Aljaz Skorjanec and his wife Janette Manrara welcomed their first child, Lyra, into the world in July 2023, before he returned to Strictly Come Dancing.

Strictly star Janette Manrara has broken down in tears after saying goodbye to her baby daughter Lyra, who is heading away for two weeks with dad, Aljaz Skorjanec. Taking to Instagram, the former Strictly Come Dancing professional admitted that it will ‘be the longest she will be away from Lyra’ but said that ‘sharing is good, and it makes us all feel better.’

Janette also confessed that she would count down until she saw Lyra again and would continue to stay strong as Janette goes to spend time with her cousins and her grandmother. Aljaz quit ‘Strictly’ in 2022, a year after his wife Janette welcomed their first child, Lyra, into the world in July 2023. He returned to the show in 2024 for the 22nd series.

Speaking about his two-year break from ‘Strictly’, he said on the programme: “I got to look after my beautiful wife, my beautiful baby for two years. But I missed everything about ‘Strictly’.”

Janette and Aljaz welcomed their daughter Lyra in 2023 (Image: Getty)

Meanwhile, Janette fronts the Strictly spin-off show It Takes Two on BBC Two alongside Fleur East. She also hosted the Strictly Live! Tour this year, but the event was shrouded in controversy.

Opera singer Wynne Evans stepped down from the ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ live tour after it emerged that he had made a comment that was deemed sexually inappropriate during a photo call.

It was later revealed that Wynne had used the sexually suggestive term “spit roast” to describe host Janette during a private joke with ‘EastEnders’ actor and former co-star Jamie Borthwick.

Wynne Evans stepped down from the live tour after he made a crude remark (Image: Getty)

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He later apologised, saying, “My language was inappropriate and unacceptable, for which I sincerely apologise.”

Wynne was unable to dance during one night of the tour because of an ankle injury, but BBC bosses were not aware of the comment he had made and informed Wynne that type of behaviour would not be tolerated.

A spokesperson for BBC Studios said at the time: “We were not previously aware of the remark and did not receive any complaints.

“We have made it very clear to Wynne that we do not tolerate such behaviour on the tour.”