Lauren May Oakley (born 28 February 1991) is a British professional dancer and choreographer from Birmingham, England, best known for appearing as a professional on the BBC One television series Strictly Come Dancing.
Early life Oakley was born on 28 February 1991 in Birmingham. She began dancing at the age of 2 and began competing in Ballroom and Latin dance at the age of 7.
Career Oakley became Juvenile Champion at the Blackpool Dance Festival, winning across both Ballroom and Latin disciplines and also became Under 21 British National Champion before beginning a career on stage. She has toured the world as part of the live dance show Burn the Floor and has starred as the "leading lady" in the national tour Him & Me alongside Giovanni Pernice and Anton Du Beke. and has starred in Pernice's solo tour This Is Me.
Strictly Come Dancing In July 2022, Oakley was announced to be joining the twentieth series of Strictly Come Dancing as a professional, along with Vito Coppola, Carlos Gu, and Michelle Tsiakkas. Upon her appointment as a professional, Oakley said "[She had] grown up watching Strictly, always hoping that one day [she] could be part of the best show on television, doing what [she loves] the most. Now that it’s happening, it doesn’t quite seem real. I can’t wait to start this new sequined adventure and join this incredible family." Oakley did not partner a celebrity for her first series, and instead took part in the professional group routines.
The following year, she was paired with presenter and journalist Krishnan Guru-Murthy for the twenty-first series. They were eliminated in the eighth week of the competition after losing the dance off to Angela Rippon and Kai Widdrington.
Oakley returned for the twenty-second series and did not receive a celebrity partner. She danced however, with JLS singer JB Gill in the show's 7th week, standing in for an ill Amy Dowden. The following Monday it was confirmed that Oakley would partner Gill for the remainder of the series, as Dowden withdrew from the series due to a foot injury. The couple reached the final, but ultimately lost out to Chris McCausland and his partner Dianne Buswell.
SeriesPartnerPlaceAverage Score 21 Krishnan Guru-Murthy 8th 26.422JB Gill2nd 35.623 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink11th27.824Graeme Hall 27.5
DancePartnerHighestPartnerLowestAmerican Smooth Argentine Tango Cha-cha-cha Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink 25 Krishnan Guru-Murthy 22Charleston JB Gill 39 30Couple's Choice 39 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink Krishnan Guru-Murthy 29Dance-a-thon7Foxtrot Krishnan Guru-Murthy 20 Jive Paso Doble JB Gill 39 Krishnan Guru-Murthy 28Quickstep 35 Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink 27Rumba Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink 28 Salsa JB Gill 40 Samba 40 Krishnan Guru-Murthy 25Showdance 39 Tango Viennese WaltzJB Gill 40 Krishnan Guru-Murthy 27Waltz Graeme Hall 31
Series 21 Celebrity partner: Krishnan Guru-Murthy
Week Dance Music Judges' scores Total score Result1Cha-cha-cha "Boom Shack-A-Lak"566522No Elimination2Foxtrot "Love Really Hurts Without You" 4 5 5 6 20Safe3Charleston "Money, Money"887730Safe4Paso Doble "By the Way" 6 7 7 8 28 Safe5Quickstep "The Lady Is a Tramp" 6 8 8 8 30 Safe6Viennese waltz "Kiss from a Rose" 6 7 6 8 27 Safe7Couple's Choice "You Can Call Me Al" 6 8 8 7 29 Safe8Samba "Bamboléo" 5 7 6 7 Eliminated
Notes
Series 22 Celebrity partner: JB Gill
Week Dance Music Judges' scores Total score Result7Couple's Choice "Uptown Funk", "Treasure", "24K Magic"9101010Safe8Samba "Mas que Nada"99910Safe9Quickstep "Never Gonna Give You Up"899935Safe10CharlestonSamba-a-thon"Yes Sir, That's My Baby""Conga" & "La Vida Es Un Carnaval"9101010Safe11Viennese waltz"Let's Go Fly a Kite"9101010Safe12Paso DobleSalsa "Requiem for a Tower""Red Alert"910101010101010Safe13Viennese waltzShowdanceSamba"Let's Go Fly a Kite""Ain't No Mountain High Enough""Mas que Nada"1091010101010101010101039Runners-Up
Notes
Series 23 Celebrity partner: Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink
Week Dance Music Judges' scores Total score Result1Quickstep "Chelsea Dagger"677727No Elimination2Cha cha cha "I Heard It Through the Grapevine"666725Safe3Rumba "No Time to Die"776828Safe4Couple's choice"Rock It", "Follow the Leader"687829Safe5American Smooth"Purple Rain"787830 Eliminated
Series 24 Celebrity partner: Graeme Hall
+Graeme Hall WeekDanceSongJudge Scores TotalResult 1Cha-cha-cha Hound Dog 666624 No Elimination2Waltz 7888313 Notes
Dance tours In September 2026, Oakley & Kai Widdrington announced they were to appear at "Dancing With The Stars Weekends" 2027.
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