impress judges Craig Revel Horwood, 61, Motsi Mabuse, 45, Shirley Ballas, 66, and Anton Du Beke, 60, in the bottom two against Love Island alum Amber Davies, 30, and 28-year-old Nikita Kuzmin.
Their elimination left Katya, 37, with doubts about returning to the BBC Latin and Ballroom dance show.
She is quoted by the Daily Mail newspaper: "Every year I do question myself, like really think, 'Are you ready for this really intense, really all-consuming thing again and again and again and again?'
"And if the answer is still yes, I'll be here doing it.
"I must say, last year I was very heartbroken. So there was a lot of doubt, like, 'Can I face it again?'"
Katya is partnered up with YouTube star John Nellis, 33, and they are focused on giving viewers some cracking entertainment.
She said: "We are giving the nation something to look forward to and get through the winter. So it's not about me. Get your little ego, shove it deep down there, and give people a good time!"
Katya insisted she "still loves Strictly as much now as when I started" back in 2016, but added: "The moment I don't love it is the moment I walk away."
Last December, the choreographer tearfully blamed herself for her and Lewis' Strictly Come Dancing exit during Musicals Week.
Speaking on its spin-off show It Takes Two, she said: "Looking back, I can't help but think maybe I could have done things differently to make it work for him better.
"But he could only do what I asked him to do, and whatever I've asked you to do, you didn't just do this time (you did it) every single day.
"We were in a tough position, I feel; we were expected to deliver these almost perfect, show-stopping routines every single Saturday, which you did. I don't know how. It is tough, but also, I'm really, really proud. We grafted."
However, Lewis, 31, was quick to comfort the dancer.
He said: "You did everything perfect."
Lewis added that he had found his Strictly Come Dancing experience to be "rewarding" and "heartwarming".
He said: "It's not really about dancing or anything. You (gesturing to Katya) have made me fall in love with dance, but you've also made me fall in love with life again, so thank you."
Katya stressed that she "wouldn't do anything differently" about her time performing with Lewis on the show.
The beauty said: "I wouldn't do anything differently. We stayed true to ourselves with each number.
"A lot of my life I was told, 'Less Katya, less. Stop.' But finally, I just needed the right dance partner to match that. We did say we're such a good team."
Lewis added that the pair were trying to take the "positives" from their time on Strictly despite the pain of their quarter-final exit.
He said: "We're just trying to focus on the positives. It's been an amazing 11 weeks. Of course, it hurts. It'll take a bit of time to get over, but I'm really proud of what we've done."
