BBC Strictly’s Dianne Buswell says ‘can’t deal’ as co-star leaves her ‘fighting tears’

Strictly Come Dancing professional Dianne Buswell has been left emotional after her co-star left her a sweet gift for her unborn baby, who she is expecting with Joe Sugg

Dianne Buswell has revealed she ‘can’t cope’ after her Strictly Come Dancing partner moved her to near tears with his sweet gesture.

Fans of the beloved BBC One dancing programme will recognise that the professional dancer is taking part in this year’s series alongside Neighbours icon Stefan Dennis.

The duo made their competition bow during the opening week last weekend, delivering a Foxtrot to the Neighbours Theme by Barry Crocker.

Following their routine, whilst Stefan acknowledged there were problems with the dance, judge Anton Du Beke still praised it as a “brilliant effort”.

However, tougher critic Craig Revel Horwood swiftly highlighted how the performance was “littered with mistakes” as they concluded with a score of 22.

Despite displaying potential in the inaugural live episode of Strictly’s 2025 series, Stefan confessed to feeling ‘baffled’ by his most recent routine, which the judges observed, and he acknowledged, was riddled with errors, reports the Manchester Evening News.

The performer, renowned for portraying Neighbours baddie Paul Robinson for four decades, and defending champion Dianne, who is expecting her first baby, delivered an 80s-inspired cha cha to Give It Up by KC And The Sunshine Band, earning 17 points.

However, beyond their dancing, supporters will also know that Dianne is pregnant, having announced last month that she’s expecting her first child with partner Joe Sugg.

The Australian professional dancer and the YouTuber first crossed paths on Strictly in 2018 when they were partnered together for that series of the dancing competition, with romance flourishing after the show concluded as they discovered they ‘missed each other’.

On September 14, Dianne and Joe delightedly announced they would be welcoming their first bundle of joy in 2026, also disclosing they were expecting a little boy.

The expectant parents shared their joyous news through an adorable video, soundtracked by Elton John’s ‘Tiny Dancer’, showing them creating artwork which was then revealed to depict stick figures of themselves with a tiny one between them representing their unborn child.

Since then, Dianne and Joe have been inundated with heartwarming messages of congratulations and support following their wonderful announcement, with Dianne also receiving thoughtful presents whilst working on Strictly at Elstree Studios.

On Saturday (October 4), Dianne shared on social media that she’d received a miniature cardigan, which had been posted to the studio after her pregnancy reveal.

Alongside the image showcasing the tiny handcrafted garment, the Australian star posted several tearful face emojis before writing: “This was sent to the studio today and I cannot deal. It’s so small.”

During the latest live show, she returned to her social media and shared a selfie with Strictly colleague Neil Jones, where she could be seen pouting emotionally whilst displaying the thoughtful gift. Displaying a tiny pair of Adidas trainers, Dianne wrote alongside the post: “Nah I can’t deal thank you Uncle Jonsey [face holding back tears and heart emojis] @mr_njonesofficial @joe_sugg.”

She also offered a peek at another parcel containing miniature baby socks decorated with teddy bears. “And then these from uncle @ciaranfoley [face holding back tears and heart emojis] @joe_sugg. This lille boy is already so loved and lucky. Thank you [face holding back tears and heart emojis].”

Strictly Come Dancing returns Saturday at 6.55pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer