Strictly Come Dancing star Catherine Tyldesley’s husband has insisted he’s unfazed by being the subject of jokes about the show’s infamous “curse”.
Catherine married Tom Pitfield in May 2016, with the fitness trainer telling Hello! magazine he’s already the butt of his friends’ jokes because of her upcoming Strictly stint.
“My friends have always given me a lot of stick. I am easy pickings for them with a wife on TV so, when the whole Strictly thing came up, they were rubbing their hands getting ready,” he said.
The former Coronation Street star also told the magazine: “His mates wind him up about everything. They used to wind him up when I got a new boyfriend on Corrie, but Tom just takes it on the chin.”
It’s worth noting that Tom probably doesn’t have anything to worry about, as Catherine has been partnered with Strictly professional Johanes Redbe, who is gay.
Catherine added: “[Tom] hit it off with Johannes straight away. He has already invited him round for dinner, so I think Johannes will become part of our family.”
The so-called Strictly “curse” has seen a long list celebrities and professionals ending their long-term relationships either during or shortly after their time on the show with many eventually starting a new romance with their partner.
Shirley Ballas, Strictly’s Head Judge, recently dismissed the idea of the “curse”, insisting that people should focus on the many “great love stories” that Strictly has been responsible for, rather than “a mistake that somebody might make”.
Of last year’s final four celebrities, three of them are now dating a professional they met on the show.
As well as winning pair Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton, Joe Sugg is now in a relationship with his professional partner Dianne Buswell. Ashley Roberts and Giovanni Pernice are also together, although they weren’t paired with one another on the show.
Last year’s series also saw comedian Seann Walsh make headlines when he and his professional partner Katya Jones were caught on camera kissing after a night out.