Aljaž Škorjanec & Janette Manrara Announce 2026 Tour

If you’ve followed Strictly Come Dancing over the past decade, you know Aljaž Škorjanec and Janette Manrara as the couple who brought effortless chemistry to the ballroom. Now they are back together on stage – but this time on their own terms, with a brand new UK tour announced for spring 2026.

Tour announcement date: November 3, 2025 ·
Tour name: Let’s Face The Music…and Dance! ·
Tour year: 2026 ·
Number of shows announced: 16 UK venues ·
Previous Strictly seasons together: 9 (as dance partners) ·
Year they left Strictly: 2024 (Janette), 2022 (Aljaž)

The key facts below offer a quick reference on Aljaž Škorjanec and Janette Manrara, from their Strictly years to the new tour.

Why did Janette Manrara leave Strictly Come Dancing?

Janette’s reason for stepping back from professional dancing on Strictly

Janette Manrara ended her run as a professional dancer on the main show after the 2024 series. The decision was driven by a desire to start a family with her husband Aljaž. The couple had welcomed their daughter in 2023, and Janette wanted to devote more time to motherhood.

Her transition to It Takes Two hosting role

Rather than leaving the Strictly family entirely, Janette moved into a presenting role on the spin-off show It Takes Two. She continues to host alongside Fleur East, keeping her connected to the ballroom while balancing family life. The pattern? She traded the sequins of Saturday night for the sofa of weekday chat – but the spark remains.

The implication: her departure was not a career retreat but a recalibration of what mattered most.

Why did Aljaž Škorjanec leave Strictly Come Dancing?

Aljaž’s announcement about taking a break to become a father

Aljaž left the show in 2022 after nine seasons, stating that he wanted to focus on becoming a dad. In an interview shared by the tour announcement context, he explained the break was a conscious choice to support Janette through pregnancy and early parenthood.

His return to the Strictly lineup in 2024

After a two-year hiatus, Aljaž returned to the Strictly dance floor in 2024. He rejoined the professional roster, dancing with celebrity partners and reasserting his place in the competition. The implication: fatherhood didn’t end his career – it reshaped its timing.

What is the new 2026 tour from Aljaž Škorjanec and Janette Manrara?

Tour details: name, dates, venues

On November 3, 2025, the couple announced ‘Let’s Face The Music…and Dance!’ – a 16-date UK tour that begins at York Barbican on 18 April 2026 and ends at Sheffield City Hall on 6 May 2026, with a London Palladium stop on 30 April (Winter Gardens Blackpool, official venue page). The show pays tribute to legendary composers and songwriters including David Foster, Quincy Jones, George Gershwin and Hans Zimmer (Musicals On Tour, tour listings).

How to book tickets

Venue pre-sales went live at 10am on Wednesday 5 November, with general sale following at 10am on Friday 7 November 2025. Tickets are available through individual venue websites. The live accompaniment comes from Tom Seals and his Big Band, who also performed on the couple’s sell-out 2025 tour ‘A Night To Remember’. The catch: with only 16 dates across the UK, early booking is essential.

What this means: the couple is betting on intimacy and orchestral depth rather than flashy spectacle — a deliberate artistic choice.

Has Janette Manrara been ill?

Janette’s recent health scare and recovery

In late 2024, Janette shared a health update on social media after being struck down by an illness that required recovery time. While the exact nature of the condition remains private, she has since returned to public appearances and resumed her tour preparations. The period of rest appears to have been a temporary setback rather than a long-term change.

Update after being struck down

Janette posted a recovery update stating she was “on the mend” and grateful for support. The timeline: her illness occurred between the birth of her daughter in 2023 and the tour announcement in November 2025, aligning with a period of intense family and career transitions.

Her resilience through this episode reinforces the narrative of a performer who prioritises family without abandoning her craft.

The return of Aljaž and Janette to the stage as a duo marks a full-circle moment: two dancers who once waltzed together on Strictly, built a family, navigated health challenges, and are now touring on their own terms. For fans, the 2026 tour is a rare chance to see their chemistry live – but for the couple, it’s a statement that the dance floor is still home.