Who is Strictly Come Dancing pro Lauren Oakley?
LAUREN Oakley is a professional dancer on one of the BBC's most beloved shows: Strictly Come Dancing.
But who is the dancer and when did she join one of the biggest shows on British TV? Here's everything you need to know.
Who is Lauren Oakley and what competitions has she won?
Lauren was born on February 28, 1991, in Birmingham and developed a love of dancing almost as soon as she could walk.
She began dancing at the age of 2 and started competing in ballroom and latin dancing by the age of 7.
Lauren became the Juvenile Champion at the Blackpool Dance Festival and was crowned Under 21 British National Champion.
Later in her career, she toured with the world with Burn the Floor.
Read more on Strictly
When did she join Strictly Come Dancing?
Lauren joined Strictly in 2022, alongside professional dancers Vito Coppola, Carlos Gu, and Michelle Tsiakkas.
Her first celebrity partner was journalist and TV Krishnan Guru-Murthy.
The pair made it to the eighth week of the competition, but were knocked out of the competition by Angela Rippon and Kai Widdrington.
Lauren recently made headlines when she showed support for axed Strictly professional Giovanni Pernice.
Giovanni has been at the centre of a Strictly scandal, after he was accused of being "abusive" by actress Amanda Abbington.
Is Lauren married and does he have children?
Lauren is married to Maximiliano Omar Montes de Oca, who she reportedly wed in 2019.
The bride wore a lace gown crafted by Made with Love Bridal, which she paired with a flower crown.
She captioned one of her Instagram posts with glowing praise about her husband.
Lauren said: "I’m grateful for so many things in my life, I’m a very lucky girl… but all because you allow me to realise my goals and ambitions and support me every step of the way.
"And for that, I’m so incredibly grateful for you."
The couple do not have children and have chosen to keep much of their relationship private.