She’s most famous as a star on the Strictly dance floor, but Janette Manrara says life is about to change forever for her and her husband Aljaž Škorjanec as they prepare to welcome their first child.
The pair met 13 years ago and married in 2017 – and now Janette, 39, says the former Strictly pro can’t wait to be a dad.
She laughs, “Aljaž is going to be a complete super dad. He’s wanted to be a dad since day one and he’s so obsessed, he would breastfeed the baby if he could! He wants to be a co-parent 100% and we’ll be a real team.
“I always wanted to concentrate on my career and see the world, so the mothering instinct kicked in for me a little later.
“Aljaž sends me memes of tips he finds online, like the best ways to help babies with gas or the newest way of swaddling. He’s so invested in fatherhood and he’ll be so hands-on. As a working mum, having someone like that on your side is such a breath of fresh air!”
And as Janette gears up to start presenting It Takes Two as Strictly Come Dancing returns to our screens in the autumn, she says her other half will be in the wings with the baby.
“Aljaž will be a full-time dad when I’m presenting,” smiles Janette. “The team have already told me that I can take the baby to the set, so you might hear the baby crying in the background. I’m going to need some good breast pads in case I start leaking on air!”
And although the couple – who have just moved round the corner from pals Gemma Atkinson and Gorka Marquez in Cheshire – have found out the sex of the baby, Janette says she won’t be announcing it
She adds, “I like the fact that Aljaž and I have this little secret between us. I can’t wait until the big day when we get to announce the baby to everyone and tell our friends the sex and the name and everything. It’s dancing in my stomach already! I never had a preference for a boy or a girl.”
And while Kristina Rihanoff’s daughter Mila, six, is already winning dance competitions, Janette says she’s relaxed about her baby’s future.
The dancer – who along with her husband presents Twist And Shout: The Janette And Aljaž Podcast – says, “Aljaž and I were lucky that our parents let us chase our dance dream rather than become accountants or lawyers. We will support whatever our baby wants to get into. I’m fairly laid back, so let’s see.”
And Janette reveals her celeb friends, Peter Andre, who she partnered with on Strictly in 2015, Rylan Clark, who she co- presented It Takes Two with, and her Strictly buddy, Anton Du Beke, have all been giving her advice.
She says, “Pete sent me a lovely message when he found out that I was pregnant. He’s such a good dad and he loves his kids. He was so excited and said, ‘Oh my God, you’ll be the best parents’. He saw how I looked after him on Strictly and how I was with his kids and said that he’d always imagined me as a mum.
“Rylan’s desperate to meet the baby and keeps sending me messages saying he wants to see a pic as soon as the baby’s out. He’s thrilled for us. He’s going to be a great uncle. I love him. And Anton’s so excited for us. He told me just to enjoy the downtime while I have it now!”
And now Janette’s living around the corner from Gemma, who’s also expecting her second child this summer, she says they’ve been bonding over the upcoming births.
“Gemma and I text a lot,” says Janette. “We joke all the time that we’re twins – we share the same birthday but she’s tall, I’m short, she’s blonde, I’m brunette! We’re so happy to be pregnant at the same time. We’ve been checking in on each other and she’s been giving me advice.”
And as fans eagerly await the next series of Strictly, Janette says the show’s judges, Anton, Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas and Motsi Mabuse, make the show.
She says, “They all bring that piece of magic to the table. I can’t have a favourite judge... they’d kill me! I’m probably the friendliest with Anton and Craig because I’ve worked with Anton as a dancer on the show and Craig I’ve known the longest. I’ve also known Shirley for years, since I lived in LA, and how can you not love Motsi? She’s amazing and full of life.
“I can’t wait to see who the contestants are this year. I like the celebs who are a bit more unknown on Strictly – you almost end up falling in love with them more. The expectation is always so high with someone super-well known or someone who can dance. The pressure really gets to them. With the lesser-known celebs, you can discover them as people and get to know their stories. There’s something for everyone, so stay tuned!”
Series 2 of Twist And Shout: The Janette And Aljaž podcast, is out now on Acast.
