Strictly star Karen Hauer has revealed that she would like to be partnered with a female celebrity in this year's show.
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The professional dancer, who has been paired with a series of male contestants since joining the show in 2013, said she would "love" to dance with a woman in 2022's competition.
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"It would be great to dance with another female this year. I’d really love that," she told the Daily Star.
"It’s a beautiful thing that the show is opening up to it now. It’s not taboo anymore. It’s a beautiful thing to be able to show same-sex dancing. It’s normal now and that’s the way it should be."
Karen was paired with actor Greg Wise in last year's competition but hopes to return to the show with a female celeb. Commenting on the previous same-sex couples, she said: "It was done so beautifully both times."
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The BBC show introduced its first same-sex couple in 2020 when dancer Katya Jones was partnered with boxer Nicola Adams. The pair were forced to drop out of the competition after Katya tested positive for coronavirus.
Karen was partnered with actor Greg Wise in last year's series
The latest series saw the first all-male couple with Johannes Radebe and TV chef John Whaite, who made it all the way to the Grand Final, losing out to Rose Ayling-Ellis and Giovanni Pernice.
Back in November, John Whaite spoke about receiving "thousands of messages" from members of the LGBTQ+ community thanking him and Johannes for representing them on screen. He also revealed that he got emotional watching professionals Luba Mushtuk and Karen Hauer dance together in week ten's results show.
John Whaite made it to the final with Johannes Radebe
He told HELLO!: "When I sat and watched Luba and Karen dance together on the Sunday night results show, I remember feeling blown away and overwhelmed by that because I thought if I'd had that as a little boy if I'd had that representation, I would have grown up with a lot less shame and a lot less fear."
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