Janette Manrara is endlessly proud of her husband, Aljaž Škorjanec, who is back on Strictly after a two-year hiatus. Already a top contender for the coveted Glitterball, Aljaž is partnered up with Love Island’s Tasha Ghouri for series 22 – and Janette is in awe of his moves.
Joining HELLO! For an exclusive chat at the Pride of Britain Awards on Monday night, the TV star joked that she couldn’t “fancy” Aljaž more after seeing him on the show.
“I feel like I’ve fallen in love with him all over again! I fell in love watching him dance, so now watching him dance again – because when we met we went dancing together – now, when I see him back on the screen dancing, I'm like: ‘Oh, I fancy him again!’
Janette and Aljaž, who tied the knot in 2017, met at a dance studio in London. Following their 2015 engagement, the couple married in multiple ceremonies held in the UK, Slovenia and the US. As of July 2023, Janette and Aljaž are now proud parents to their daughter, Lyra, who recently turned one.
Aljaž has been making his family proud on Strictly, and while he and Tasha have been impressing the judges, the Love Island star has come under fire for having previous experience as a commercial dancer.
Addressing the ongoing backlash, Janette told HELLO!: “Coming from the same kind of journey of dance, I wasn't a ballroom Latin dancer and then I became one – it's completely different and sometimes can even be harder to get rid of habits when you're dancing. Then, you add the pressure – the pressure that everyone expects you to be the best and expects you to be better than anyone else.
“So, handling that pressure and dealing with trolling, that's tough in itself. So, I think she's [Tasha’s] doing such a brilliant job and, you know, surviving that wave of whatever people have to say about her. She's enjoying her time on the show and all the messages that she's putting up over her cochlear implant are really showing the inclusivity of the show. She's incredible. I'm clearly a fan!”
As she walked the red carpet at the Pride of Britain, Awards Janette posed with Aljaž and Tasha, as well as their fellow Strictly stars. Janette has developed a sweet friendship with Tasha and explained to HELLO! that she and Aljaž had been on a double date with Tasha and her boyfriend, Andrew Le Page before the series got underway.
After scoring 34 points with their Tango in week five, Aljaž and Tasha are currently prepping for the Halloween special, which will air on Saturday night. The details of their latest routine are yet to be revealed.