Neil Jones, a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, has responded to being without a celebrity partner for the 2026 series with a humorous video on Instagram. The 44-year-old, who has been part of the BBC show since 2016, has only had three celebrity partners in that time: Alex Scott in 2019, Nina Wadia in 2021, and Toyah Willcox in 2022. His latest video, posted after the launch show on September 19, 2026, shows him attempting to drop a pen into a bin, only for someone else to catch it before it lands.
Neil Jones Jokes About His Strictly 'Curse'
In the video, Neil is seen holding a pen over a bin and dropping it, but another person extends their arm and catches it, preventing it from landing. Neil then walks away with a disgruntled expression as awkward music plays. The caption reads: 'Pen in the cup 2.0? You know I love being part of @bbcstrictly and honestly after adding 2 Guinness world records last year to my 45 titles around the world, I feel like it would be greedy to win the glitter ball as well so I wanted to give the others a chance.'
Neil's post has drawn reactions from fellow Strictly stars. Professional dancer Kai Widdrington commented, hailing Neil as the 'goat' (greatest of all time). Bethany Antonia, who is competing this year with Nancy Xu in the first same-sex pairing in three years, wrote: 'Screaming. I love you.'
Fans Express Disappointment Over Neil's Absence
Many Strictly fans have voiced their confusion and upset over Neil not receiving a partner again. One fan, Jem, commented: 'So sad that you haven't gotten a partner again this year.' Another, Poppy, wrote: 'Christmas special's yours boo.' Charlotte suggested: 'We need a government petition to give Neil a partner next year!'
Becki said that while Neil's video made her laugh, she's 'gutted you haven't been paired up.' Lynne added: 'Can't believe you didn't get a partner…AGAIN!' and Lyn echoed: 'The best professional on the show and once again no partner, I am so disappointed, and if it wasn't for you being there I would stop watching it.'
Full List of Strictly 2026 Couples
The launch show on September 19 revealed the full pairings for the 2026 series, including Lacey Turner with Vito Coppola, Dani Dyer with Nikita Kuzmin, and Bethany Antonia with Nancy Xu. Other couples include Graeme Hall and Lauren Oakley, Will Best and Dianne Buswell, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Alexis Warr, Melanie Walters and Aljaz Skorjanec, and Chris Appleton and Amy Dowden. The full list was announced during the show, which airs on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
Strictly Come Dancing returns on Saturday night on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, with Neil Jones remaining part of the show as a professional dancer despite not having a celebrity partner this year.
