Strictly Star Expecting
Former Strictly Pro Joanne Clifton Announces Pregnancy with Fiancé AJ Jenks, Baby Due in December
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Key Points
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She appeared as an expert presenter on It Takes Two in 2015 and again in 2019, highlighting her ongoing involvement with Strictly-related programming beyond competing.
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Her post-Strictly career includes UK tours of Shrek the Musical and The Addams Family, and she is currently Polly in the UK tour of Fawlty Towers: The Play.
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She announced her engagement to AJ Jenks in September last year.
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AJ Jenks is described as an actor and musician, reflecting his professional background alongside his relationship with Clifton.
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Strictly Come Dancing is set to return to the BBC later this year, as part of ongoing coverage and renewals surrounding the show.
Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Joanne Clifton, 42, is pregnant with her first child, due in December. She announced the news with fiancé AJ Jenks using a classic London Underground "Baby on Board" badge photo, Digital Spy reported.
Clifton, who won Strictly in 2016 with celebrity partner Ore Oduba, got engaged to Jenks — an actor and musician — in September last year. The couple also teased a playful, unusually long name idea for the baby, according to OK Magazine.
Baby on Board Badge Sparks Congratulations from Strictly Stars
Clifton shared a photo of the iconic "Baby on Board" badge, which London commuters wear to signal pregnancy on public transport. The image confirmed both the pregnancy and a December due date, Female First reported.
Messages of congratulations poured in from across the Strictly community. Karen Hauer, Dianne Buswell, Amy Dowden, Oti Mabuse, Neil Jones, Janette Manrara, and Michelle Tsiakkas all responded. Her brother and fellow Strictly veteran Kevin Clifton posted three heart emojis.
Joanne Clifton's Career from Strictly Champion to West End Tours
Clifton danced as a Strictly pro for several years before lifting the Glitterball Trophy in 2016. She also appeared as an expert presenter on It Takes Two in 2015 and again in 2019, keeping her tied to the show off the dance floor.
Since leaving Strictly, she has built a busy theatre career. She has toured the UK in Shrek the Musical and The Addams Family. She is currently playing Polly in the UK tour of Fawlty Towers: The Play, Female First noted.
Fiancé AJ Jenks Joins the Announcement with a Name Joke
AJ Jenks, described as an actor and musician, shared in the announcement alongside Clifton. He joked about giving the baby an unusually long name, adding a lighthearted tone to the news, according to OK Magazine.
The couple got engaged in September last year. This will be the first child for both of them. The baby is expected to arrive in December 2025, AOL confirmed.
Strictly Returns to BBC as Former Stars Build Lives Beyond Show
Clifton's announcement comes as Strictly Come Dancing prepares to return to the BBC later this year. The show continues to be a launchpad for long careers in theatre, TV, and entertainment, Yahoo News UK reported.
Former pros like Clifton, Oti Mabuse, and Amy Dowden have all moved into new chapters — on stage, on screen, and now, for Clifton, into motherhood. The Strictly alumni network remains closely knit, as the wave of congratulations quickly showed.
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