Aliona Would Return In A Reduced Role

Aliona Vilani has admitted that she is already missing Strictly Come Dancing, and would like to still be involved in the show.

Aliona announced she would not return following the conclusion of the last series, in which she and Jay McGuinness were crowned winners.

However, in an interview with the Daily Star, she has admitted that she would still like to be involved in the show, just not as a full-time pro.

She said: “I won’t be dancing with a celebrity in the next series. But hopefully I’ll still be involved in the show in other ways. I’m missing it already. When I decided to leave after the final I cried my eyes out. It was very upsetting for me. It was a really hard decision. I had enjoyed the season so much.”

Aliona decided to give up the all-consuming show, as she wants to start a family with her husband Vincent Kavanagh, whom she married in 2014: “It would be a hard balance being on Strictly and starting a family. I want to have two or maybe three children. Strictly consumes your life. It takes five months out of the year and I wouldn’t want to be away from my family for that long. I had no choice but to give up being one of the professionals."