Karen Hauer of Strictly Come Dancing fame admits she had difficulty even getting out of bed in the aftermath of her divorce from fellow pro dancer, Kevin Clifton.
Joining the BBC series in 2012, Karen Hauer, a 41-year-old Venezuelan-American Latin dance expert, is the longest standing female dancer on the show.
Throughout her tenure, she has been paired with popular figures such as Mark Wright, Jeremy Vine, Jamie Laing, and, most recently, Jayde Adams.
She spent numerous years on the show collaborating with Kevin, 40, who she initially met while working on Burn the Floor in 2015.
In 2015, the pair tied the knot but announced their separation three years later, an experience Karen describes as the ‘hardest’ chapter of her life.
Looking back, Karen describes herself as a structured and disciplined person. However, she acknowledges that external factors do little to help when dealing with emotional crises.
‘Experiencing a challenging divorce was the roughest thing I’ve faced, especially under the scrutiny of the public,’ she remarked.
She thanked her adorable rescued dog, Betty, for supporting her through the challenging times.
In an interview with The Sun, she stated: ‘Betty essentially saved my life.’
‘Her unconditional love and presence helped me to get out of bed.’
Kevin and Stacey Dooley, a journalist and his partner on Strictly, confirmed their romantic relationship a year after his break-up with Karen. This year, they welcomed their daughter, Minnie.
Last year, Karen wed Jordan Wyn-Jones.
Karen was open about the emotional impact of her previous marriage’s end in 2021, confiding that she wanted to work on mending it.
On The Divorce Club podcast with Samantha Baines, she revealed that numerous factors affected both her and Kevin tremendously.
‘However, if it was up to me, I would have clung onto it. I wasn’t willing to let go.’
She further expressed that she took around a year to release her emotional attachment to her ex-husband after their separation.
Strictly Come Dancing can be streamed on the BBC iPlayer.
