John Nellis Announces Second Baby on Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing star John Nellis revealed live on air that he and his wife Shannon McMahon are expecting their second child in February.
John Nellis announced he and his wife Shannon are expecting another baby in February during his pre-dance video on the live Strictly Come Dancing episode on Saturday, 3 October. The 33-year-old digital content creator, who is already a father to a son named Eli, shared the news as part of a heartfelt tribute to his family.
Movie Week performance sparks emotional response
John Nellis and his professional partner Katya Jones performed a Couple's Choice routine to 'An Irish Party in Third Class' from Titanic during Movie Week. The dance paid homage to Nellis's Irish heritage. Fans praised the routine as fun, real, and emotionally impactful. One viewer said the performance was unlike anything seen on Strictly.
Judges give mixed scores and feedback
The routine received a mixed response from the judging panel. Craig Revel Horwood criticized it as heavy-footed and lacking spring, while Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke offered praise. The scores were as follows:
| Judge | Score |
|---|---|
| Craig Revel Horwood | 4 |
| Motsi Mabuse | 5 |
| Shirley Ballas | 7 |
| Anton Du Beke | 7 |
Shirley Ballas praised John's world-class highlights and execution. Craig Revel Horwood suggested more finesse was needed in the lifts, specifically mentioning the Windmill lift.
Fans react with emotion on social media
Viewers flooded social media with emotional responses to both the baby announcement and the dance. One user wrote, 'Why am I crying about John and his wife having another baby?' Another simply posted, 'Awh John' with a tearful emoji. Co-host Johannes Radebe said he was moved to tears by John's words. In his pre-recorded clip, Nellis spoke about missing his wife and son while away for work and described his parents as the most supportive people with a strong moral compass.
John Nellis said, "The hardest part of my job, and it genuinely breaks my heart, is the amount of time I spend away from family." He added, "I miss my wife more than you can imagine, and my son. And our family's growing. We're having another baby in February." He expressed a desire for a big family, inspired by his own blessed childhood. John Nellis will continue competing on Strictly Come Dancing, which airs on BBC One and streams on BBC iPlayer, while preparing for the arrival of his second child.
