Strictly Come Dancing winner Ore Oduba will be returning to the stage for the show’s 2017 tour, this time partnered with dance champion Karen Clifton.
He will be swapping his series partner, Joanne Clifton, for her sister-in-law for the special show, which will see contestants return for a series of performances, starting in Birmingham next month.
Speaking on BBC Radio 2′s The Chris Evans Breakfast Show, Karen was joined by her husband, and partner of Strictly finalist Louise Redknapp, Kevin Clifton.
But Kevin revealed a hint of bitterness about the new arrangement, after missing out on the competition’s coveted glitterball for the last four series.
Had a brilliant time on @achrisevans @BBCRadio2 w @keviclifton @jackwhitehall and Toby Jones x thanks for having us 💛 pic.twitter.com/QDsp3o7BFg
— Karen Clifton (@karen_hauer) December 22, 2016
The 34-year-old joked: “I could have been one vote off winning for the last four years … I’m not bitter at all that my sister stole it from me.
“Of course I was happy for her, she was made up just to get a partner this year and she did an amazing job with Ore.”
But his wife could not resist the opportunity to rub salt in the wound, saying: “I will be dancing with the winner, since Kevin is a loser.
“I will be dancing with someone that’s actually gotten the glitterball.”
Commenting on living in a family of top dancers, Kevin added: “It’s awful … I just come second all the time.
Finally got thru a few thank yous.. Not forgetting this phenomenal group! Honour to share the Final stage with you 😌 https://t.co/CISNB5ERCV pic.twitter.com/mrr4a0aAF7
— Ore Oduba (@OreOduba) December 21, 2016
“So Karen is a world champion, my sister is a world champion, my mum and dad are world champions, my auntie’s a world champion. I’m not a world champion.”
Offering a weak consolation, Chris responded: “But at least you are the best loser, because you always lose so well. Maybe that’s what they employ you for.”
But the dancer will have his mind on other things in the New Year as he and Karen prepare for their own dance tour, which begins in May and tells the story of how they got together.
“Our tour is going to be the story of me and Karen,” he said, “with no other competition involved.
“We are quite a weird couple really. She is from Venezuela and does real Latin-American dancing and I was brought up in an English competition ballroom school in Grimsby.
Big news! @karen_hauer and I have added extra shows to the Kevin & Karen Dance Live Tour! Join us in 2017: https://t.co/IT2PaClgk8 pic.twitter.com/GAYiJ1bx1H
— Kevin Clifton (@keviclifton) November 3, 2016
“It’s about how we ended up getting together, with all the different dance styles.”
