Strictly Come Dancing's Dianne Buswell's devastating hidden health battle 'terrifies' her

Dianne Buswell's last Strictly Come Dancing partner Chris McCausland quipped that she was "over the moon" to be matched with him as it guaranteed an early departure - yet the pair claimed the Glitterball Trophy. The partnership's routines have captivated audiences throughout this series.

The Australian-born professional has established herself as a viewer favourite since joining the BBC One dancing contest in 2017. Recognised for her effervescent character, striking hair colour and spectacular choreography, she's twice come within touching distance of claiming victory.

Throughout her stint on the programme, Dianne has also discovered romance with one of her celebrity contestants, and the relationship continues to flourish.

Formative years in Australia and hidden profession

Dianne entered the world on May 6, 1989, hailing from Bunbury in Western Australia. Her dancing journey commenced aged five after observing her siblings perform in the dance studio, reports the Manchester Evening News.

She subsequently participated in contests representing Western Australia across National and International Ballroom and Latin competitions, achieving four-time Amateur Australian Open finalist status. She and her sibling Andrew claimed the Western Australian Open Adult New Vogue championship in both 2008 and 2010.

Aged 18, she was selected for the Australian television programme So You Think You Can Dance, securing a position amongst the top 20 female contestants in Australia from thousands of hopefuls. This journey led Dianne to the globally renowned and critically celebrated stage production Burn the Floor.

Following her worldwide tour with the production, she returned to Australia to join Dancing with the Stars as a professional dancer. It was then that Strictly Come Dancing beckoned.

However, she pursued another career path alongside her dancing that many admirers remain oblivious to. Prior to becoming a professional dancer, Dianne worked as a hairdresser in her homeland of Australia.

She's said: "I had two dreams, dancing and becoming a hairdresser – I'm thrilled to have achieved both."

During her appearance on Michael McIntyre's The Wheel on BBC One in 2022, she selected hair as her specialist subject. When questioned about this choice, she explained: "I was a hairdresser. I had my own salon and then I went to dancing."

Strictly Come Dancing and week four curse

Dianne's inaugural Strictly celebrity partner Reverend Richard Coles failed to impress the judging panel, departing the 2017 series in week three.

Whilst she reached the grand finale in 2018 alongside Joe Sugg, her subsequent partnerships proved less enduring, with radio presenter Dev Griffin eliminated in week four of 2019. Dianne encountered identical circumstances with pop sensation Max George in 2020, and in 2021 was partnered with comedy performer Robert Webb, who was forced to withdraw during week four due to medical issues.

In 2022, she partnered with radio DJ Tyler West, but their journey ended in Blackpool during week nine. In 2023, she reached the final with EastEnders actor Bobby Brazier, but they were pipped to the Glitterball Trophy by Coronation Street's Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola.

Dianne later expressed her gratitude for being paired with Bobby, stating that dancing with him had been a "win" for her. She shared on Instagram: "I used to be so obsessed with winning a sparkly trophy constantly thinking about that moment and what it would feel like. But what I have realised [is] dancing with this wonderful human is that the win and the sparkle is everywhere if you want it to be."

Struggles with eating disorder

Dianne has previously spoken candidly about her struggle with an eating disorder that made her "terrified" to dance. Speaking on This Morning, she revealed her obsession over food and over-exercising.

She admitted: "You wake up in the morning, and the first thing you think of is, what am I going to eat? How many calories are going to be in that? How much do I need to exercise to burn off those calories?"so grateful"It literally is like a planned thing in your mind that doesn't go away. And that's when you start to go, "Oh, this is a problem because I'm not thinking of anything else."

She also discussed the pressure to maintain her weight when she became a dancer and how "weekly weigh-ins" at her dance company completely 'terrified' her as a young child.

She added: "I think it comes from when I was quite a young girl. And obviously growing up in the dance world, you're taught to look a certain way and you see all these other beautiful girls dancing. You kind of want to look like that and want to be winning like they are.

"And they look a certain way so I feel like I should look that way. So I think it was it was something from a really young age."

She eventually overcame her struggles and has documented her journey in the book Eating Disorders Don't Discriminate, hoping to support others experiencing similar challenges.

Finding love with Joe Sugg

Dianne and YouTuber Joe Sugg announced their relationship after being paired together in the 2018 series of Strictly, where they reached the final.

She told the Express that romance was the last thing on her mind when joining the programme.

She explained: "I feel like all the stars aligned with Joe because we're just literally such similar people in so many ways. We're very different in ways too, but just our personalities just click so, so well."

"I always think it's so weird how we met and I feel like everything was just aligned in the right place, right time for both of us. It was pretty special."

She shared they still dance together, although she joked his memory of the moves is a bit hazy.

She said: "When we're at home and a nice song comes on the radio or something, I definitely go like, 'Oh do you remember this Joe - that song that we danced to on the show?'"so grateful"And Joe will be like, 'I can't remember any of that now,' but then I'll re enact the whole dance and he'll be like, 'How do you do that?' So yeah, we still do have a joke around."

Dianne moved into Joe's flat in 2019, with the content creator revealing that he gave her a card which read, 'So I have officially invited you to live in my humble abode with me. Do you want to move in with me? Yes or no. Circle your choice. All my love, Joseph. '"She accepted, telling fans on Instagram: "I said yes.... of course. Then I whispered to him do you realise how messy I can be!"

The couple later relocated from London and now reside in a country house in Sussex.

Father's cancer battle

Dianne has confessed that her home in Australia sometimes feels very distant now that she's settled in the UK with Joe - but she loves life here. She told the Express: "One weird thing, I suppose, is that I just go, 'Wow, I'm actually so far away from where I was born'.

Then I think, 'Oh my god, like, of all the places I now am living!The UK is a full 24 hour plane ride away from my hometown. And obviously my family are all so far away from me.

"But I must say, I do love the UK and I do love all the people here and I love my job here so, yeah, I really enjoy the UK."

Following the conclusion of Strictly's 2023 series, Dianne returned home to visit her family, particularly her father Mark, who was undergoing a six-month chemotherapy programme for an undisclosed cancer diagnosis.

Dianne described him as her "hero", commending his resilience and positive attitude throughout his treatment. She posted a compilation on Instagram showing him in hospital, including footage of the moment he rang the bell to mark the completion of his therapy.She posted: "To my daddy you did it 6 months later and 12 rounds done.

I am so so PROUD of you it's been a tough road but you have always done it with a smile and a thumbs up. I know you were scared and I know it was not easy but you have done it.

"During an earlier stage of Mark's cancer battle, she discussed the challenge of being thousands of miles from home, posting: "I wish so much I could be there right now and just cuddle you. You're my hero and you have made me realise we all have so much more strength then we think.

"During Strictly's 2024 launch programme, Dianne announced that her parents would be travelling from Australia to support her on the show in November.

Why signature red hair is her 'comfort blanket'

Dianne is recognised for her vibrant red locks and reveals she was captivated by hair styling during her childhood.She explained she was "fascinated with colour" and would cut, style and dye her Barbie dolls' hair, revealing to the Press Association: "I actually remember for Easter most years, my mum would ask which Easter egg I wanted and I just really wanted hair colour, so mum would buy me a box hair colour instead of an Easter egg.

Her path to the striking red shade she's now famous for wasn't immediate. She said: "I always liked an undertone of red but when I went bright red for a dance show, something clicked. I felt different – more fiery, more passionate. It changed the way I danced.

"She maintains her striking colour has enabled her to distinguish herself in her dancing career, especially on Strictly: "It's given me that extra pizzazz and confidence. People recognise me as 'the red-haired girl', and it's become a part of my identity.

"Maybe one day I'll go back to a more natural shade," she admits, "but right now, it's hard to part with the red. It's more than just a colour – it's my comfort blanket."

She's also explained: "I've had red hair for about ten years now. I'm a hairdresser by trade, though I haven't done it in a salon for many, many years.

"But when I was hairdressing, I literally had every single colour you could imagine. I had blonde, I had black, I had brown, I had black with red stripes, I had black with blonde streaks – it was just like that hairdresser thing where you're just constantly changing the colour of your hair.

"And then, when I started dancing on stage, I went from jet black to honey blonde. And then I got bored – so I put a red dye over it one day and was like, 'I kind of like this', and it stuck.

"Everyone was like, 'Oh my god – red really suits you and works with your eyes'. Then since I went on Strictly Come Dancing, I've been known as the girl with red hair."