Katya Jones has opened up about her life journey, filled with highs and lows- especially during her nine-year career on Strictly Come Dancing. 

The professional dancer, 36, joined the hit BBC ballroom show in 2016 and has since shared the screen with celebrities like Ed Balls, Adam Peaty and Joe McFadden-with she with whom she won the series.

However, her Strictly experience has not been smooth sailing. Over the years, she’s faced several headline-making controversies that tested her personally and professionally.

One of the most notable incidents came in 2018 when she was photographed kissing her dance partner, Seann Walsh, despite being married  at the time to fellow professional dancer Neil Jones. 

Later in 2022, there were rumours of a feud between the Russian dancer and her partner Tony Adams, with sources claiming she was ‘working him too hard’ during rehearsals.

In a new interview with OK!, Katya opened up about the emotional toll these incidents took on her.

Despite it all, she said she ‘wouldn’t change a thing’ as she reflected on her Strictly journey ahead of the new season. 

She said: ‘People can like or dislike me, they can criticise me, but not my work if do it well. its like I have two parallel lives-my public life and what really happens in my life. They co-exist but they are not the same.’ 

Speaking candidly about some of her darkest moments, she recalled one particular breakdown: ‘I remember, about a year after the first big scandal. I had a breakdown in my car. I FacedTimed my mum. 

She said: ‘Stop crying. Wipe your tears and go and crack on with your job. It worked.’

Katya’s honesty and resilience continue to define her as a Strictly veteran, both on and off the dance floor.