Karen Hauer is showing no signs of slowing down and has plans to stay of Strictly Come Dancing as long as she can – but as we know, the dancer line-up can change each year
Karen Hauer hopes to return to Strictly Come Dancing for the 2026 series and prove that older women can still be “on top of their game”. The latin dance specialist still loves the BBC show and is currently on the spin-off tour performing alongside the other pros and her most recent celebrity partner, Gladiator Harry Aikines-Aryeetey.
At 43 she is the oldest pro on Strictly but she does not see it as a barrier and is very much hoping to be invited back for another series alongside new hosts in 2026.
She said: “The only way that I’m going to go anywhere is that they don’t have me back. I’m extremely happy. I feel extremely healthy, emotionally fit, physically fit. I love this job. I love being able to help someone get through all the different obstacles that come with doing Strictly, but also the enjoyment and being part of an incredible family.”
She added: “It’ll be my 15th year, as a woman of my age as well, I’ll be 44, it just shows a lot of women out there that no matter what age that you are, you can still be extremely physical, at the top of your game and be happy with yourself. That’s important to me.”
Karen still has unfinished business on Strictly, having reached the final twice with Mark Wright and Jamie Laing but never winning the Glitterball trophy.
She is now touring the country with her 2025 partner Harry, perhaps better known by his Gladiator name Nitro and despite the dancing now not being in front of millions of viewers on the BBC, there is still a Glitterball prize each night based on the audience vote. And Karen describes being on the road as “very consuming and very intense” but also a lot of fun.
And looking ahead to the rest of the year, Karen obviously wants to be back on Strictly herself but she also has some ideas on who should replace Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman as the hosts.
“Whomever comes in will be very special,” she says smiling.
“I think the producers and whoever’s in charge of doing that has a very tough job on their hands. But whomever they pick, I know they’re going to be extremely special and they’re going to be incredible. And the great thing is that we have such an amazing cast, such an amazing production team that will welcome whoever comes in and make them feel at home and make them feel that they got this. And I think that’s what’s important.”
She adds: “It is going to be tough because sometimes the audience is so used to seeing the familiarity. But if it’s someone that’s familiar and someone that is already probably a part of Strictly or that has been a part of Strictly before, that’s a plus. But whoever it is, I can’t wait, actually, I’m very excited. I love Zoe Ball. I would absolutely love it to be Zoe Ball.”
* Visit StrictlyComeDancingLive.com for dates and venues.
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