Michelle Tsiakkas reveals brutal reason she was given for Strictly sacking: 'It made it harder to digest'
She was told she wouldn't be returning over a Zoom call
Strictly Come Dancing pro Michelle Tsiakkas has claimed she was sacked from the show in a heartbreaking Zoom call that’s left her needing therapy.
Earlier this week, a video of Michelle leaving a dance studio appeared to confirm she had left the series. In a TikTok clip, the 30-year-old dancer shared a hug with one of the paparazzi, who admitted they were “gutted” over the news of her exit. When they described it as “shocking” and “heartbreaking”, Michelle replied: “It is what it is.”
Michelle hasn’t shared anything else regarding her exit from Strictly until today. Although she did announce she would no longer be taking part in the pro tour. The BBC also hasn’t shared a statement on her exit.
Now, speaking to The Sun, Michelle has told her side of the story, claiming she was sacked from the show during a video call.
Strictly star Michelle Tsiakkas ‘sacked’ by BBC
Michelle claimed that she had a 30-minute Zoom call with a Strictly exec a few weeks ago to discuss her contract. And, she said, the exec told her that she wouldn’t be coming back for the 2026 series.
“It felt like my world was falling apart, my dream was shattered. I gave my everything to the show for the four years. It was my whole life. I didn’t see it coming. I thought I had more time. When she told me I wasn’t coming back, there was a moment of shock. I felt my story was unfinished. It felt out of the blue. It was very tough. I was heartbroken. I went through so many emotions. I gave my life to Strictly,” she said.
Michelle added that it feels like “grief” and said there are “many stages to it, many emotions – sadness, confusion and frustration”.
Michelle joined the BBC dance show in 2022 – the same year that Vito Coppola, Lauren Oakley and Carlos Gu joined the show. They have all reportedly avoided the pro dancer cull.
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‘Going in a different direction’
Speaking about why she was axed, Michelle claimed that she’s been left in the dark when it comes to the reasons for her exit. She also touched on the show’s scandals, which involved her 2024 celeb partner Jamie Borthwick hitting the headlines for using a disabled slur during the Strictly Live Tour.
She said: “I wasn’t given a reason as to why I was being dropped, which made it harder to digest. I was the second youngest female dancer on the cast. I was just told they were going in a different direction and wanted new faces to freshen it up. I do wonder if they want to change so much because of the scandals in the past. Nothing was clear, so it made it harder for me. I had no idea they wanted to make these changes.”
She added that she doesn’t think she is being “punished for Jamie’s wrongdoing because that wouldn’t be right”.
Michelle on therapy and ‘really tough’ mental ‘journey’
Michelle also revealed that she pulled out of the pro tour, which starts next month, due to her “emotional state”. She revealed she’s seen a therapist, and was offered the opportunity to discuss her future outside of the show with a BBC welfare team.
“I am a strong person mentally, but this situation really affected me. I thought I could deal with my emotions myself, but mental health is a huge thing. Strictly brings so much fame and exposure and then to lose it in a moment is really tough mentally. For me, it’s been a couple of weeks now since I got the news and things are improving. I think it’s just that journey that you go through.”
Michelle last danced on the 2025 Christmas special, where she was paired with Westlife’s Brian McFadden.
The BBC has been contacted for comment.
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