Jody Cundy is proving he's a natural in the ballroom on Strictly Come Dancing and has been impressing viewers with his delightful dances with partner Jowita Przystał each week.
While there's no doubt Jody has a legion of fans supporting him through the competition, one person who has been "instrumental" is his fiancée Lucy Bowles, who the Paralympian has praised for "holding down the fort at home". But who is Lucy? Here's all you need to know about Jody's wife-to-be…
Who is Jody Cundy's fiancée?
Jody, 44, is engaged to his partner Lucy Bowles.
According to her Instagram bio, Lucy, 41, is currently studying toward a career in Psychotherapy and is also a mum to two daughters from a previous relationship.
The couple reportedly first locked eyes when Lucy worked as a fitness instructor using balance bikes.
© Jody Cundy/InstagramWhat has Jody Cundy said about his fiancée?
Lucy and her two girls are one of Jody's main motivations for taking part in Strictly, as he hopes to find the confidence to join in when they dance around the kitchen at home in Manchester.
"My stepkids and my fiancée, they're... I'm not the most forthcoming to getting on a dance floor etc. so just seeing them dance around in the kitchen or whatever, I just want to join in with them and not feel self-conscious of myself," he said during an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live.
"So it's more about me coming out to the world and kind of getting out of my comfort zone."
© Ray BurnistonJody has also praised his fiancée for helping to make his Strictly journey possible. "Lucy has kind of been a really instrumental part in this," he told RadioTimes.com. "She's been helping us or holding the fort at home while I've been away dancing in the studio.
"It's nice for her to be able to come out, get all glammed up and come and watch the Strictly show."
© Jody Cundy/InstagramThe athlete's family were able to join him for rehearsals during the second week of the competition, and watched him and Jowita perform the Paso Doble ahead of the live show at Elstree Studios.
Taking to Instagram at the time, Jody shared a photo showing him, Lucy and the two youngsters on the ballroom floor. He penned in the caption: "Bring your family to work day! Amazing to share a bit of time with @lulubo1982 and the minions (Emily & Charlotte) on the @bbcstrictly dance floor for today's Dress Rehearsal. They got to see mine and @jowitaprzystal perform the Paso Doble to AC/DC’s Thunderstruck. Looking forward to doing it all for real tonight #keepdancing."
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When did Jody Cundy get engaged?
Jody got down on one knee during a trip to New York last year. He announced his engagement on Instagram in December 2022 with a series of photos from the getaway, including one of the pair beaming for a selfie at the top of the Empire State Building, with the sun setting on the breathtaking skyline behind them.
"What a beautiful few days in New York City with @lulubo1982," Jody penned in the caption. "After spotting the Northern Lights on the flight over we tried to see as much as we could in the few days we had there. Central Park, Grand Central Terminal, Brooklyn Bridge, Rockafeller Centre, New York Public Library (no Ghosts spotted stacking books), American Museum of Natural history, World Trade Centre, and many more.
"The trip was topped off by Lucy saying yes to my marriage proposal on top of the Empire State at golden hour as the sun was going down. A memorable few days in the city that never sleeps."
