Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Lewis Cope is set to reunite with his professional partner Katya Jones for a special one-off event, just weeks after their emotional departure from the BBC competition.
From Dance-Off to Dance Workshop
The Emmerdale star, 30, and Jones, 36, shared the news directly with fans via a video posted to the dancer's Instagram Stories on Sunday. In the clip, Cope explained that due to an influx of messages from supporters, they had decided to host a workshop in his hometown of Hartlepool.
"So a lot of people have been messaging us and commenting and saying they want to dance with us," Cope said. Jones then added, "So we've decided that we want to dance with you." Cope continued, inviting fans to come and dance, meet them, and ask questions, calling the prospect "how exciting!".
Event Details and Shock Exit
The workshop is scheduled for Sunday 22nd February, running from 10am to 11:30am. General admission tickets are priced at £75.00, with an additional £2.00 booking fee. A link to purchase tickets was included in their social media posts.
This reunion comes after the pair were controversially eliminated from Strictly during Musicals Week. Despite being near the top of the leaderboard, they faced the dance-off against Amber Davies and Nikita Kuzmin, who had scored a perfect 40 for their Charleston.
After both couples performed again, the judges' vote was split, leaving Motsi Mabuse with the casting decision. She chose to save Davies and Kuzmin, sending Cope and Jones home. Head judge Shirley Ballas said she was left "speechless" by the difficult choice.
Fan Outrage and Fond Farewell
The elimination sparked significant disappointment among viewers, many of whom believed Cope was a potential finalist. Fans took to social media platform X to express their dismay, with comments such as "I'm so heartbroken for Katya, I really thought she'd win it this year" and "Lewis was clearly final worthy. Such a shame."
Reflecting on his time on the show during his exit speech, Cope told host Tess Daly: "It's been more than I could have ever wished for." He paid a heartfelt tribute to Jones, saying, "You've literally given me absolutely everything I could wish for as a friend, as a teacher, and yeah, I couldn't imagine it with anybody else."
The upcoming workshop in Hartlepool offers fans a chance to see the popular partnership back in action, providing a silver lining after their unexpected early exit from the competition.
