Strictly Come Dancing star Dianne Buswell has announced the death of her beloved grandfather.
The fan-favourite pro, who joined the BBC show in 2017, shared the devastating news with fans via an emotional social media post.
Dianne, 36, who won the most recent series of Strictly with comedian Chris McCausland, wrote in her caption: ‘Rest in peace pop ❤️🥹 you were 99 years young 🙏 thank you for all the stories and I just know you will be up there dancing with Nan already ❤️❤️🙏’
The video she attached showed her surprising her grandfather in Australia after her Glitter Ball triumph.
Filming was her boyfriend, Joe Sugg, who captured the adorable pair posing for the camera, hugging, and dancing, and could be heard giggling in the background.
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Dianne was quickly flooded with heartfelt messages in the comments section, with fellow Strictly pro Nancy Xu writing: ‘D D 💜💜💜💜 Sending you all the love’.
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‘I’m so sorry for your loss Di😔🙏🏽 Sending you and your family all my love❤️❤️❤️’, added Michelle Tsiakkas.
Vito Coppola, who is currently touring the country with Dianne with their Red Hot and Ready show, also commented a praying hands emoji and a heart.
Fans on Instagram – where Dianne boasts 1.1million followers – also sent their condolences.
Her loss comes just weeks after the death of her ‘special’ nan, who Dianne announced had died in early March.
‘Rest in peace nan,’ she penned alongside a montage of clips of them together.
‘Love you very much ❤️ I’m so grateful I was home to say goodbye to such a special lady in my life ❤️ now go be with pop he has been patiently waiting for you.’
Aussie dance star Dianne has been part of the Strictly furniture for eight years now and has been confirmed to return to the ballroom later this year for another series.
Over the years, her celebrity partners have included Dev Griffin, Max George, Tyler West, and Bobby Brazier.
Despite coming close to glory in the past, 2024 was the year she finally lifted the trophy, having also won the nation’s hearts with her partnership with Chris, the programme’s first-ever blind contestant.
Flame-haired Dianne has also been dating YouTuber Joe since not long after their stint on the show, having reached the final in 2018.
They frequently share glimpses inside their relationship online, whether it be cooking videos or daily vlogs.
She and Joe reside in a gorgeous luxury property in West Sussex, which they purchased for a whopping £3.5million. It boasts five bedrooms and sprawls across 7,741 sq ft.
Outside of the Strictly bubble, Dianne has appeared on the reality series Freeze the Fear with Wim Hof, hosts a podcast, and tours with her fellow dancers.
As far as her personal life is concerned, Dianne has frequently posted updates on her dad Mark’s health, as he recently had heart surgery.
He required the major op after concerns were raised in regular checkups amid his previous cancer treatment.
Thankfully, doctors were pleased with how he was recovering post-surgery, during which he had a double heart bypass due to the main artery to his heart being blocked.
Mark completed 12 gruelling rounds of chemotherapy last April, with Dianne sharing on social media that he had officially rung the bell after six intense months.
Dianne’s father and her mother flew thousands of miles to the Strictly studios last November to watch her dance for the first time in years, which had the star and the nation watching in floods of tears.
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