Latest news with #JowitaPrzystal
Wales Online
09-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Strictly Come Dancing's Jowita Przystal's cryptic post as she vows 'not to give up'
Strictly Come Dancing's Jowita Przystal's cryptic post as she vows 'not to give up' Strictly Come Dancing professional Jowita Przystal has shared a cryptic message as she looks back on 2024 and thanked her 'guardian angels' for their support Strictly Come Dancing star Jowita Przystal (Image: Jowita Przystal Instagram) Strictly Come Dancing star Jowita Przystal shared a mysterious message about her 'demanding' year whilst expressing gratitude to unidentified 'guardian angels'. Supporters flocked to back the Polish professional dancer following the peculiar post earlier this year. Jowita, who progressed far into the 2024 series of Strictly alongside celebrity partner and reality television personality Pete Wicks, published an extensive message discussing 'difficult' recollections and 'teachings', whilst avoiding specific details about what had gone awry during the past 12 months. However, Jowita did acknowledge her appreciation for 2024 'regardless of everything'. Jowita shared alongside a compilation reel on her Instagram: " have challenged me a lot... Despite everything I'm grateful for you. You taught me to always stay strong, to fight my fears, to find happiness again and to see my self worth.", reports the Express. "I know that I'm sharing most of the good memories here, but usually we don't wanna keep those bad ones. Jowita Przystal issued a cryptic message (Image: BBC) "Thank you for all the lessons, there's still way more to learn and experience... but I'm ready. I'm ready to live, to love, laugh and, of course, dance." She added: "This year was about my guardian angels. And I'll be forever grateful for you. You showed me love, support, kindness and you pushed me to be the best version of myself. Thank you. You didn't let me give up. I love you. #bye2024." Strictly 2024 participant Tasha Ghouri offered her encouragement by posting four red heart emojis beneath the message. Fans echoed similar sentiments, with @jowitasdowden expressing: "So proud of you. Can't wait to be supporting you for the 5th year. Always in your corner, love you so so much." @deb. 50h13 added: "Jowita, you are a lovely lady in every way. I wish you all the luck and happiness for 2025 xx." @ourgodsforabode_ posted: "Beautiful inside and out. Happy new year Jowita." @stevomosco shared: "Happy new year, you're a shining light, 2025 is going to be epic for you." In December, whispers circulated Jowita was romantically involved with fellow Strictly professional Vito Coppola. The Italian heartthrob, 32, had been partnered with Miranda actress Sarah Hadland, 53, in the 2024 series, and they danced their way to the final. Article continues below After a challenging year for Strictly - marked by allegations of backstage abuse and lower than usual viewing figures - Jowita defended the show and its significance to her. She penned: "Congratulations to all finalists, you should be so proud of yourselves. It was a pure joy watching you all dance!". She further added: "Last night was very emotional... and just reassured me why I do what I do. @bbcstrictly creates magic, dancing connects people and I feel grateful I can be part of it."
Wales Online
04-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Strictly Come Dancing's Jowita Przystal's famous ex she was 'inseparable' from
Strictly Come Dancing's Jowita Przystal's famous ex she was 'inseparable' from Strictly Come Dancing professional Jowita Przystal has been hitting headlines recently for her incredible dance routines with partner Pete Wicks and their chemistry Strictly Come Dancing's Jowita Przystal (Image: Jowita Przystal Instagram) Strictly Come Dancing's professional dancer, Jowita Przystal, was partnered with ex-TOWIE star Pete Wicks for the 20th series of the popular dance programme. The duo delighted fans with their performances, including a George of the Jungle-themed routine during Movie Week and a Rumba to Oasis' Don't Look Back in Anger. Despite rumours of a potential romance, both Jowita and Pete dismissed such speculation. Speaking exclusively to OK! at the Pride of Britain Awards, Jowita addressed the gossip: "We have very good chemistry together as friends, we really get on well with each other, and we have so much fun together. And dancing is a bit like acting, so we're telling a story every night on Saturday night, and I think we're doing a pretty good job with that so..." She further clarified: "But we're very good friends, and I love him so much as a brother, and I think we're going to stay friends for life, to be honest." Jowita and Michael before their split Jowita, who originates from Poland, started her professional dancing career at the age of 12. In 2014, at 20, she achieved the title of Poland's Open Latin Champion. The following year, she transitioned from her background in Ballroom and Latin to join Burn the Floor - a touring dance troupe specialising in contemporary dance. She has lived in the UK since 2019 and previously operated a dance academy alongside professional dancer Michael Danilczuk, who was also her romantic partner off the dance floor. The pair triumphed on BBC's The Greatest Dancer in 2020, securing the £50,000 prize and an opportunity to perform on Strictly Come Dancing. Jowita and Michael initially encountered each other in 2013 at a dance workshop in Krakow, Poland. Though they didn't take to one another at first, after 12 months of dancing together they became romantically involved and had previously described themselves as "inseparable." Jowita and Pete Wicks competed together last year Her Instagram account was filled with romantic photographs of herself and Michael, though they parted ways shortly before the 2022 Strictly series commenced. Jowita was subsequently linked romantically with fellow Strictly professional Giovanni Pernice. At the time, a source revealed to The Sun: "She and Gio are the worst kept secret, but make a great couple." Article continues below The pair, both professional dancers, were said to have gone public at Chelsea footballer Jorginho's birthday bash held at Grappelli, an Italian eatery in Cobham, Surrey. An insider revealed: "While they both kept insisting they were single, the pair's chemistry was ridiculous - and they kept getting busted snogging in corridors. Crew even saw them kissing in the production office." Despite this, Giovanni and Jowita never officially confirmed the speculation, and by March of the previous year, it was reported that the duo had parted ways.
Daily Mail
29-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Pete Wicks admits he's been 'sad for a really, really long time' and struggles to appreciate his success as former TOWIE star reveals private mental health battle
Pete Wicks admits he's 'not happy' within himself and struggles to appreciate his mainstream TV success because of persistent low moods. The reality star has become something of a household name following his stint on long-running show The Only Way Is Essex, with a subsequent appearance on Strictly Come Dancing and his close friendship with Sam Thompson endearing him to millions. But despite his success, Wicks, 36, says he is frequently plagued by feelings of intense sadness. 'I'm sad at the minute and have been for a really, really long time,' he told close friend Thompson during the latest instalment of his Pete Wicks: Man Made podcast. 'Trying to get out of that is very, very difficult, and I think there's a lot of people that feel that way, you know? 'I've said it similarly about you. From the outside we've got f***ing great lives, great lives, and we are so, so blessed. 'But it's when you kind of sit at home on your own that none of that really matters, because you're not appreciating it, and it's very hard to appreciate things when you are not happy within yourself.' Wicks previously admitted his former Strictly Come Dancing partner Jowita Przystał had become 'one of the most important people in his life,' after his 'overwhelming' stint on the show. The former TOWIE star was dubbed an unlikely signing when he took part in the BBC show last year, but became such a fan-favourite, he made it all the way to the semi-finals. Speaking to MailOnline, Wicks himself admitted he thought he'd be the first celebrity to be voted off the show, having entered Strictly with zero dance experience. But the star did the opposite, winning over viewers with a string of light-hearted performances, including a viral Samba dressed as George Of The Jungle, and a hilarious Cha Cha Cha in Blackpool. He said: 'I thought as soon you could vote people out, what is it week two? I thought I'd be gone, I genuinely did and that would be it, and every week after that I thought I'd be gone. 'I certainly never expected to get to the semi-finals and be that far along and have that experience for such a long time, but I was very fortunate, it was very overwhelming. 'A lot of that, if I'm totally honest, is down to Jowita, she was the best partner I could have had, I was with her on Saturday night, she's become one of the most important in my life. She's one of my best mates, and I adore her. 'She had to put up with me, she dragged me through it, because it certainly wasn't the dancing!' 'I didn't take myself too seriously but I took the show really seriously, and I took the process really seriously, I took the learning really seriously. 'I enjoy learning things, and that was my favourite part of the whole thing, obviously I didn't take myself too seriously because I knew I wasn't the best dancer, and that's why I was dressed as George of the jungle and wearing pink PVC trousers. 'I don't think anyone expected me to be doing that – it was like a fever dream!'
Daily Mail
13-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Pete Wicks details close relationship with Strictly partner Jowita Przystał as he brands her 'one of the most important people in my life' and reflects on backlash he faced in overwhelming' show stint
Pete Wicks has revealed his Strictly Come Dancing pro partner Jowita Przystał has become 'one of the most important people in his life,' after his 'overwhelming' stint on the show. The former TOWIE star, 37, was dubbed an unlikely signing when he took part in the BBC show last year, but became such a fan-favourite, he made it all the way to the semi-finals. Speaking to MailOnline, Pete himself admitted he thought he'd be the first celebrity to be voted off the show, having entered Strictly with zero dance experience. But the star did the opposite, winning over viewers with a string of light-hearted performances, including a viral Samba dressed as George Of The Jungle, and a hilarious Cha Cha Cha in Blackpool. Reflecting on his time on Strictly, Pete, who has joined forces with Lynx to celebrate the launch of their new Lower Body Spray, credited his progression to his dance partner Jowita, and said they are still close friends, six months after the series ended. Pete said: 'I thought as soon you could vote people out, what is it week two? I thought I'd be gone, I genuinely did and that would be it, and every week after that I thought I'd be gone. 'I certainly never expected to get to the semi-finals and be that far along and have that experience for such a long time, but I was very fortunate, it was very overwhelming. 'A lot of that, if I'm totally honest, is down to Jowita, she was the best partner I could have had, I was with her on Saturday night, she's become one of the most important in my life. She's one of my best mates, and I adore her. 'She had to put up with me, she dragged me through it, because it certainly wasn't the dancing!' 'I didn't take myself too seriously but I took the show really seriously, and I took the process really seriously, I took the learning really seriously. 'I didn't really enjoy learning things, and that was my favourite part of the whole thing, obviously I didn't take myself too seriously because I knew I wasn't the best dancer, and that's why I was dressed as George of the jungle and wearing pink PVC trousers. 'I don't think anyone expected me to be doing that – it was like a fever dream!' While Pete's Strictly stint earned him many new fans, he also faced backlash from a select number of viewers, who complained he'd been voted to stay on the show over other celebrity couples who had scored higher. But the star brushed off the complaints, telling MailOnline: 'I'm used to it, it doesn't matter what you do, if you're the type of personality that divides people, which I think I am, you're never going to please everyone. 'It wasn't about pleasing everyone, it was about doing something for me, it was about not letting Jowita down, it was about the people around me who matter, and to try as best I could to make them proud. 'I think that's how I've managed all this stuff over 12 years, it's really the people around me that humble me, and as long as they're happy and safe I don't really care what everyone else thinks, I mean I probably wouldn't even like me if I wasn't me. 'With things like Strictly, people obsess over it, and that's amazing because you've got so many people that watch it, and so many amazing fans of Strictly and the show, but the problem with that, is that it's a dance show, it's a bit of entertainment. 'People probably do need to slow down a little bit, this year it will be the same thing, you've got amazing people just going out there trying to do their best, and do something they've not necessarily done before, or something they're not confident doing, so I think as much support as they can get, I would urge people to give them as much support as possible, rather than tear people down.' During his time on Strictly, Pete also paid tribute to his late Nan with an emotional Couples Choice, earning him a 10 from head judge Shirley Ballas. Having previously described his grandmother as his 'best friend,' the star also opened up her passing in his book Never Enough. Describing his Nan as his 'safety net,' Pete told MailOnline that he's made many changes in his life since her death in 2022. He said: 'Since I lost my Nan a few years ago, life has changed for me, and a lot of that was down to the fact that she was kind of a safety net for me, things change in your head and you have to kind of have a word with yourself in a way. 'The book was cathartic, it was something I wanted to do, because I don't think I'm the only one that feels the way I do in certain situations, it's got nothing to do with what I've been through, because everyone's been through different things. 'If you can put everyone's problems together in a pot, you'd probably be a lot happier just taking away the original problems you had, because there's so many people doing so many things, that's why I want it to be relatable to people.' Pete added that much of his decision to open up about his past for the first time came from his mum Tracy, and in his book, he revealed how he saved her life when he was just 12 after he found her in the kitchen following an attempted suicide. He added: 'It's got nothing to do with me, it's got my name on it, but it's a lot to do with my Mum, she's now really open about the struggles she's had and has had over the years, and how that's impacted her. 'She's my absolute hero and she's just an angel and a lot of it is kind of her story as well, and her giving my blessing to tell that story, in order for someone else who might relate to it or understand it a little bit better. 'I'm just a vehicle for things, it's got nothing to do with me. 'She's my hero, she's my absolute hero, there's not a stronger person on this earth than my Mum.' Currently, Pete is filming second and third series of his W series For Dog's Sake, and as well as hosting Staying Relevant with pal Sam Thompson, now fronts podcasts Man-Made, and The Sunday Roast with Olivia Attwood. He and Sam are set to host the red carpet at the National Television Awards next month for the third time, just a week before they take to the stage at London's 02 Arena for a live version of their podcast. As part of the launch of Lynx's new Lower Body Spray, Pete, his pal Chloe Burrows and Joe Weller unveiled a giant boxer-shaped scented ball pit at Boxpark Shoreditch, inviting the public to share whether they identify as 'team spray' or 'team no-way'. The former TOWIE star went onto tell MailOnline that there is still a 'taboo' surrounding men when it comes to looking after themselves, but did say he's going to encourage Sam to add the products to his new 'glow-up' routine.
Daily Mail
09-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Strictly Come Dancing star Vito Coppola goes Instagram official with his new girlfriend Valentina Sica during romantic getaway together
Vito Coppola has confirmed his relationship with his new girlfriend Valentina Sica by 'hard launching' their relationship on Instagram on Tuesday. The Strictly Come Dancing pro, 32, took to his Story to repost a selfie with the raven-haired beauty on a romantic getaway in Leicester ahead of rehearsals. In the sweet snap, the dancer donned a baby blue lemon print sweatshirt and co-coordinating white lemon print shorts as he pulled a cheeky pose alongside his love. Meanwhile, his girlfriend Valentina, who is a personal brand strategist, flaunted her toned midriff in a burnt orange crop top. She teamed a pair of white trousers with her ensemble as she struck a sultry pose for the camera. The beauty often shares stunning bikini-clad snaps with her 4,819 Instagram followers. Before he was linked to Valentina, MailOnline revealed Vito and fellow Strictly dancer Jowita Przystal, 30, had grown closer. According to The Sun, fans also took to Reddit to share a 'clue' that the pair were dating. They shared a screenshot from Jowita's Instagram Story, in which she had posted an Italy fact. The fact read: 'Study shows that eating Tiramisu in Italy scientifically makes you happier.' During last year's Strictly series, Vito was partnered up with Miranda star Sarah Hadland, 54. The pair came runners-up to comedian Chris McCausland, 48, and pro Dianne Buswell, 36. As well as Jowita, fan favourite Vito was also previously linked to Coronation Street actress Ellie Leach, 24. The pair sparked romance rumours in 2023 after they cosied up in a video and 'gazed into each other's eyes'. Late last year, Vito publicly shared his love and support for Graziano Di Prima five months after the dancer was sacked over abuse allegations. In July 2024, Graziano was axed from the BBC show over reports he 'hit and kicked' his former partner Zara McDermott, 28, during rehearsals last year. While his fellow Strictly professionals had not commented on the allegations, Vito publicly declared his support as he shared a snap of the pair catching up over coffee. Earlier this year, MailOnline revealed that Strictly Come Dancing bosses had found a replacement for Giovanni Pernice - and it's another Italian hunk. Simone Arena, 33, is reportedly joining the dance competition's line-up of dance professionals who are paired with the celebrity contestants. He is already familiar to his new colleagues as he is the boyfriend of Michelle Tsiakkis, 29, a Strictly pro dancer who was last year paired with EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick. The Italian dancer is no stranger to the Strictly format after previously starring as a pro on the Belgian, Italian and Irish versions of the show. Born in Catania, Italy, Simone has been a professional dancer since childhood, becoming the Vice Italian Latin Champion at the age of 16. He has also performed in the Broadway touring production of Burn the Floor and was also announced as part of the cast of Somnium: A Dancer's Dream with Strictly Come Dancing stars, Katya Jones and Neil Jones, in 2019. Simone joined the Strictly global franchise in 2021, winning the Belgian version of the show with artistic gymnast Nine Derwael. As a professional on the Irish version of the dance competition, he was partnered with RuPaul's Drag Race winner, Blu Hydrangea, as well as Kin actress, Yasmin Seky. Earlier this year, MailOnline revealed that Simone Arena is reportedly set to join the professional lineup for Strictly Come Dancing, replacing Giovanni Pernice A source told the Sun on Sunday: 'Simone blew the Strictly bosses away when he auditioned as a new professional on the show. 'He is no stranger to the Strictly format after previously starring as a pro on the Belgian, Italian and Irish versions of the series. 'Simone is well known among the pros, and his girlfriend Michelle [Tsiakkas] loved her time on the series last year.' Last year, Giovanni, 34, departed the BBC show after his partner Amanda Abbington, 51, accused him of 'inappropriate, mean, nasty bullying' and claimed she was subjected to a 'toxic environment'. But following a BBC investigation, the dancer was cleared of serious allegations regarding his behaviour, while six bullying complaints were upheld. Earlier this year, the BBC revealed which professionals would be returning to battle it out for the Glitterball Trophy. They included Amy Dowden, who was forced to pull out last year due to a foot injury, Johannes Radebe, Gorka Marquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Karen Hauer, Katya Jones, Vito Coppola and reigning champion Dianne, who won the 2024 show with blind comedian Chris.
