Janette Manrara announces Strictly dancer 'is back' in emotional video statement

Strictly's Janette Manrara's hugs her friend Robbie

Strictly Come Dancing star Janette Manrara took to Instagram with glee to celebrate her best friend Robbie Kmetoni’s return.

The pair have shared a close bond for almost two decades and share a mutual passion for dance. Robbie has worked on Strictly as a background dancer in the past and also performed in the Strictly Come Dancing live arena tour 2020, 2023 and 2024.

In 2010 they were paired together for the West End production of Burn the Floor before touring the USA with the ballroom dance extravaganza.

Janette and Robbie appeared to have been distanced for a while as their reunion came with a heart-warming embrace.

The It Takes Two star greeted her pal with a tight hug which turned into them enderingly rocking side to side.

Janette and Robbie shared a heart-warming embrace (Image: Instagram)

Janette’s caption reflected that she’d missed Robbie, as she remarked: “Too long since I hugged him.”

The pair briefly paused their hug to look at each other in disbelief before resuming their heart-warming embrace.

After planting a kiss on her cheek, Robbie was astonished to see Strictly pros Dianne Buswell and Nancy Xu also in attendance and went to greet them with an excited hug.

Janette then dedicated an Instagram post to her best friend as she uploaded a sweet selfie of them grinning captioned: “He’s back.”

Janette and Robbie are very close friends after dancing together (Image: Instagram)

The mum-of-one previously paid tribute to Robbie in celebration of his birthday with a throwback video of the pair performing a spellbinding routine to I Have Nothing by Whitney Houston.

Janette wrote: “13 years of dancing, good times, crazy nights, and deep conversations. You’re my always and forever. Thank you for being the most beautiful human always.

“They don’t make them like you often, and I’m lucky to have you be one of the best in my life. I love you @robbiekmetoni! To many more memories, much more dancing, and lots more magic together.”

Among the adoring fans in the comments, Janette’s husband Alijaz Skorjanec penned: “Forever my favourite duo of all time, your friendship is so pure.”