Former Strictly Come Dancing champion Joanne Clifton has shared some very special news — she is expecting her first child with fiancé AJ Jenks.

The professional dancer and musical theatre star, 42, delighted fans with a wonderfully understated pregnancy announcement on social media, revealing a “Baby on Board” badge before her fiancé added his own hilarious twist to the happy news.

And hidden among AJ’s playful words was one particularly exciting detail: their baby is expected to arrive in December.

The announcement marks a beautiful new chapter for Joanne, who became a household name on Strictly Come Dancing and famously lifted the Glitterball Trophy with BBC presenter Ore Oduba in 2016.

Now, a decade after one of the biggest moments of her professional life, she is preparing for an entirely different adventure — becoming a mother for the first time.

A wonderfully simple announcement — followed by a very long baby name

Rather than opting for an elaborate celebrity pregnancy reveal, Joanne chose a charmingly simple way to share the news.

She posted a photograph featuring her “Baby on Board” badge, instantly sending excitement through her followers and former Strictly colleagues.

AJ then took over with a caption that ensured the announcement was unmistakably theirs.

Joking about the apparently impossible task of choosing a name, he wrote:

“Can’t wait to meet ErlingbellinghamDebrunyeLennonMcCartneyTaylorHansonHelenMcroryClaudiaWinklemanAlanCarrBuddyHollyPollyShermanPrincessFiona Clifton-Jenks. Cya in December.”

It may take quite a birth certificate to fit that name — but beneath the joke was the detail fans had been waiting for.

Their little one is due in December.

The playful announcement perfectly captured the couple’s sense of humour, while also revealing just how excited they are about the life-changing months ahead.

The Strictly family celebrates Joanne’s happy news

It didn’t take long for familiar faces from the Strictly Come Dancing world to celebrate with the mum-to-be.

Former professional dancers including Dianne Buswell and Oti Mabuse were among those sending their congratulations, while Joanne’s brother Kevin Clifton responded with a string of love-heart emojis.

For the Clifton family, the news is particularly special.

Joanne and Kevin are one of Strictly’s most famous sibling success stories, with both going on to lift the coveted Glitterball Trophy during their time on the BBC competition.

Joanne won the show alongside Ore Oduba in 2016, while Kevin later enjoyed his own winning moment with Stacey Dooley in 2018.

Their shared history with Strictly has made the Clifton name instantly recognisable to millions of viewers — but Joanne’s latest announcement is about something far more personal than trophies and television.

She and AJ are now preparing to become parents together.

From a theatre date to building a family

Joanne and AJ’s love story began after she had made herself one very clear promise: she wasn’t going to date anyone from the entertainment industry.

Life, however, had other ideas.

Speaking previously about how they met, Joanne recalled seeing AJ perform in a Buddy Holly musical before he asked her out for a drink.

She admitted she initially doubted whether the romance would work.

“But you can’t help what happens,” she said of falling for him.

The couple have been together since 2020, gradually building their relationship away from the intense glare that can surround high-profile showbusiness romances.

Their engagement was announced with exactly the same dry humour that would later appear in their pregnancy reveal.

Sharing a photograph of Joanne’s diamond ring, the couple joked:

“Got bored … so we’re getting married. Cheers.”

Now their story has taken another major turn.

Before the wedding bells have even rung, there is the sound of tiny footsteps to look forward to.

Joanne’s unforgettable Strictly journey

For longtime Strictly Come Dancing viewers, Joanne will always be remembered for her extraordinary 2016 series with Ore Oduba.

She joined the BBC show as a professional dancer in 2014 and quickly became a popular member of the cast.

But it was her partnership with Ore that created one of the most memorable journeys in the programme’s history.

The pair went all the way to the final and ultimately lifted the Glitterball Trophy, delivering an emotional victory that remains a standout moment from that era of Strictly.

Remarkably, Joanne decided to leave the show as a professional dancer following her triumph.

Rather than remaining in the ballroom, she turned her attention towards another lifelong passion: musical theatre.

It proved to be the beginning of an impressive second chapter.

Life beyond the Glitterball

Since leaving Strictly, Joanne has established a successful stage career, appearing in major productions across the UK.

Her theatre credits have included productions such as The Addams Family, Shrek the Musical, Flashdance and The Rocky Horror Show, allowing her to combine dancing with acting and singing.

She has also maintained her connection to the Strictly universe through appearances on the BBC’s companion programme It Takes Two, including its popular “Choreography Corner” segment.

But her journey hasn’t been without challenges.

In 2021, Joanne spoke publicly about being diagnosed with osteoarthritis after first noticing serious problems with her knee during the Strictly tour years earlier.

She recalled waking up to find the joint extremely swollen and stiff, eventually learning that arthritis was behind her symptoms.

The diagnosis initially came as a shock.

“The first time they told me, whether it’s osteo or rheumatoid, you just hear ‘arthritis’ and I thought, ‘Oh my god, I’m really old,’” she previously explained.

Joanne later stressed the importance of challenging the misconception that arthritis only affects older people.

Rather than allowing the diagnosis to define what she could do, she continued performing and pursuing an ambitious career on stage.

A completely new role awaits

Joanne has played many roles since leaving the Strictly ballroom — dancer, actress, singer, choreographer and television personality.

But the role awaiting her this December may be the most meaningful of all.

Motherhood.

For fans who watched her lift the Glitterball Trophy in 2016, the announcement feels like another joyful milestone in a life that has changed dramatically since that unforgettable night.

From championing the ballroom to performing on some of Britain’s biggest theatre stages, Joanne has continually embraced new chapters.

Now she and AJ are preparing for one that will change everything.

And while the couple clearly haven’t settled on a baby name — unless “ErlingbellinghamDebrunyeLennonMcCartney…” really does make the shortlist — one thing is already certain.

December is going to be a very special month in the Clifton-Jenks household.