The professional dancer, 44, posted a tongue-in-cheek Instagram video of himself waiting by the phone for a call that never came. His wife replied: “Oh so I’m not a good enough dance partner.”
Strictly Come Dancing professional Neil Jones has poked fun at his long wait for a celebrity partner in a new Instagram video. The 44-year-old filmed himself hovering anxiously around his phone at home, apparently waiting to hear whether he will be paired for the Christmas special. His wife, Chyna Mills, joked in the comments about being overlooked as a dance partner. Jones replied: “No comment.”
The video
The clip shows Jones starting out perched on the sofa before leaning back against it, then moving towards the camera holding a toy zebra. He edges ever closer to the phone, which never rings. The soundtrack is Better Off Alone by Alice DJ.
He captioned it: “Me waiting to find out if I will get a partner on the Christmas special.” He added: “Trying every position in the room in case the call about a Strictly Christmas partner is a signal issue…”
Ms Mills, a former Love Island contestant, commented: “Oh so I’m not a good enough dance partner.” She followed it with wide-eyed and laughing emojis, which made clear she was joking. There is no sign of a genuine disagreement between the couple. The video is best read as a joke at the programme’s expense and not as evidence of a serious dispute with BBC executives.
A long-running pattern
Jones, who first appeared on Strictly a decade ago, has not been paired with a celebrity since 2024. He has instead taken part in group routines and segments on the live show. In September, it was reported that he was “gutted” to miss out again. He has not announced that he is leaving the show.
The research notes say he has danced with a celebrity in the main competition only three times in 11 series, leaving him without a partner in eight. They list his pairings as:
| Year | Partner | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Alex Scott | Reached the quarter-finals |
| 2021 | Nina Wadia | First couple eliminated |
| 2024 | Toyah Willcox | Eliminated in week three |
The newspaper account of the 2024 pairing says that he and Willcox lasted only two weeks before being eliminated.
The notes also say he has danced with six celebrities in previous Christmas specials, including Mel Giedroyc, Rosie Ramsey and Jodie Ounsley. The festive edition has historically offered him more opportunities than the main series. The BBC has not confirmed a partner for him in the 2026 Christmas special, and has not publicly explained why he has been overlooked in the main show.
Earlier jokes and an injury
This is not the first time Jones has joked about the situation this season. According to the research notes, on 20 September he posted a clip in which he tried to throw a pen into a cup, suggesting he would get a celebrity partner if he succeeded. The pen was intercepted. He also joked that winning the Glitterball would be greedy, given his previous dance successes. In the same period, he said he had added two Guinness World Records to a collection of 45 competitive dance titles. The notes could not identify the records.
Jones was injured in rehearsals last month and missed several pre-recorded group dances. A source said at the time: “Neil is a much-loved and valued member of the cast, but sadly not all the pros can get a partner.”
The source added: “Bosses love him because of his jokey personality so expect to see him on set as much as possible.” No medical diagnosis was given, and nothing shows the injury has affected the BBC’s decisions about partners.
Wedding and family
Jones married Ms Mills at London’s Old Marylebone Town Hall on 1 July 2026, according to the research notes. The couple’s daughter Havana, who was born in October 2023, attended the ceremony. They became publicly linked in August 2022 and announced their engagement in April 2023.
