Former BBC Strictly Come Dancing champion comes out in emotional engagement announcement

BBC Strictly Come Dancing's 2017 winner, Joe McFadden, made an announcement about his love life.

By Gemma Jones, Showbiz Reporter

Strictly Come Dancing

Former Strictly star is engaged (Image: BBC)

Former Strictly Come Dancing star Joe McFadden has announced that he is engaged to his "soul mate". The 48-year-old is usually private about his love life, having never revealed his sexuality before, but shared that he had tied the knot with his fiance, Rob.

Sharing a snap of the two of them together, Joe wrote: "Couldn’t be happier to be engaged to be married to my amazing soulmate, Rob." Giving a nod to his sexuality, he added: "#loveislove" followed by a rainbow emoji.

It is not known when Joe and Rob, an artist, started dating but it appears that the pair are completely loved up. In the picture they both had huge grins on their faces as some of the former Strictly contestant's 42,000 followers flooded them with support and well wishes.

Former Love Island host Laura Whitmore wrote: "Congrats," accompanied with a red love heart emoji. Joe's former Holby City co-star David Ames commented: "Awww congrats Joe!" with a red heart.

Some of his fans then echoed their words, with one writing: "Omgggggg!!!! Congratulations to you both."

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Another added: "THRILLED for the two of you!!!!!!!" While a third said: "Oh this is such wonderful news! Huge congratulations to you both - over the moon for you, Joe."

Joe has previously remained tight-lipped about his love life but in 2017 he admitted he was single at that time and "didn't know why".

Speaking to the press, he said: "I don't know why I'm single. I must be unlovable, I don't know. Who knows? Maybe I work too hard."

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Joe won Strictly Come Dancing in 2017 (Image: Getty)

In another interview he hit out saying that his private life was "no one's business". Speaking to the Scotsman he said: "There's nothing to speak of, I just think it's not really anyone's business.

"I don't mean that to sound aggressive or confrontational but it'd be like going up to that guy [he points to a waiter] and asking who he's sleeping with. It's rude.

"I do understand that people want to know because they know who you are and they want to know the details of your life. But you give so much of your life to the job that I want some bits for myself."

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