Strictly Come Dancing’s Eddie Kadi reveals similarities that cemented his strong bond with professional dance partner Karen Hauer
Strictly Come Dancing star Eddie Kadi has spoken out about his strong bond with his professional partner on the show, Karen Hauer.
Sparkling star Karen, 41, reportedly suffered heartbreak last week when it emerged she had split from husband Jordan Wyn-Jones after 16 months of marriage.
But Karen has been able to rely on comedian Eddie, 40, to keep her spirits high as their love of laughter brought them together.
Eddie told me Mirror: ‘As a comedian you automatically think: “I walk into this room and she expects me to make her laugh.”
‘No! She makes me laugh, because she is just herself. From the very beginning she was crazy. She’ll do random things and suddenly she’s lying on the floor laughing with her legs up in the air, and I’ll be like, “What?” I love this girl, she’s mental.’
Close friends: Strictly Come Dancing star Eddie Kadi, 40, has spoken out about his strong bond with his professional partner on the show, Karen Hauer, 41
Similarities: Karen has been able to rely on comedian Eddie to keep her spirits high, with their love of laughter bringing them together as they share similar life stories
The pair have also bonded over their similar life stories, with Venezuelan-born Karen moving to the United States at the age of eight, while Eddie fled the Democratic Republic of Congo with his family at the age of nine to escape violent civil unrest.
Eddie explained, “We literally have the same story. We were both from a foreign country, she went to New York, I went to London around the same age; we both acquired a new language, a new culture. It’s such a joy.
‘We talk about it all the time, our upbringing. She wants to learn everything about Congo, I want to know more about Venezuela. She’s still pushing The Bronx more than Venezuela, but I’m willing to work on that!’
It comes after Karen cut a somber figure when she appeared on the live show with comedian Eddie last Saturday as it was reported she had split from her husband Jordan Wyn-Jones.
The professional dancer and Jordan married last year, with her describing the ceremony at the time as a ‘fairy tale’, but sources claimed the couple had gone their separate ways after a ‘tough time’.
Karen, who attended the Pride of Britain Awards this month without a wedding ring, hit the dance floor with comedian Eddie and earned just 24 out of 40 points for their American Smooth.
A source told the newspaper about their breakup Mirror: ‘Karen and Jordan have been going through a rough patch over the past few months and decided to part ways. It’s obviously very sad for both of them.
“But there is no ill will whatsoever. The split is amicable and they wish each other the best.”
End of the road: Karen put on a brave face as she appeared on the show last Saturday as it emerged she had reportedly split from her husband Jordan Wyn-Jones (Karen pictured on Strictly with her celebrity dance partner Eddie Kadi)
Flashback: The professional dancer and Jordan got married last year and described the ceremony at the time as a ‘fairy tale’
MailOnline contacted a representative for Karen for comment.
In August this year, Karen revealed that she and Jordan were having counseling to help them with their relationship.
She said Hello! magazine: ‘Advisory. You know what I think communication is huge, but learning to communicate, you know, so we get outside help.
“So when we have tough moments or something like that, it’s just seeing and understanding the vulnerable side of each other, and knowing that we’re both working on things because nobody’s perfect.”
She added: ‘There is no such thing as a happy marriage or a happy relationship with the perfect couple.
“It’s about dealing with things the right way and not just running away from things, and I think that allows us to understand and understand each other even better.”
This summer, Karen said she hadn’t decided yet whether she wanted children with her husband Jordan.
She said Hello! magazine: ‘It is always possible, but at the moment I am very happily living in the moment with my husband and the dogs.
No ring: Karen attended the Pride of Britain Awards earlier this month without her wedding ring
Absent: There was no wedding ring visible on her finger as she attended the glitzy Pride of Britain Awards
‘Nothing compares to the love for a dog. No matter how you wake up, the dogs are always happy to see you with their tails wagging.
“I know it’s going to sound weird, but it’s like having a child, but it’s a furry child.”
Karen was married to former show professional Kevin Clifton from 2015 to 2018.
Although they split that year, they continued to work together until Kevin left Strictly in 2020.
Prior to her relationship with Kevin, she was married to Matthew Hauer for nine years before they split in 2009.
Karen married fitness professional Jordan in an intimate ceremony in Hampshire in June last year.
She described the ceremony at the time as a “fairy tale” and talked about how special it was to bring their families together.
Heartbreak: A source told the Mirror: ‘Karen and Jordan have been going through a tough time in recent months and have decided to split. It’s obviously very sad for both of them.”
Luxury: Karen and Jordan married at the five-star Chewton Glen Hotel, an 18th-century country house on the edge of the New Forest
Speak with Hello! magazine, she said: ‘I haven’t seen my family for the past two years, so it’s really moving to bring them here and be able to share this wonderful moment with them.’
Karen and Jordan married at the five-star Chewton Glen Hotel, an 18th-century country house on the edge of the New Forest.
The couple made their relationship public in 2021 when Jordan shared a post asking how he could “get so lucky” when he could be with Karen.
He wrote: “32 years…well worth everything life has to throw at me just so I can have you in my arms. How can a donut like me be so lucky to have met my person? I can’t wait for you to get home.’