Strictly Come Dancing star Dianne Buswell has received an outpouring of support after sharing news of her grandfather’s passing on Sunday, July 6.
The Australian ballroom dancer, who joined the BBC series in 2017, posted a heartfelt tribute to her 99-year-old “pop” on Instagram.
“Rest in peace, pop. You were 99 years young. Thank you for all the stories, and I just know you will be up there dancing with Nan already,” Buswell wrote.
The 36-year-old dancer won Strictly Come Dancing in 2024 alongside actor and comedian Chris McCausland, a victory that earned her a BAFTA earlier this year.
The dancer’s Instagram tribute shows a video of her dancing with her grandfather, after surprising him in Australia following the win.
Footage of Dianne Buswell dancing with her partner since 2018, YouTuber Joe Sugg, was shared, capturing a heartfelt moment between the couple.
Fans and colleagues quickly flooded social media with messages of support. Fellow dancer Michelle Tsiakkas wrote, “I’m so sorry for your loss Di. Sending you and your family all my love,” while Strictly star Nancy Xu added, “D D, sending you all the love.”
Other cast members shared their condolences as well. Johannes Radebe, a dancer on Strictly since 2018, posted, “So sorry Dianne Darling,” and Spanish dancer Gorka Marquez wrote, “Sending love to you and the family.”
Earlier in March, Buswell had also announced the passing of her grandmother, writing on social media: “Rest in peace nan. Love you very much. I’m so grateful I was home to say goodbye to such a special lady in my life. Now go be with pop he has been patiently waiting for you.”
Buswell first rose to prominence in 2018 when she reached the final of Strictly Come Dancing alongside actor and model Bobby Jack Brazier, best known for his role as Freddie Slater on EastEnders.
Earlier this year, Dianne Buswell and Chris McCausland announced that they are launching a podcast together. Sharing the news on Instagram, the duo posted a playful video of themselves laughing and wrote, “Want more of this nonsense? Chris and Dianne are going to be hooking up for a weekly publicly available catch-up, otherwise known as a podcast.”
Buswell had previously revealed that she was warned she might not progress far in the competition after being paired with McCausland. The pair had even named their team “Winning is not everything,” with McCausland admitting he believed other couples were stronger contenders.
In his victory speech, McCausland dedicated his win to Buswell, saying, “We’ve lasted and lasted and Dianne has got so much out of me. She deserves this so much. Every day she’s just positivity and belief and she’s just one of the easiest people to be funny with than I’ve ever met.”