Luba Mushtuk shared a message with fans as she prepares to head out on her last tour as a current Strictly Come Dancing professional.
As fans are now aware, the dancer and choreographer is among the stars leaving the hit BBC One dance show ahead of the 2026 series as a number of changes are made before its expected return this autumn.
Luba has been part of Strictly’s pro line-up since 2016, and has partnered a number of celebrities, including rower James Cracknell, actor Adam Thomas, and presenter Nick Knowles.
But announcing her exit on social media at the end of last month, Luba posted a simple black and white post to Instagram, in which the 36-year-old wrote: “With a heart full of gratitude, the time has come for me to step away from Strictly Come Dancing. I am deeply grateful for the past 10 years on this beautiful show!
“Thank you for the amazing opportunity and the unforgettable memories. It has truly meant the world to me. Now it’s time for me to follow my dreams beyond the show, and I’m excited for what the future holds. I can’t wait to see you all on the Pro Tour and I’m really looking forward to it for one last time.”
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
As she mentioned, Luba is among the stars taking part in the Strictly Professionals tour, which takes place throughout April and May, including two performances in Salford, at The Lowry Lyric Theatre, and four performances at the London Palladium.
On Friday (April 3), Luba’s Strictly co-stars Kai Widdrington and Jowita Przystal revealed that rehearsals were getting underway on Monday (April 6) and as the day arrived, Luba shared a selfie on Instagram and said: “Ok then… Let’s do this [flexed bicep emoji].”
Luba was the third dancer to have confirmed their departure at the time, with it already announced that Karen Hauer and Nadiya Bychkova would be leaving Strictly, after 14 and nine years respectively on the show.
Michelle Tsiakkas has since confirmed her departure after four years. The news came after she fuelled rumours that she was among those to be leaving when she pulled out of the upcoming tour.
She has since said in her statement confirmed her Strictly exit of the tour: “l’ve also had to make the very hard decision to pull out from the Pro Tour in May. I was really looking forward to performing for you all and sharing the stage with my friends, but I know that right now I wouldn’t have been able to give you my very best, and you deserve the best. After reflection, I believe this was the best decision for me, and your understanding and support have meant a lot.”
