Strictly Come Dancing legend Flavia Cacace has opened up about why she took a step back from the dance world and become a farmer with her husband Jimi Mistry
Strictly Come Dancing icon Flavia Cacace has opened up about her decision to swap the glitz of the dance floor for a life of farming after departing the hit show over a decade ago.
The 45-year-old graced the Strictly stage as a professional from 2006 to 2012, having joined the series with her then-dance partner Vincent Simone.
Following her exit from Strictly, Flavia tied the knot with EastEnders actor Jimi Mistry, whom she met on the show, and in 2021, the couple embraced rural life in Devon, cultivating vegetables and rearing farm animals. Flavia has now shared the reasons behind her dramatic career shift.
Speaking on ITV's Lorraine this morning, Flavia explained: "I never retired, I just needed a break. I toured for eight years and when me and Vincent started touring, we would do seven, eight shows a week in each venue. We did that for eight years - I stopped in 2018, I was just exhausted."
She elaborated on the toll the intense schedule took on her, saying: "It was the body and the brain, it's both things - and obviously, I'd been living out of a suitcase, from hotel to hotel. I needed that break and Covid came and it was one of those things where we said, 'Let's just go to the countryside.'".
Flavia also mentioned her deep bond with animals, noting that she and Jimi have been enjoying their pastoral lifestyle for half a decade, reports the Mirror.
During her time on Strictly, Flavia reached the final with EastEnders' Matt Di Angelo in 2007, finishing as runner-up, and later clinched victory with Olympic gymnast Louis Smith in what would be her last series on the show.
Matt and Flavia sparked a romance following their stint on Strictly, with the couple being an item until 2010.
Flavia is now set to dazzle audiences once more by joining forces with former Strictly sensation Oti Mabuse for a national tour.
After bidding farewell to Strictly in 2021, Oti has been a familiar face on shows like I'm A Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here, Celebrity Bake Off, and Big Brother: Late and Live. She also served as a judge on Dancing on Ice before its cancellation this year and hosted Oti Mabuse's Breakfast Show on ITV.
In other Strictly news, Love Island champion Dani Dyer is reportedly lacing up her dancing shoes for this year's competition.
Fresh from tying the knot with footballer Jarrod Bowen, Dani has allegedly inked a preliminary contract for Strictly and is currently negotiating her salary, as per The Sun.
A source close to Strictly shared with The Sun that BBC chiefs are "thrilled" about Dani joining the show and are finalising her payment details. They remarked: "She's bubbly, down-to-earth and straight-talking and producers reckon she'll make an ideal contestant - not to mention the bonus of having Jarrod and dad Danny in the audience supporting her."
Catch Lorraine every weekday morning at 9am on ITV1 and ITVX.
