‘WE ARE NOT PERFECT – NO COUPLE IS'

DANCERS ALJAŽ ŠKORJANEC AND JANETTE MANRARA OPEN UP EXCLUSIVELY TO OK! ABOUT THEIR HAPPY MARRIAGE OVERCOMING TESTING TIMES AND THEIR LOVE OF BEING PART OF THE BBC’S STRICTLY FAMILY

- RIANNE ISON

Aljaž Škorjanec and Janette Manrara aren’t just in sync on the Strictly dance floor. When Janette arrives first for their exclusive shoot with OK!, she’s brought some food along for herself and made sure to order something for her hubby of four years – aka her “bucko”.

And when Aljaž walks through the door carrying a bag of snacks and calling out for his “bucka”, he’s brought her something too.

Within seconds Aljaž, 31, and Janette, 37, are laughing, joking and showing off their dance moves. The strength of their 10-year relationship is clear to see and Janette says, “He doesn’t stop making me laugh.”

When we catch up with the down-to-earth pair on Zoom a few days later, the other thing that’s clear is they’re each other’s biggest cheerleaders, celebrating one another’s latest wins in life. That includes Janette’s presenting role on Strictly spin-off It Takes Two, where she’ll take over from Zoe Ball, and Aljaž’s first acting job in a new film adaptation of Tony and Olivier award-winning musical Matilda.

Here, they talk about the end of an era as Janette takes on her new project, how they keep the spark alive while apart and dreams for the future – on and off the dance floor.

Hi, both! Strictly season is upon us. How excited are you?