Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Joanne Clifton has revealed how she broke down in tears after being told she might need a knee replacement due to arthritis. The 38-year-old dancer, who won the Glitterball Trophy with Ore Oduba in 2016, said dance was 'her whole life' at the time.
Joanne, who appeared on the BBC series from 2014 to 2016, recalled suffering severe knee pain during the 2015 tour. She soldiered on until she woke up one day unable to move with a massively swollen knee. 'I was in tears wondering if I'd get through it but I didn't miss a show,' she told Good Health.
An MRI scan revealed that the cartilage had worn away in both knees, leading to the arthritis diagnosis. Joanne admitted she was 'a bit silly' to continue dancing, saying she 'put a great idea ahead of my own condition'. Despite the pain, she performed jumps in her winning routine with Ore, later regretting the choreography.
After her final dance, she could 'only hobble up' to presenter Claudia Winkleman to receive their scores. Joanne left Strictly after her win and her ballroom dancing career came to an end. She now stars as Morticia in the stage tour of The Addams Family, where choreography is adapted to accommodate her arthritis.
