Strictly Come Dancing professional Karen Hauer says she ‘hiding behind just having fun’

Karen Hauer

 
Strictly’s Karen Hauer (Image: YOUTUBE/WENEEDTOTALKPODCAST)

Karen Hauer, a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, has celebrated a year of sobriety in a heartfelt Instagram post. The 43 year old shared her journey with her followers alongside a stunning black and white photo of herself.

In the post, she wrote: “One year alcohol free. I faced my raw self for the first time… scared, sad, angry. But also clearer. Pausing. Progressing.”

She went on to say: “I hid behind ‘just having fun’ but deep down I was closing my eyes tightly, gritting my teeth, hoping the pain would stop.Despite enduring her third divorce last year, Karen confessed that giving up alcohol was the “bravest” thing she’s ever done. She added: “Turns out the bravest thing I’ve done was stop running from myself. “.

She further explained: “Now I’m slowly better at reasoning with myself understanding why I feel the way I do and allowing myself to feel it all. Even when my heartbeat races and my mind overthinks. That’s my process of healing and I’m okay with that.”, reports the Mirror.

An individual with dark hair styled in a bun is smiling gently, captured in a close-up shot. The background features soft, diffused lighting and elements of an indoor setting.

(Image: It Takes Two/BBC)

Karen concluded her post by expressing gratitude towards her boyfriend and looking forward to the future. “Here’s to many more positive days ahead, with love, support and my little family – Simon and my four gorgeous dogs. Take care of yourselves in 2026,” she penned.

Almost immediately, her Strictly colleagues flooded the comments section of her emotional post, with Vicky Pattison and Jowita Przystal amongst the first to offer their congratulations on achieving sobriety. During their breaks from training, the BBC ballroom programme’s cast members are sometimes spotted enjoying nights out.

However, the corporation has implemented stricter guidelines for the professional dancers to follow concerning their behaviour, introduced earlier this year. The comprehensive rulebook spans 16 pages and bears the title Pro Dancer Guidelines.

According to The Sun, the professionals are banned from “swearing, drinking to excess or wearing inappropriate clothing.” The document is apparently divided into two sections – Outside of Strictly period and During the Strictly period.

In a past interview, she looked back on her previous relationships and acknowledged that her separation from fellow professional dancer Kevin Clifton deeply affected her, particularly regarding how swiftly he appeared to move on with Stacey Dooley.

Discussing her intense romance with Kevin, she told Closer: “I don’t think we were ready for marriage. “.

She continued: “We were still growing as performers, as people, as lovers, and sometimes you just can’t find the right way to fix things.”

During an appearance on The Divorce Club podcast, she admitted that jealousy had interfered with their marriage. She candidly confessed: “Then the fights, I was getting jealous, but I was only jealous because I wasn’t getting the attention that I wanted from my husband and then I didn’t understand why so I started gripping, trying to pull him. ‘Why are you not doing this? Why are you not doing that?’ Exactly what you’re not supposed to do, I just wanted answers. And then it just got really nasty overnight,”.

The professional dancer revealed they attempted to resolve their issues through couples therapy, but their efforts proved unsuccessful.

A monochromatic image depicts a woman in a contemplative pose, seated against a plain white wall, with her arms folded and head slightly bowed, exuding an air of introspection.

(Image: Instagram/karenhauer)

Karen is currently in a two-year romance with Simon Davidson, after ending her marriage to third husband Jordan Wyn-Jones merely 16 months following their nuptials.

During her appearance on Paul C Brunson’s podcast, We Need To Talk, she described her marriage to Jordan as “toxic” and claimed it left her feeling constantly anxious.

She explained: “I was just in panic mode, panic mode, love should not be panic. It’s almost like he made up things to scare me so that I wouldn’t go anywhere.”

She added: “I was not only lying to my family and friends and they were seeing it, but I was lying to him as well, because that was the only way I could get through the day, that would keep the peace.”