Joe McFadden was crowned the Strictly Come Dancing winner in 2017 alongside his dance partner Katya Jones, and the pair remain good friends following the show. At the Inside Soap Awards on Monday night, the former Holby City actor revealed they keep in contact, telling HELLO!: "We still hear from each other. She messaged me last week when it was my birthday!" Joe is also right behind all the pro dancers while watching the show this year. "It's really interesting watching it having been through it because I am not just getting behind all the celebrities but I now know all the pros as well, so I am supporting them just as much. It's really great, they are doing really well and the pros are brilliant," he said.
Joe McFadden and Katya Jones were crowned the 2017 Strictly Come Dancing winners
Having received the glitter ball trophy last year, Joe revealed what advice he would give to this year's celebrity contestants. "Just keep doing what they are doing. But then they know that as you can see that they are working really, really hard. None of them are slacking. If they had been they wouldn’t still be there. And just enjoy it, as it will be over before they know it," he said. "All of them are working really hard, and any of them will be a worthy winner and the right person will win because it's the person the Great British public want to win," added Joe.
MORE: Strictly winner Joe McFadden reveals why he missed this year's launch show
Joe is now set to star in new theatre production, House on Cold Hill
READ: Brendan Cole on why Strictly doing Street Dance was a disappointment
Since his character Raf di Lucca was killed off in Holby City, Joe has been busy with other projects, and next up he will be taking to the stage in the new year alongside two other big soap stars – former EastEnders actress Rita Simons- who played Roxy Mitchell, and former Hollyoaks actress Persephone Swales-Dawson – who played Nico Blake. Telling reporters at the star-studded event about his latest venture, Joe said: "I am about to start rehearsing a play in the new year called House On Cold Hill which is travelling all over Britain. It's a really good production, directed by Ian Talbot , and I'm looking forward to getting back on stage again and seeing if I can still do it!"
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