This time last year she was heading to the Strictly Come Dancing final - and now, in an exclusive shoot for HELLO! magazine, Faye Tozer has another cause for celebration: her ten-year wedding anniversary with husband Michael Smith. "I knew instinctively I was going to marry him," Faye says of meeting her husband-to-be on a night out in Newcastle. "So I phoned one of my best friends and said: 'I've just met my husband-to-be.'"
"Ten years sounds like a lifetime," says West End star Faye, who first shot to fame with pop sensation Steps. "Yet it doesn't feel that long at all. Time has passed quickly while we've been enjoying ourselves, and we have wonderful memories and plenty more experiences to share."
© Photo: HELLO!Faye and Michael share a son together
One of those experiences was when Faye – who shares ten-year-old son Benjamin with Michael – was partnered with Giovanni Pernice on last year's Strictly, an experience she found unforgettable. "Strictly was crazy but amazing, and probably the hardest thing I've ever done in my life."
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Speaking during the shoot at Ramside Hall hotel in Durham, Faye, who finished joint runner-up in the competition, tells HELLO!: "I've been a huge fan of the show for years and was so proud to reach the finals. My tips for a winner this year are Kelvin Fletcher, Karim Zeroual or maybe Alex Scott, who've all been great contenders throughout the series."
And of the so-called curse of Strictly curse, Michael says: "People told us: 'You've beaten the curse,' but I never looked at it like that. If someone's going to do something, they'll find a way without competing in the show." However, away from the glamour of her showbiz life, Faye insists that they lead ordinary lives. "I've got an incredible husband, a lovely little boy and I couldn't be happier. Michael is the best thing that's ever happened to me. We've had ten fantastic years together – roll on the next ten."
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