Karen Strictly – Dancer Hauer and Footballer Carney

Strictly Come Dancing fans searching for “Karen Strictly” often encounter two different public figures who share a first name but have entirely separate roles on the show. One is a professional dancer who has been a fixture of the ballroom for more than a decade. The other is a former England footballer who stepped onto the dance floor as a contestant. Understanding which Karen is which, what each has achieved, and how their personal lives have been reported requires separating established facts from persistent rumours.

Karen Hauer is the Venezuelan-American Latin dance specialist who joined Strictly in 2012 and became the show’s longest-serving female professional dancer. Karen Carney is a former footballer with 78 England caps who competed as a celebrity contestant in the 2023 series. The two women are not related and have no personal connection. The confusion arises purely from their shared first name and their involvement with the same BBC programme within overlapping timeframes.

The sections below answer the most common questions about both Karens, clarify what is known and what remains uncertain about their careers and personal lives, and provide a clear comparison for anyone trying to make sense of the search results.

Is Karen Hauer Still on Strictly Come Dancing?

Karen Hauer remains a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing as of the 2025 series. She first joined the show in 2012 and has been partnered with a wide range of celebrity contestants over more than a decade. According to reports, she was the longest-serving female professional dancer on the programme before any departure was announced.

Key insights at a glance:

• Two distinct public figures named Karen are associated with Strictly Come Dancing: dancer Karen Hauer and footballer Karen Carney.
• Karen Hauer has been a professional dancer on the show since 2012 and continues to feature in the 2025 series.
• Karen Carney was a contestant in the 2023 series and did not win; she was eliminated in the semi-finals.
• The search query “Karen Strictly husband” is ambiguous because different answers apply to each woman.
• The “abusive husband” rumour circulating online pertains to claims made by Karen Hauer about her marriage to Jordan Wyn-Jones and is not a proven criminal case.

Snapshot: The Two Karens of Strictly Come Dancing

Who Is Karen Carney?

Karen Carney is a former England international footballer who transitioned into sports broadcasting after retiring from play. She earned 78 caps for England, playing as a winger or midfielder for clubs including Birmingham City, Arsenal, and Chelsea. She was appointed an OBE for services to football and broadcasting.

In 2023, Carney appeared as a celebrity contestant on Strictly Come Dancing. She was partnered with professional dancer Gorka Márquez. During the first live show, she topped the leaderboard, which was reported as the first time a footballer had achieved that position in 18 years. She was eliminated in the semi-finals, finishing in 4th place.

Since her appearance on the show, Carney has continued her work as a broadcaster and pundit. She has not returned to Strictly as a contestant or professional.

Who Were Karen Hauer’s Strictly Partners?

Over her years on Strictly Come Dancing, Karen Hauer has been paired with a variety of celebrity contestants from different backgrounds. The list below covers her confirmed partners across multiple series.

Celebrity partners by series

• 2013 – Mark Benton
• 2014 – Thom Evans (injury replacement)
• 2015 – Daniel O’Donnell
• 2016 – Melvin Odoom
• 2017 – Simon Rimmer
• 2018 – Charles Venn
• 2019 – Chris Ramsey
• 2020 – Jamie Laing
• 2021 – Greg Wise
• 2022 – Jayde Adams
• 2023 – Eddie Kadi
• 2024 – Tom Dean

Her highest placement came in 2020 when she and Jamie Laing reached the final and finished 4th. For a more detailed look at her partnership history and personal timeline, see Karen Hauer’s Strictly career and marriage timeline.

Karen Carney’s Strictly Journey: Did She Win?

Karen Carney did not win Strictly Come Dancing. She was eliminated in the semi-finals of the 2023 series, finishing in 4th place. The winner of that series was Ellie Leach.

Carney’s journey on the show was notable for a strong start. She topped the leaderboard during the first live show, a feat that was reported as historic for a footballer contestant — the first to do so in 18 years. Her partnership with Gorka Márquez received positive attention, and she was widely regarded as a capable dancer who improved throughout the competition.

Since leaving the show, Carney has not indicated any plan to return as a contestant or professional. She continues to work in sports media.

What Are the Personal Lives of the Karens on Strictly?

Personal details about both women have been the subject of public interest, particularly regarding relationships and marriage. The information below is drawn from published reports and official records.

Karen Hauer’s relationship history

Karen Hauer has been married three times. Her first marriage was to dancer Matthew Hauer, which lasted from approximately 2000 to 2009. She later married fellow Strictly professional Kevin Clifton in 2015; the couple divorced, with reports placing the end of the relationship in either 2018 or 2020. Her third marriage was to businessman and fitness specialist Jordan Wyn-Jones in 2022; they separated after about 16 months. She is currently reported to be dating former rugby player Simon Davidson.

The “abusive husband” claim involving Karen Hauer

There has been media reporting that Karen Hauer described her marriage to Jordan Wyn-Jones as abusive or toxic. In an interview quoted by multiple outlets, she said: “He didn’t hurt me physically so you couldn’t see it.” She described repeated texts, calls, and emotional pressure that left her feeling “emotionally battered.” It is important to note that these are her own reported statements about emotional harm, not a proven criminal case of physical abuse. No charges or court findings have been publicly documented.

Karen Carney’s personal life

Available records do not indicate that Karen Carney is currently married or has a publicly confirmed partner. One source explicitly states she is not married and has no known husband. No reports of abuse or legal disputes involving Carney have been published.

Timeline: Karen Hauer on Strictly

The following timeline summarises Karen Hauer’s years on Strictly Come Dancing, with her celebrity partner for each season where applicable.

1. 2012: Joins Strictly as a professional dancer.
2. 2013: Partnered with Mark Benton.
3. 2014: Partnered with Thom Evans (injury replacement).
4. 2015: Partnered with Daniel O’Donnell.
5. 2016: Partnered with Melvin Odoom.
6. 2017: Partnered with Simon Rimmer.
7. 2018: Partnered with Charles Venn.
8. 2019: Partnered with Chris Ramsey.
9. 2020: Partnered with Jamie Laing (finished 4th).
10. 2021: Partnered with Greg Wise.
11. 2022: Partnered with Jayde Adams.
12. 2023: Partnered with Eddie Kadi.
13. 2024: Partnered with Tom Dean.
14. 2025: Confirmed to return for the new series.

What Is Known and What Remains Unclear

Several questions about the two Karens generate repeated search traffic. The table below separates what is established from what remains uncertain or unverified.

Why the Confusion Around ‘Karen Strictly’?

The search term “Karen Strictly” produces mixed results because two high-profile women with the same first name have appeared on the same BBC show within overlapping periods. Karen Hauer has been a professional dancer on Strictly since 2012, while Karen Carney joined as a celebrity contestant in 2023. Both have active media profiles, and both attract search traffic for different reasons.

Search volume for “Karen Strictly” tends to rise during the autumn months when the show airs. Queries about a “Karen Strictly husband” or “Karen Strictly abusive husband” are almost entirely driven by reports about Karen Hauer’s personal life, not Karen Carney’s. The ambiguity means that any single article or search result may not clearly distinguish between the two, which is why a dedicated comparison is useful.

No evidence suggests that the two women have ever met or worked together directly. Their connection exists only in the context of the same television programme and the shared first name that leads to confusion in search engines.

Key Sources and Statements

The following sources provide authoritative information on both individuals. They are the basis for the facts presented in this article.

• Wikipedia – Karen Hauer – biography, dance career, and personal life.
• Wikipedia – Karen Carney – football career, honours, and broadcasting work.
• BBC – Karen Carney Strictly profile – official contestant page.
• Strictly Come Dancing official site – programme information and professional dancer listings.
• BBC Sport – Football – context for Karen Carney’s sports broadcasting role.
• Hello! – Karen Hauer interview – reporting on her marriage and personal reflections.

Notable statements from published sources:

“Karen Carney MBE, OBE is best known as one of England’s greatest ever footballers and now as one of the leading voices in sports broadcasting.”

– BBC

“Karen Hauer is a Venezuelan–American professional Latin dance specialist and World Mambo Champion.”

– Wikipedia

Summary: The Two Karens of Strictly

Karen Hauer and Karen Carney are two unrelated women who share a first name and a connection to Strictly Come Dancing. Hauer is the Venezuelan-American professional dancer who has been on the show since 2012 and continues to appear in 2025. Carney is the former England footballer who competed as a contestant in 2023, placed 4th, and has since returned to broadcasting. Neither has won the Strictly trophy. The “abusive husband” rumour relates to Hauer’s own account of emotional harm in her marriage to Jordan Wyn-Jones and is not a proven legal case. For a detailed comparison of their Strictly involvement, see Karen Carney’s Strictly journey as a contestant.

Frequently Asked Questions About Karens on Strictly