Katya Jones

Katya Jones (born Ekaterina Andreevna Sokolova; Russian: Екатерина Андреевна Соколова; 12 May 1989)[1] is a Russian dancer and choreographer.[2] She is best-known for being a professional dancer in the competition show Strictly Come Dancing, which she won in 2017 with her dance partner Joe McFadden. In the 2020 series, Jones was paired with the retired professional and Olympic champion boxer Nicola Adams, the first same-sex couple to compete in the UK competition's format.

Katya Jones
Born
Ekaterina Andreevna Sokolova

(1989-05-12) 12 May 1989
Leningrad, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
NationalityRussian
Occupation(s)Dancer, choreographer
SpouseNeil Jones (m. 2013; sep. 2019)

Early life

She was born in Sestroretsk, near Leningrad, Soviet Union, and started dancing at the age of six, training in gymnastics as well as Ballroom and Latin-American dancing.[3] Her father is a senior oil company executive and her Korean mother is a graduate in engineering.[4]

Strictly Come Dancing

In 2016, Jones became a professional in the BBC ballroom dancing show Strictly Come Dancing for its 14th series.[5] Jones was partnered with the former Shadow chancellor, Ed Balls. For the 15th series, Jones partnered the Holby City actor, Joe McFadden, where they were the series winners.[6] For the 16th series, Jones partnered the comedian Seann Walsh and for the 17th series, she was partnered with the BBC sports presenter, Mike Bushell. For the 18th series, she was part of the show's first same-sex couple, with the professional boxer Nicola Adams.[2] They withdrew from the competition on 12 November, after Jones tested positive for COVID-19. She was partnered with the Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty for the 19th series. For series 20 she was partnered with former England footballer and manager Tony Adams. They withdrew during the week 8 results show due to Tony sustaining a hamstring injury during his original performance.

Highest and lowest scoring performances per dance
Dance Partner Highest Partner Lowest
American Smooth Joe McFadden 35 Mike Bushell 14
Argentine Tango Joe McFadden 35 Adam Peaty 32
Cha-Cha-Cha Adam Peaty 30 Mike Bushell 18
Charleston Joe McFadden 40 Tony Adams 22
Couple's Choice Nicola Adams 32
Foxtrot Joe McFadden 32 Nigel Harman 29
Jive Joe McFadden 29 Seann Walsh 15
Paso Doble Joe McFadden 35 Ed Balls 16
Quickstep Joe McFadden 38 Adam Peaty 19
Rumba Joe McFadden 33 Adam Peaty 20
Salsa Joe McFadden 34 Tony Adams 21
Samba Joe McFadden 37 Tony Adams 18
Showdance Joe McFadden 39
Something-athon Joe McFadden 6 Ed Balls 1
Tango Mike Bushell 26 Tony Adams 15
Viennese Waltz Joe McFadden 39 Seann Walsh 20
Waltz Ed Balls 21
Series Partner Place Average score
14 Ed Balls 6th 22.6
15 Joe McFadden 1st 33.8
16 Seann Walsh 11th 22.5
17 Mike Bushell 8th 23.5
18 Nicola Adams 10th 28.3
19 Adam Peaty 9th 26.6
20 Tony Adams 9th 22.0
21 Nigel Harman TBA TBA

Performances with Ed Balls

She partnered the politician Ed Balls for the 14th series of Strictly Come Dancing.

  • Red number indicates Ed and Katya were at the bottom of the leaderboard.

Performances with Joe McFadden

She partnered the Scottish actor Joe McFadden for the 15th series of Strictly Come Dancing.

  • Green number indicates Joe and Katya were at the top of the leaderboard.

Performances with Seann Walsh

She partnered the comedian and actor Seann Walsh for the 16th series of Strictly Come Dancing.

  • Red number indicates Seann and Katya were at the bottom of the leaderboard.
^A Alfonso Ribeiro filled in for Tonioli

Performances with Mike Bushell

She partnered the television presenter Mike Bushell for the 17th series of Strictly Come Dancing.

  • Red number indicates Mike and Katya were at the bottom of the leaderboard.
^A Alfonso Ribeiro filled in for Tonioli

Performances with Nicola Adams

She partnered the boxer Nicola Adams for the 18th series of Strictly Come Dancing. They had to leave the competition after week 3 when Jones tested positive for COVID-19.

Performances with Adam Peaty

From September 2021, Jones was a contestant on the 19th series of Strictly Come Dancing, partnered by the Olympic swimmer Adam Peaty. They reached week 7, coming ninth.[7]

Performances with Tony Adams

From September 2022, Jones was a contestant on the 20th series of Strictly Come Dancing, partnered by former England men's association football captain Tony Adams. On week 8, they were announced as one of the bottom two couples. However, they did not compete in the dance-off due to Tony sustaining a hamstring injury, subsequently leading him to withdraw from the competition. This meant Jones became the first professional dancer on the show to have a partner who withdrew twice.

  • Red number indicates Tony and Katya were at the bottom of the leaderboard.

Performances with Nigel Harman
  • Green number indicates Nigel and Katya were at the top of the leaderboard.

Tour

Jones took part in the national Strictly Come Dancing - The Live Tour in 2017.[8]

In 2021, it was announced she would be appearing with Neil Jones at Donahey's Dancing with The Stars Weekends in 2022.[9]

Other TV appearances

In 2021, Jones appeared on CBBC's Saturday Mash Up where she was "super slimed", being covered in 20 buckets of gunge after a vote by viewers. In March 2022, she appeared in the show again and was gunged for a second time, in what was described as one of the biggest super slimes ever.

She appeared as a contestant in Celebrity Masterchef in 2022.[10]

In April 2023, she appeared in series five of Celebrity Hunted, partnered with Olympic snowboarder Aimee Fuller, and was eliminated in the fifth episode.[11]

Stage performances

Jones starred in the dance show Somnium: A Dancer's Dream,[12] directed and choreographed by Neil Jones. The show was performed from 20 to 22 June 2019 at Sadler's Wells Theatre. She has also acted in various pantomimes.[13]

Personal life

Jones married her boyfriend of five years, Neil Jones, a dancer and fellow cast member of Strictly Come Dancing, on 3 August 2013.[14] In October 2018, a video and photographs of Jones kissing her celebrity Strictly partner, Seann Walsh, were published.[15] On 18 August 2019, Jones and her husband announced that they had separated.[16]

References
  1. "BBC One - Strictly Come Dancing - Katya Jones". BBC. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  2. "Katya Jones & Neil Jones - BBC Strictly Come Dancing Pro Dancers". Donahey's. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
  3. "2016 Strictly Professional Dancer line up revealed!". 28 June 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  4. "Katya Jones: the 'fierce' ambition behind Team Glitterballs". The Guardian. 18 November 2016. Retrieved 31 December 2018.
  5. "Strictly Come Dancing celebrities at red carpet launch". BBC News. 31 August 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2016.
  6. Westbrook, Caroline (16 December 2017). "The Strictly Come Dancing 2017 winner has been crowned". Metro. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  7. "BBC One - Strictly Come Dancing - Adam Peaty". BBC. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
    - "BBC One - Strictly Come Dancing, Series 19, Week 7 Results". BBC. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  8. Laws, Roz (19 January 2017). "First look at Strictly tour and what they're dancing". birmingham Mail. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  9. "4* Weekend Break featuring the stars of BBC Strictly Come Dancing". Donahey's. December 2015. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
  10. "Celebrity MasterChef 2022 line-up: Meet the full cast". RadioTimes.
  11. "Famous Fugitives confirmed for new series of Celebrity Hunted for Stand Up To Cancer". Channel 4. 10 March 2023. Retrieved 26 September 2023.
  12. "Somnium: A Dancer's Dream". Sadler's Wells Theatre. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  13. "Star cast announced for Blackburn's biggest ever pantomime". Blackburn BID. 8 September 2021.
  14. Davies, Alex (12 September 2016). "Katya Jones and Neil Jones relationship: Strictly dancers discuss baby plans". OK!. Retrieved 29 September 2018.
  15. "Ex-girlfriend of Strictly Come Dancing star Seann Walsh says she is 'no victim'". Sky News. 8 October 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  16. "Strictly Come Dancing's Neil and Katya Jones announce split". BBC News. 18 August 2019. Retrieved 18 August 2019.
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