Strictly winner admits 'she didn't speak to me' after 'painful' partner fallout
Carlos Gu has opened up about the "painful" decision he had to make in order to compete on Strictly Come Dancing. The 33-year-old joined the BBC show in 2022 and lifted the Glitterball trophy for the first time with Karen Carney last year.
Before signing up to the competition, Carlos was one half of a long-term dance partnership with Susan Sun. Together, they competed internationally, racking up more than 80 results in Latin dance categories.
Reflecting on his decision to join Strictly, Carlos admitted it came at the cost of both his friendship and successful dance partnership with Susan. At the time, the pair were at the height of their success in China, winning several competitions as a well-known duo.
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So when the opportunity to join the show came up without an offer for Susan, Carlos said it was "so painful" to accept.
"I had so much guilt in the ex partnership, like even with me choosing to come to Strictly, that ended my dance partnership with Susan after a decade," he told Kate Thornton on her White Wine Question Time podcast.
"She got so hurt," Carlos added. "And she didn't speak to me for two years because I chose this career for myself, because we were still competing.
"I felt awful at that time, I remember myself being in the house and struggling with how to tell her because it's a big move, as my decision can effect her life as a professional Ballroom and Latin dancer, hugely.
"But I knew deep inside of myself that I had to do it, I think moving to the UK was always one of the big goals for me," he added.
After two years without speaking, the dancer said he reached out and went to watch her compete in a major competition, which she went on to win with a new partner.
"I felt so guilty until she found another dance partner and she won one of the big categories in the UK," he said.
"And I think there's a sense of relief in me like, 'Oh, without me she can still do well'. And she's knowing herself, 'Oh, without Carlos, I can always strive and be who I am and the dancer I am on the dance floor'."
In the years since, Carlos has gone on to dance professionally with Amy Dowden outside of the show. Set for another tour this year, he revealed he will also be incorporating some singing into their routines.
His popularity soared following his win with last year’s champion Karen Carney. While he admitted he was initially unsure about their partnership, he said the former footballer became a close friend and "changed" him for the better.
"This incredible woman she has taught me so much about this world being humble and just being a giving person and taking nothing back," he shared.
Asked whether he plans to return to the show this year, Carlos said he has yet to find out if he will be back, following several changes to the professional line-up.