Strictly's Janette Manrara opens up on feeling like a 'single mum' over 'intense' schedule
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Good Morning Britain's Ed Balls and Susanna Reid spoke to Strictly Come Dancing stars Aljaž Skorjanec and Janette Manrara on Monday's instalment of the ITV show.
The pair touched on the challenges of their demanding work schedule while raising their daughter Lyra.
In 2022, Aljaz stepped down from the BBC programme, one year before they had their baby.
During the programme, the ITV stars touched on Aljaz being a stay at home dad the majority of the time.
He revealed: "I love it! It's like my favourite thing now, Strictly profession? No, stay at home dad is first!"
However, Ed highlighted that Aljaz returned to the BBC show a year later and was rehearsing for the programme in London, while Janette and Lyra remained in Cheshire.
Ed added: "That's where Lyra started off her life (Cheshire) but it ended up becoming just too hard to commute between the North West."
Agreeing, Janette touched on Aljaz's intense work schedule for Strictly. She said: "You both know the schedule for Strictly is quite intense.
"We don't really know Aljaz' schedule at all until basically the night before really of what the day is going to be like.
"So I kept saying to my friends, I felt a little bit like a single mum those few months. Because I had to kind of assume Aljaz would not be around, so it was just me and Lyra."
The Strictly star confessed it didn't feel fair on her daughter to keep travelling back and forth for work.
(Image: Janette Manrara Instagram)
She added: "We didn't get to spend a lot of time with Aljaz last series, so we've moved back down closer to London, which, I think, has been a really great decision for us as a family."
She told the two GMB stars that their daughter's wellbeing comes first and foremost, ensuring she's comfortable.
This month it was announced Aljaz would be returning to the BBC show as a professional dancer when Strictly hits the screens once again in September this year.
Other stars returning include Dianne Buswell, Nadiya Bychkova, Amy Dowden, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin and Gorka Marquez
Luba Mushtuk, Jowita Przystal, Johannes Radebe, Kai Widdrington, Nancy Xu, Carlos Gu, Lauren Oakley, Michelle Tsiakkas and Vito Coppola will also be making a comeback.
Good Morning Britain continues weekdays on ITV from 6am
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