Strictly Come Dancing professional Katya Jones has said she hopes her stint on the dancing series with Nicola Adams “started something big”.
The professional dancer, 32, made history as part of the show’s first same-sex pairing alongside boxer Adams last year, but their journey was cut short after Jones tested positive for Covid-19 and they were forced to leave the series early.
This year has seen former Bake Off star John Whaite paired with Strictly professional Johannes Radebe in the first all-male duo.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Jones said: “We only did three weeks… But I’d like to think it started something big.
“And the message that she (Nicola) wanted to deliver was heard, and now John and Johannes (have) taken over.
“For me, I think what’s exciting to see is because we didn’t get to do many different dances, but they are doing so well.
“And we’ve seen this dynamic in this partnership with different levels, they’ve done masculine dances, they’ve done intimate dances, fun (dances).
“It just shows how many levels… I just think they are just dancing. But really, it means so much to so many people.”
Jones also addressed performing alongside Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty, 26, during this year’s series, describing it as “absolutely phenomenal”.
They were the sixth couple to leave the BBC One competition after ending up in the dance-off against Tilly Ramsay and her partner Nikita Kuzmin.
Jones said: “I mean, even just looking at these photos and talking through, this is my sixth year, I had six incredible partners.”
Strictly Come Dancing continues on BBC One on Saturday.
