Strictly's Janette Manrara shares emotional update on baby Lyra after health scare

Former Strictly favourite Janette Manrara was full of nerves after her much-loved little girl embarked on her first day at nursery school.

Lyra Rose, who has just turned a year old, had been due to begin last week but a terrifying health scare delayed her start date. The 40-year-old dance pro addressed the "tough" moment and how it had been made even worse by partner Aljaz Skorjanec being absent at the time.

This week, it was Janette's health that needed boosting, as the nervous mum unveiled a gift she'd been given by the nursery, especially for anxious parents. Clutching packets of herbal tea, she admitted she was feeling "all kinds of emotions".

"Lyra is having her first full day at nursery today. She was meant to start last week but she got very sick," she shared with her 595,000 Instagram followers. "The team gave me a first day parent pack and it's got calming teas and the nursery's phone number (I can call any time of the day and I will) and some tissues."

Janette added an emoji of a blooming rose as she enthused: "My little lady is growing so fast." Poor Lyra became seriously unwell just a few days after her first birthday, sparking a dash to the doctors and a round of antibiotics.

However, Janette has since reassured followers that she is "now finally on the mend".

She confided: "It has been tough for me dealing with her being so sick for the first time and on my own. I wanted to make her better straight away and I just couldn’t.

"She was just so uncomfortable no matter what I did to help. Then add the usual exhaustion of parenting on top of that… my emotions were all over the place."

Aljaz recently announced his return to Strictly after a two year hiatus, arriving as a presumed replacement after scandal-hit Graziano di Prima and Giovanni Pernice left the show - something which Janette recently commented on.

He had previously stepped up to take on the bulk of the childcare so that Janette could take up work opportunities, which included a presenting role on Strictly spin-off show It Takes Two.

She divided opinion when she announced she'd be returning to work just a few weeks after giving birth, but she and Aljaz have been a great team co-parenting their little girl.

The besotted couple wouldn't change their situation for the world and Janette recently shared a message of empowerment to struggling parents out there trying to juggle it all.

"Parenting is hard and there are so many ups and downs, so…. to all of the parents out there who are having tough days…. YOU GOT THIS!" she exclaimed.