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Strictly Come Dancing professional Katya Jones and her celeb partner, Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope, have been wowing fans and judges with their electric moves in the ballroom. Lewis even became the first celeb to land a 10 in this series of Strictly. Back in 2023, Katya was partnered with ex-EastEnders actor Nigel Harman. The star revealed that he would send late-night messages to his dance partner Katya while taking part in Strictly Come Dancing . Sadly, an injury forced Nigel to withdraw from the competition. During his stint on the popular BBC programme, the former Downton Abbey actor said his professional partner had become a de facto member of his family. He confessed to occasionally texting Katya in the wee hours when sleep was elusive. Nigel said: "Towards the weekend, I always wake up at about two in the morning, in the middle of the dance routine... always on a Friday night", as reported by the Manchester Evening News. "And it's (as) you know, we all wake up in the morning when we're in our REM sleeps and... (after those) four hour-ish cycles, and it's when that happens that I'm deep in the middle of a dance and I can't get back to sleep for about half an hour. "So basically, I lay there dancing through my dance a few times until my body goes, 'Okay. You still remember it, it's okay'. Then I go back to sleep. So that's the thing because really all I wanted to do is sleep for all the time when I'm not dancing." Katya admitted that Nigel has reached out to her "a couple of times" for reassurance about their dance routines, helping him return to sleep after waking up in the middle of the night. However, Nigel was quick to point out that he doesn't lose sleep over the judges' scores because "that's their business. I can't influence that. I just dance.". The immediate rapport between Nigel and Katya from their first pairing on Strictly is said to be the "secret to their success". Speaking on behalf of Betfair Bingo, body language expert Darren Stanton said: "Nigel and Katya never fail to impress the judges, demonstrating their commitment to their partnership. "It's evident that their bond strengthens each week, and it will only continue to grow. They would have to make a significant mistake to fall behind at this stage. It's certain they will make it to the final, and I can envision them taking home the trophy." He added: "Their body language has remained consistent and evolved each week. They mirror each other and maintain intense eye contact - it indicates an instant connection. That's been the key to their success. Whether they're dancing or conversing, it's clear they understand each other thoroughly."
