{"id":2342374,"date":"2026-03-23T17:07:22","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T17:07:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/?p=2342374"},"modified":"2026-03-23T17:07:22","modified_gmt":"2026-03-23T17:07:22","slug":"karen-hauer-says-her-dogs-have-helped-her-cope-with-strictly-exit","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/karen-hauer-says-her-dogs-have-helped-her-cope-with-strictly-exit\/","title":{"rendered":"Karen Hauer says her dogs have helped her cope with Strictly exit"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p>\n<div id=\"article-body\">\n<p id=\"03fab28f-df78-4824-96ac-a5e0a57d3dad\">Karen Hauer is leaving <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.womanandhome.com\/tag\/strictly-come-dancing\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.womanandhome.com\/tag\/strictly-come-dancing\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.womanandhome.com\/tag\/strictly-come-dancing\/\"><em>Strictly Come Dancing<\/em><\/a> after 14 years serving as a professional dancer on the iconic show.<\/p>\n<p>The longest-serving female professional dancer on the series, Venezuelan-born Karen delivered news of her exit through a video posted on Instagram.<\/p>\n<p><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" id=\"elk-seasonal\"\/><\/p>\n<aside data-block-type=\"embed\" data-render-type=\"fte\" data-skip=\"dealsy\" data-widget-type=\"seasonal\" class=\"hawk-root\"\/>\n<p id=\"03fab28f-df78-4824-96ac-a5e0a57d3dad-2\" class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">The decision to step away from <em>Strictly<\/em> could not have been easy for the star, and she&#8217;s shared the &#8220;stress and anxiety&#8221; that comes with making such a huge decision &#8211; Karen also reveals her dogs have helped her work though challenging feelings about leaving.<\/p>\n<p><span class=\"article-continues-below block py-2 text-sm\">Article continues below <svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"inline-block w-2.5 h-2.5 ml-2\" fill=\"currentColor\" preserveaspectratio=\"xMidYMid meet\" viewbox=\"0 0 1000 1000\"><path d=\"M1000 100L500 900 0 100h1000z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-[#333]&#10;            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-[#333]&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-normal&#10;        \"><br \/>\n            You may like<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">&#8220;After 14 years on <em><a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.womanandhome.com\/tag\/strictly-come-dancing\/\" data-auto-tag-linker=\"true\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.womanandhome.com\/tag\/strictly-come-dancing\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.womanandhome.com\/tag\/strictly-come-dancing\/\">Strictly Come Dancing<\/a><\/em>, I&#8217;ve decided this is the right time for me to close this chapter and take on new projects in other areas that I&#8217;m passionate about,&#8221; Karen said in her video statement.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paywall\" aria-hidden=\"true\">She continues, &#8220;<em>Strictly<\/em> completely changed my life, not only as a performer and a teacher, but as a human being.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p id=\"bb74975b-daaf-4a39-baf0-2f9c00af4f13\">&#8220;I&#8217;ve had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people, and brilliant celebrity partners, who have become close friends and people I admire so much,&#8221; she adds.<\/p>\n<p>Karen thanks her &#8220;amazing fans&#8221; who have supported her since moving to UK &#8211; her arrival signalled a time she had &#8220;no idea what I was getting myself into.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div id=\"slice-container-newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-qUWsVyWAYgpXA5h6UfyPwH\" class=\"slice-container newsletter-inbodyContent-slice newsletterForm-articleInbodyContent-qUWsVyWAYgpXA5h6UfyPwH slice-container-newsletterForm\">\n<div data-hydrate=\"true\" class=\"newsletter-form__wrapper newsletter-form__wrapper--inbodyContent\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-form__container\">\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__top-bar\"\/>\n<section class=\"newsletter-form__main-section\">\n<p class=\"newsletter-form__strapline\">Sign up to our free daily email for the latest royal and entertainment news, interesting opinion, expert advice on styling and beauty trends, and no-nonsense guides to the health and wellness questions you want answered.<\/p>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&#8220;I&#8217;m going to miss everyone who makes this show possible,&#8221; the dancer shares, extending thanks to every member of the team that &#8220;takes care of us.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Thanking her fellow dancers, making special nods to Bruce Forsyth and Len Goodman, Karen also has touching words for &#8220;the brilliant Tess and <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.womanandhome.com\/tag\/claudia-winkleman\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.womanandhome.com\/tag\/claudia-winkleman\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.womanandhome.com\/tag\/claudia-winkleman\/\">Claudia<\/a>.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Maybe now we can finally be ladies who lunch in the autumn,&#8221; she says, addressing the former hosts, who announced their own <a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" data-analytics-id=\"inline-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.womanandhome.com\/life\/news-entertainment\/claudia-winkleman-tess-daly-leaving-strictly\/\" data-url=\"https:\/\/www.womanandhome.com\/life\/news-entertainment\/claudia-winkleman-tess-daly-leaving-strictly\/\" data-hl-processed=\"none\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"inline-link\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"https:\/\/www.womanandhome.com\/life\/news-entertainment\/claudia-winkleman-tess-daly-leaving-strictly\/\"><em>Strictly<\/em> exit<\/a> last October.<\/p>\n<aside data-component-name=\"Recirculation:ArticleRiver\" data-recirculation-type=\"inline\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"Trending Bar\" data-nosnippet=\"\" class=\"clear-both pb-0 pt-2 mb-4\">\n        <span class=\"&#10;            flex&#10;            after:content-[''] after:flex-1 after:ml-4 after:my-[0.7rem] after:border-t after:border-solid after:border-[#333]&#10;            before:content-[''] before:flex-1 before:mr-4 before:my-[0.7rem] before:border-t before:border-solid before:border-[#333]&#10;            font-article-heading pb-0 !text-base uppercase sm:text-sm font-normal&#10;        \"><br \/>\n            What to read next<br \/>\n        <\/span><\/p>\n<\/aside>\n<p>Karen concludes her statement with, &#8220;This isn&#8217;t a goodbye, it&#8217;s simply &#8216;see you later.&#8217; I will never stop dancing, and <em>Strictly<\/em> will always be in my heart.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p id=\"8270448c-fa21-4169-9a9b-20fb83ee2628\">The day after her announcement, Karen attended the LitPet Sunday Dog Social event. Speaking of her decision to leave <em>Strictly<\/em>, she says, &#8220;It&#8217;s been a terribly stressful time and my four dogs have really helped me get through it.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Adding that the difficult career move was &#8220;part of life,&#8221; she explains her dogs also feel it when she&#8217;s stressed.<\/p>\n<p>Along with her seven-year-old rescue dog Marley, the dancer spent an afternoon exploring therapies aimed at reducing anxiety and helping both pets and their owners feel calm.<\/p>\n<p>With a Reiki healing session with Marley on offer at the event, Karen says, &#8220;I think I need this more than my dog. My emotions and stresses have really affected them recently, but they have really helped me regulate my feelings.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>She explains, &#8220;I feel that when I hold my dogs, my stress and anxiety levels come down.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>As well as being supported by her pets, Karen has no shortage of encouragement from friends.<\/p>\n<p>Neil Jones wrote on Instagram, &#8220;You are the OG and I\u2019m going to miss laughing with you the whole time we dance together in group numbers, and at the back of the bus.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Alexis Warr added, &#8220;You are a legend and an icon! I love you so much Karen and it was a privilege to be able to have a season with you.&#8221;<\/p>\n<div class=\"block\" id=\"articleTag\" data-component-name=\"PostArticleLinks\" data-nosnippet=\"\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"post-article-links\">\n<p>TOPICS<\/p>\n<nav class=\"py-2.5 flex gap-2.5 flex-wrap\" data-analytics-id=\"article-tag\" data-mrf-recirculation=\"article-tag\">\n<a rel=\"nofollow\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"flex-none p-2.5 text-white bg-neutral-950 hover:bg-neutral-500 hover:underline hover:underline-offset-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.womanandhome.com\/tag\/strictly-come-dancing\/\" data-before-rewrite-localise=\"\/tag\/strictly-come-dancing\"><br \/>\nstrictly come dancing<br \/>\n<\/a><br \/>\n<\/nav>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><em> \u2018 The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n<p><em> \u2018 Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.womanandhome.com \u2019 <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Karen Hauer is leaving Strictly Come Dancing after 14 years serving as a professional dancer on the iconic show. The longest-serving female professional dancer on the series, Venezuelan-born Karen delivered news of her exit through a video posted on Instagram. The decision to step away from Strictly could not have been easy for the star, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2342375,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"jnews-multi-image_gallery":[],"jnews_single_post":[],"jnews_primary_category":[],"jnews_social_meta":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[25172],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2342374","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-entertainment"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Karen-Hauer-says-her-dogs-have-helped-her-cope-with.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2342374","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2342374"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2342374\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2342376,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2342374\/revisions\/2342376"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2342375"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2342374"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2342374"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/celebrity.land\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2342374"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}