Strictly stars old and new have all likened the BBC One dance show to a big happy family, and so there's no wonder that many of them return after leaving – albeit in a different format. On Monday, former pro dancer Katya Virshilas returned to Strictly's sister show, It Takes Two, to give her expert opinion on the different dance routines during Movie Week. Ahead of her appearance, Katya took to Instagram Stories to share her excitement. "I'm so excited to be back," she said in a short video. Katya later shared a photo of herself with pro dancer Katya Jones, who was also on Monday's show, along with one of her sitting in the It Takes Two studio, and a third of her with presenter Rylan Clark-Neal.
Strictly pro Katya Virshilas made a surprise appearance on It Takes Two
In the caption, Katya wrote: "In the midst of chaos in Hong Kong I was able to come to london and visit the @strictlyitt set. Wearing @toveandlibra and flying the flag high for sustainable fashion with @mrs_katjones who has sworn off of buying anything new for a year!" Many of Katya's fans adored seeing her brief return, with one writing: "It was fantastic watching you on It Takes Two tonight, I like watching you on Strictly," while another wrote: "It was fabulous to see you again. You looked gorgeous." Katya Jones also commented on the post revealing that they managed to confuse everyone, adding: "It was so nice to see you! Two Katyas in the studio was way too confusing for the team!"
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Katya loved being back with her Strictly friends
Katya appeared on Strictly from 2009 to 2011, and was partnered with celebrities Phil Tufnell, Gavin Henson and Dan Lobb. She went on to marry Klaus Kongsdal in 2012 in a fairytale chateau in the Loire Valley, which was exclusively covered by HELLO!. The humanist wedding ceremony was held in a candlelit cave in the grounds of the Chateau de Chissay, and there were nods to Katya's Jewish roots with customs such as the groom stomping on glass. There were also plenty of Danish wedding traditions, including one in which the groom has the ends of his socks cut off – a custom that is said to indicate that he can no longer run after other women. Now, Katya and Klaus are the proud parents of two young children and have relocated to Hong Kong.
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Katya appeared on Strictly from 2009 to 2011
Katya isn't the only former Strictly pro who has made a return to the show on It Takes Two this series. At the end of September, Flavia Cacace appeared on the sofa to offer her expertise on the dance routines from week one of the show.
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