Highlights
- Karen Hauer quits Strictly after 14 years as its longest serving female professional dancer.
- She joined in 2012 alongside Bruce Forsyth and Len Goodman.
- Hauer paid tribute to her celebrity partners fans and the Strictly crew in an emotional farewell.
In her video Hauer opened up about what the show meant to her. "Strictly completely changed my life not only as a performer and a teacher but as a human being.
I've had the privilege of meeting so many incredible people and brilliant celebrity partners who have become close friends," she said.
She paid warm tribute to the late Bruce Forsyth and Len Goodman saying she would never forget "learning from such incredible legends along the way."
Emotional farewell message
Hauer thanked fans who had "witnessed all of my different hairstyles" and praised the Strictly crew and welfare team for their care.
She even said she would miss standing before the judges adding: "Smiling politely while sometimes secretly disagreeing — it's been an honour to share the ballroom with them."
She also sent a playful message to former hosts Claudia Winkleman and Tess Daly who both left last year saying: "Maybe now we can finally be ladies who lunch in the Autumn."
Wrapping up her video with visible emotion Hauer said: "Who would've thought that a young girl from the Bronx would end up becoming the longest serving female professional dancer on a British TV institution."
Her exit comes after Winkleman and Daly also stepped down marking another big moment of change for one of Britain's most loved shows.
After 14 years of stunning routines and memorable partnerships Hauer leaves behind a legacy that will be hard to match.
