The BBC dance show has culled several dancers, with Luba Mushtuk the latest to confirm her exit (Credits: BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Luba Mushtuk has confirmed she is leaving the BBC One dance show.
The dancer has shared a statement on her Instagram after frenzied speculation that there had been a so-called mass cull of several pros on the ballroom show.
In a simple black and white post, the 36-year-old wrote: ‘With a heart full of gratitude, the time has come for me to step away from Strictly Come Dancing.
‘I am deeply grateful for the past 10 years on this beautiful show!
‘Thank you for the amazing opportunity and the unforgettable memories.
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‘It has truly meant the world to me. Now it’s time for me to follow my dreams beyond the show, and I’m excited for what the future holds.
Luba Mushtuk said she is ‘deeply grateful’ for her decade on the show (Picture: BBC/Ray Burmiston)
‘I can’t wait to see you all on the Pro Tour and I’m really looking forward to it for one last time,’ the Russian-British dancer concluded, signing off with love to her followers.
Which Strictly stars have confirmed they’re leaving?
Karen Hauer
Luba Mushtuk
Nadiya Bychkova
The BBC has confirmed the news in its own statement, saying ‘heartfelt thank you’ to the star, who first joined the show as an assistant choreographer in 2016. She was then added to the professional dancer line-up two years later.
The Strictly statement read: ‘Luba has been a valued member of the team — bringing professionalism, creativity, and her quality expertise year after year.
‘Respected both on and off the dance floor, she has consistently delivered unforgettable routines, captivating audiences with her remarkable talent and signature elegance.
Mushtuk is the latest pro to confirm her exit, after Michelle Tsiakkas and Karen Hauer did the same (Picture: David Fisher/Shutterstock)
Is it mistake to axe longtime, beloved Strictly pros?
Metro columnist Adam Miller weighs in…
A source told The Sun: ‘Strictly is always looking for ways to grow its audience – not just in size, but in attracting younger viewers. Social media is a massive part of that, and TikTok is the perfect platform for a show built on music and dance. They won’t lose someone purely for lacking a following, but it might be the thing that saves them.’
And that’s the problem.
Prioritising social media popularity above all else is an unsettling move which won’t have the earth-shattering benefits to make it worthwhile.Â
Strictly does need younger viewers – but every dancer leaving the show already had the potential to help bring them in.
Perhaps they were given an ultimatum: work harder on TikTok or risk the chop. I can’t believe for a second that any of them wouldn’t have embraced the challenge if it benefited them or the show.
Read his full opinion piece here…
‘We are incredibly grateful for her dedication to the programme and for always going above and beyond — whether through the care and commitment she showed her celebrity partners or her warmth and kindness behind the scenes.
‘Luba has been, and always will be, a much-loved member of the Strictly family, and we wish her every success in the future.’
Mushtuk’s statement comes just days after Nadiya Bychkova shared her own Instagram post, confirming her Strictly journey is ‘evolving’ and she will no longer be a pro dancer on the ballroom floor.
It has since been reported that she is in talks to join the backstage choreography team instead.
Michelle Tsiakkas and Karen Hauer have both confirmed their own exits from the show, following what has been reported as a huge overhaul of who this year’s celebrity contestants will be paired up with.
Strictly Come Dancing returns to the BBC this autumn.
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