Lauren Oakley quickly became a darling of the Strictly Come Dancing audience following her introduction to the renowned BBC programme in 2022. Initially featuring in the professional group routines during her first season, Lauren secured a celebrity partner in 2023.
The Brummie dance sensation, 33, was matched with renowned Channel 4 News journalist Krishnan Guru-Murphy and the pair made it to the show’s eighth week. Returning for the 2024 series, Lauren has not been paired with a celeb this time.
However, she will grace the Strictly stage on Saturday (2 November), stepping in for the unwell Amy Dowden. Partnering with JLS’s JB Gill, Lauren is set to show off her expertise while Amy recuperates.
Sharing the update, the BBC said: “Amy Dowden MBE is doing much better and the Strictly family send her love and wish her well. She is delighted that fellow professional dancer, Lauren Oakley, is able to step in for rehearsals and to perform in Saturday’s show for JB Gill’s couple’s choice dance.”
Lauren’s passion for dancing began at two years old, competing from when she was just seven and triumphing as the juvenile champion at Blackpool Dance Festival, reports Wales Online.
With a reputation that precedes her in the world of dance, Lauren has dazzled as the lead woman in both Giovanni Pernice and Anton Du Beke’s tour Him and Me, and toured extensively with the illustrious Burn the Floor. She lent her talents alongside Giovanni in his solo tour named This Is Me.
Away from the glitter and glamour of the dance floor, Lauren’s personal life is a fairy-tale romance, having exchanged vows with her beloved, Maximiliano Omar Montes de Oca. The couple sealed their love in September 2019 amidst the grandeur of a luxury ceremony after courting for a lengthy period.
Lauren was absolutely stunning in her wedding attire, opting for a gorgeous lace creation from Made with Love Bridal, with the nuptials set against the breath-taking backdrop of a rural venue. A charming floral headdress crowned her look, while she clasped a bouquet of bold sunflowers as she made her way up the aisle.
Recounting memories of the idyllic day on social media, the dancer expressed: “We had an absolutely magical day full of sunshine, and we hope everyone enjoyed it as much as we did. We felt so at home around all of our loved ones and the wedding was exactly how we wanted it to be, comfortable, relaxed and like a huge house party in the English countryside… Only in a big white dress! “.