Strictly star John Nellis announces his wife is pregnant on show
Awww congratulations!John Nellis has revealed that his wife, Shannon McMahon, is pregnant, sharing their joyful news in the Strictly ballroom. The 33-year-old YouTuber said their baby is due in February while discussing how much he misses home.
He shared the announcement before his Titanic-themed Couple’s Choice with Katya Jones. His admission added an emotional layer to a night when he was already facing a major dance challenge.
It also gave viewers a glimpse of the family life he misses during the competition.
John Nellis opens up about his growing family
John explained that spending long periods away from his family is the hardest part of his work. He said he misses Shannon and his stepson, before confirming another child is joining their family.
“And our family’s growing. We’re having another baby in February. I want a big family.”
The creator also described the busy celebrations he hopes to enjoy as their household expands.
“I want big Christmases and big parties like I grew up with more than you can imagine.”
The comments made clear that family time remains important while Strictly keeps him occupied. John and Shannon married last year at Ballyness Resort in Dungiven, Northern Ireland.
He is already a stepfather and spoke warmly about missing both his wife and son. The pregnancy announcement gives the couple another milestone following their wedding.
John Nellis and Katya Jones take on Couple’s Choice
After leading the opening leaderboard, John and Katya performed the series’ first Couple’s Choice. Their routine used An Irish Party in Third Class from Titanic.
The movie-themed number drew contrasting comments from the judging panel. Shirley Ballas said she “totally enjoyed the dance”, while Anton Du Beke urged John to be less hesitant during lifts.
Craig criticised John’s heavy footwork and awarded four points. The routine received 23 points overall, including sevens from Shirley and Anton.
The pair’s opening score was 31, taking their combined total to 54. That left them fourth overall, five points behind Delta Goodrem and Kai Widdrington.
Who is Strictly contestant John Nellis?
John is a football content creator with more than 20 million followers across his social platforms. His videos have accumulated billions of views and featured Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Cristiano Ronaldo.
He previously worked as an air traffic controller before moving into content creation full-time. The creator comes from Newcastle in County Down and has since worked around the world.
In 2024, he won Sport Creator of the Year at the TikTok Awards UK and Ireland. A recent collaboration with Erling Haaland generated more than 60 million views across social media.
Strictly presents a different challenge, with ballroom technique replacing the football-focused material behind his online following.
Read more: Matt Willis hits back at Strictly criticism as he insists wife Emma is ‘perfect’ for hosting job
Strictly continues tonight (Sunday, October 4) from 7.10pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer
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