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Aliona Kavanagh ‏@AlionaVilani 8 minutes ago
After 7 years on Strictly Come Dancing, as my finale, this has been my best Strictly experience ever by a long way!

Aliona Kavanagh ‏@AlionaVilani 8 minutes ago
Going into this Strictly Come Dancing Series13, I decided that no matter what would happen, it will be my last one❤️


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I really like her as a pro, so sad news to me

I liked her too and is sad that she is leaving, at least she is leaving as champion

True ... a good way to end ... her favourite partner and winning the trophy.

It makes me wonder whether she'd told the producers at the start of the series (I imagine she would have done) which is why she got a contender. Not criticising by the way, more revealing my train of thought.

No great surprise really considering. I wish her well in whatever she chooses to do.

Great dancer - love watching her in the pro routines, but as far as connecting to her and her partnerships, I never have.

What a better way to bow out!

Sad news. I've really grown to respect her in this series more than any other. I've always quite liked her though.

I've seen a few posts suggesting Kristina and Natalie might choose to leave but that is yet to be seen. We've already lost Ola. That means there'll be one new female pro next year, unless someone else comes back (has that ever happened before, other than in cases of injury?).

That's a shame - she always puts on a good show. I love her style of dance.

i'll miss her.

I knew it. I knew it. I've had this impression for a while now. What more can she gain from strictly now ? They're just going to give her duffers after duffers


As a fan, I'm going to miss her but in some ways I'm happy with this decision. She's very driven/ambitious and I can't wait to see what her next move will be. She'll be more than fine .

Sometimes, it's time to take a leap of faith and move on.

Still the same old delusional stuff about whether the Beeb cares if one pro or the other wins or not.
The dancers are just commodities to the BBC and get a reported £35,000 per season. What the celebrities get is not disclosed.
There's more evidence the BBC match pros to celebrities by their passport photos

I had a feeling she's finish this year. Winning made it a dead cert. She would have had nothing but duffers for the rest of her time on Strictly if she had stayed,

Personally, I'm not a fan so it makes no difference to me.

There have been times I've really liked Aliona -- her genuine and lovely connection with Tony Jacklin -- and times I have actively disliked the way she's behaved (Gregg Wallace, not everyone's favourite guy admittedly and not especially savoury, but nevertheless a man suffering from profound anxiety and getting mostly harshness from his partner). On balance she's better (more committed) with genuine contenders than those who are there for the ride and to that end she's lucky to have had a lot of contenders -- Matt, Harry, Jay.

She's had a good run really.

I'm glad it's her decision to go, as it was with Ola too, it seems.

I will miss Aliona she's always been my fav female pro but it is understandable that she's leaving.

I have always liked her but understand that she wants to go out on a high! I do wonder if she and her husband want to start a family.

That she might want to start a family was my first thought too.

Well after this series with Jay, it's no surprise. They would have given her no-hopers forever if she'd continued, so better to bow out on a high, like Flavia did in 2012. I hear that she is thinking of starting a family so good for her. This series has been one of the best I've had the pleasure to watch, thanks to her and Jay, and I wish Aliona all the very best.

No surprise to me. She has the money and profile to make her own choices. Who wouldn't?

Aliona has announced she's leaving Strictly ...

She is going out on a high.......

All the best to Aliona. Leaving at a perfect point in her Strictly career. Happily married and winning with her favourite partner.

Perhaps she will meet up with Tony Jacklin in Florida when she sees her family?

Me too. When she has a good partner her choreography has been very interesting.

I wish her great happiness and success in whatever she wants to do.

That's my two favourite pros gonna

The cynic in me suggests that having had Johnny Ball, Tony Jacklin, & Gregg Wallace since winning with Harry, she wasn't prepared for 2 years of dross before getting another contender! XD but fair play, especially now she's married and potentially looking to follow Erin in starting a family! Good luck to her

I wonder whether having a baby and starting a family stops a woman from flirting around. There are various theories. She is now 31 and a half.

Bet her husband's keen for her to quit.

Good luck Aliona, always best to leave on a high.