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In recent days, Come Dancing has been in turmoil as one by one professional dancers have been axed from the show.
But has come out on top as she is set to sign a new contract which will mark her 10th anniversary on the glitzy dance competition, the Daily Mail can exclusively reveal.
bosses were ‘desperate’ to keep the 36-year-old Russian dancer amid the bloodbath because ‘they know how popular she is with viewers.’
One show source told the Daily Mail: ‘She is not leaving, Katya is remaining on Strictly, the bosses think she’s a legend. They know how much viewers love her and they are also in awe of her choreography talents.’
It comes after news broke that long-standing pros , 43, , 36, Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, , 36, and Gorka Márquez, 35, have been axed from the series, with sources claiming all of the Strictly pros are already aware of their fate.
The current Strictly shake-up comes after hosts and quit the series last year. Having made their final appearance in the special, a search has been underway at the BBC to find new ballroom hosts.
Desperate BBC bosses to hand Katya Jones new Strictly Come Dancing contract after 'bloodbath' of top talent from show (Pictured in 2019)
One show source told the Daily Mail: ‘She is not leaving, Katya is remaining on Strictly, the bosses think she’s a legend. They know how much viewers love her and they are also in awe of her choreography talents' (Pictured with Joe McFaddenin 2017)
Emma Willis and Zoe Ball are frontrunners, while other names including Alex Jones and Rylan have been thrown in the mix.
Now, sources suggest bosses are aiming for an entirely fresh start following years of criticism and controversy surrounding the professional dancers.
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Elsewhere, Neil Jones, 43, who has rarely had a celebrity dance partner on the show, will also go without one this year, as will Nancy Xu, 34.
It's believed they may still appear in the big group dance numbers, while pros such as Nadiya, Gorka, Luba, Michelle, and Karen have been completely dropped from the lineup.
Given Nadiya, Gorka and Luba are all in their mid-thirties, and Karen in her forties, the axings have sparked talk of an ageism row.
It’s no surprise bosses wanted to keep Katya as she is hugely popular with viewers.
She quickly stole the show in her first year with her creative routines and enthusiastic political partner Ed Balls in 2016.
The pair finished in an impressive sixth place, but she topped that in 2017 when she lifted the Glitterball with celeb partner Joe McFadden.
Katya went on to make Strictly history in 2020, being part of the show's first ever same sex partnership with boxer Nicola Adams.
Other celebrity partners include Mike Bushell, Adam Peaty, Tony Adams, and Nigel Harman.
