Strictly star Ian Waite speaks out amid split from husband

Publish date: 2024-05-29

Strictly star Ian Waite has split from his husband of seven years, Drew Merriman. The choreographer married the airline pilot back in 2017 in a ceremony held at Woburn Abbey.

Drew is now in a new relationship with Jon McMahon, whom he met at work. Jon is a former winner of national modelling competitions Mr Liverpool North and Mr British Isles.

In a statement to , Ian said he and Drew had "different outlooks on life" and wished him all the best in his new relationship. 

The full statement reads: "My split with Drew was nothing whatsoever to do with any so-called Strictly 'curse', it was more about us having different outlooks on life and what relationships should be like, which meant we were not compatible.

"I wish Drew & his new partner all the best for the future," he added. 

Drew opened up about his relationship in a recent Instagram post marking the end of Pride month in June. "I get to be me, and do all of this with the most incredible man by my side," he penned alongside a carousel of snaps of his boyfriend. 

Revealing how they met, the pilot continued: "It was just a normal day at work, until it wasn't. We started talking and everything just seemed to fall into place. You are the most incredible person I’ve met. You are there through everything I go through. 

"We laugh together, we cry together and I'm so lucky that I can call you my boyfriend. After some of the most difficult years of my life you have made things make sense, and made me know what I want and where I want to be in this world."

MORE STRICTLY STARS

Ian and Drew tied the knot inside the 18th-century Sculpture Gallery at Woburn Abbey in a ceremony featured exclusively in HELLO! magazine. The wedding was attended by various Strictly stars, including Craig Revel Horwood, Natalie Lowe, Anton Du Beke, Erin Boag, and Vincent Simone, as well as former contestants weather presenter Carol Kirkwood, retired swimmer Mark Foster, and Zoe Ball, who was partnered with Ian for series three.

Ian said of the ceremony: "The ceremony was wonderful, and then walking back past our friends was my highlight actually."

Speaking about their relationship at the time, Drew told us: "We're different in small ways, but we agree on the big things, like being ambitious about our careers, views on how we want to raise a family."

Ian starred as a professional dancer on Strictly for seven series before eventually joining spin-off show in 2011. 

During his time as a pro dancer, he was partnered with the likes of Penny Lancaster, Jodie Kidd, and Jade Johnson. 

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