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9 Strictly dancer dads cuddling their cute babies to make you broody

Dancer dads showcasing their softer sides

strictly pro dads
Sophie Hamilton
Parenting Editor
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Strictly Come Dancing is back in full swing, and we love keeping up to date with what the professional dancers get up to when they're not busy in the ballroom. And a lot of them have adorable families of their own to keep them occupied in-between seasons!

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There's only one thing more attractive than a guy with dance talent strutting his stuff in a sparkly lycra vest, and that's a muscly man cradling a cute baby (flashback to that Athena poster of 'man holding baby' for those old enough to remember).

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So here HELLO! we're gifting you this selection of photos of our favourite male dancers cuddling their kiddies to celebrate Father's Day. Collective aw! From charming Pasha Kovalev to the lovely Gorka Marquez and otherStrictly stars James Jordan and Darren Bennett, these pros are the cutest! Take a look...

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Gorka Marquez

Now that's daddy-daughter love right there. Strictly pro Gorka often shares sweet photos of himself and his little girl Mia on his social media. The dancer and his fiancé Gemma Atkinson welcomed Mia in 2019 and couldn't be more proud of their little one. How cute is this recent snap of the father-daughter duo throwing up the peace sign?

gorka and mia© Photo: Instagram

Will Mellor

Will Mellor is a brand new face on Strictly Come Dancing 2022 but fans might recognise the 46-year-old actor from Coronation Street and Hollyoaks. When Will isn't hitting the ballroom floor he loves to spend time with his professional West End dancer wife, Michelle McSween, and their two children Jayden and Renee at their Cheshire home.

strictlys will mellor and family© Photo: Getty Images

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Artem Chigvintsev

Former Strictly dancer and Dancing with the Stars pro Artem is clearly loving fatherhood. The star and his fiancée Nikki Bella welcomed their son Matteo on 31 July 2020. Speaking on Nikki's twin sister Brie's The Bellas Podcast at the time, Artem said: "When people ask, 'How does it feel to be a dad?' Nothing I could've expected. It's better in such a different way. It's like unless you actually experience it, there's just no way you can explain with words."

artem baby© Photo: Instagram

Pasha Kovalev

Aw, lovely Pasha looks smitten with his baby girl Maven in this shot. The dancer welcomed his first child with Countdown star Rachel Riley in December 2019 and just six months ago, the couple become parents for the second time after welcoming their daughter, Noa.  

pasha and noa© Photo: Instagram

James Jordan

Just how cute are James and his daughter Ella? The dancer and his fellow pro wife Ola Jordan have spoken of their difficult three-year battle to conceive, so we were thrilled when little Ella arrived on 27 February 2020. James told HELLO! on first setting eyes on his baby girl: "I could stare at her all day. I didn't want to let her go." The pair have even opened up about their IVF journey and their plans for their second child. 

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james jordan and ella© Photo: HELLO!
Photo credit: Nicky Johnston

Gleb Savchenko

Dancer Gleb is one doting dad in this 2018 picture with his children Olivia and Zalara. Gleb joined Strictly in its thirteenth series but didn't return for the fourteenth series, deciding he wanted to spend more time with his wife and daughter, Olivia. The family welcomed Zalara in August 2017.

gleb with kids© Photo: Instagram

Darren Bennett

We were huge fans of dancer Darren on Strictly and here is with his daughter Valentina Rosa back in 2015, who he shares with his wife Lilia, another fellow former Strictly dancer Lilia. What a sweet pair Darren and Valentina are in this photo.

darren bennett and baby© Photo: Instagram

Brendan Cole

Oh we love this snap of Brendan Cole and his son Dante from 2018 – nothing beats a guy with a baby carrier! Brendan and his wife Zoe Hobbs are also parents to Aurelia, who they welcomed in 2012; little Dante arrived in March 2018.

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brendan cole holding baby dante© Photo: Instagram

Anton du Beke

Strictly's Anton is absolutely adorable reading to his twins George and Henrietta. The star became a father in 2017 with his then-girlfriend, Hannah Summers, who he later married in secret shortly after the birth.

anton reading to kids© Photo: Instagram

Anton shared this snap on World Book Day 2020.

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