Janette Manrara was left saying ‘sorry’ to her loyal following as she took a quick break amid her Strictly Come Dancing stint this year.
The presenter and professional dancer has been back in the BBC One dance show’s bubble for weeks, following its return in September, as she co-hosts spin-off show, It Takes Two,
Janette, whose husband Aljaz Skorjanec is competing in Strictly’s 2025 series alongside drag artist La Voix, is once again sharing presenting duties with Fleur East.
And that means the 41-year-old had some time to take a break alongside her daughter, Lyra Rose, which she has since documented on social media.
Janette first posted a message to her Instagram Story which read: “Sorry for the haitus. But… [heart emoji].” She then pointed her followers in the direction of her Reel.
The video showed Janette heading to Slovenia with two-year-old Lyra to spend some quality time with Aljaz’s family. It meant her little one got to spend time with her cousins, and she got to catch up with her sister-in-law.
It was then in the caption of the post that Janette admitted: “This is a reminder to everyone to peel yourselves away from your phones for a moment, and live your life being more present. Taking time away from all the noise every now and again is the best medicine for the soul.
“Visited Slovenia w/ Lyra for a long weekend, just the 2 of us, so she can spend time w/ her cousins and Slovenian family. We went swimming, we played, danced a lot, watched @bbcstrictly together, and Lyra made pancakes too. My niece Zala showed me how she’s started meditating before bed at night and I was so proud!
“My own journey of mental wellness inspired her to do the same. Then as a birthday treat, my sister-in-law and mother-in-law treated me to a full day of relaxation w/ a delicious brunch too.”
The mum-of-one added: “To say it was very much needed is an understatement. Sorry for the hiatus, but my heart and soul are full. I urge you to try the same soon too.”
And fans were quick to support. @heatherd1961 said: “Nothing better than taking time out now and again and even better to spend the quality time making memories with your family.” @ilovejanettex commented: “I can just see how much you glow when you are around family. The most special memories!!!!”
Amber Gill has admitted that she ‘didn’t want to leave the house’ as she struggled with sudden fame and social anxiety after her appearance on Love Island.
Speaking on mental health podcast, Question The Default, the TV personality, 28, who has since been diagnosed with ADHD, discussed the pressure of public scrutiny after finding herself in the spotlight.
Amber went on to win the 2019 series, during which she found love pretty quickly with Michael Griffiths, but he cruelly dumped her in favour of Joanna Chimonides.
She brushed herself off, and looked ready to finish the show single, when Irish rugby union player Greg O’Shea swept her off of her feet for the finale. The pair split weeks after leaving the villa.
Amber came out as queer in August 2022. She was linked with influencer Nakita Johnson last year after splitting from ex girlfriend Jen Beattie.
The star has now recalled how she found herself ‘constantly overwhelmed’ after leaving the show, which she described as an ‘out of body experience.’
She told host Harry Corin: ‘I started to get really bad social anxiety, I didn’t want to leave the house, I didn’t want to do anything.’
Amber Gill has admitted that she ‘didn’t want to leave the house’ as she struggled with sudden fame and social anxiety after her appearance on Love Island
Speaking on Question The Default, the TV personality, 28, who has since been diagnosed with ADHD, discussed the pressure of public scrutiny after finding herself in the spotlight (pictured on the show in 2019)
Amber continued: ‘When I handed my phone in [before Love Island], I had 4,000 followers. When I got it back, I had 2 million. My phone literally crashed.
‘I walked into JD Sports after the show, and people were queuing outside to see me. I was like – what do you mean they’re here to see me?
‘I didn’t understand what would happen after and I certainly didn’t think I would win the show. It was an out of body experience.
‘It was really hard for people to sympathise [because] on the outside my life looked fabulous, but I felt so low.’
Amber, who previously admitted she felt like ‘the most hated woman in Britain’ after her first week on Love Island, recalled how the public said she was ‘a bad role model’ who ‘needed to be de-platformed.’
She added: ‘I was in the hotel on my own…and I felt like I’ve made the worst decision of my life. This is what people think about me. Everybody wants me to be cancelled. I was just sat in my bed, and I’ve never felt worse in my life.
Reflecting on her ADHD diagnosis, Amber recalled how she first started to notice the signs after Love Island.
She explained: ‘When I came out, it seemed like everyone was doing so much more than me. I could not get it together to keep up the same momentum that everyone else had.’
Amber has now recalled how she found herself ‘constantly overwhelmed’ after leaving the show, which she described as an ‘out of body experience’
She told host Harry Corin: ‘I started to get really bad social anxiety, I didn’t want to leave the house, I didn’t want to do anything’
Amber added: ‘I got overwhelmed quite easily. I can be inconsistent. I get hyper fixated probably on the wrong things, or on minor details – like perfectionism.
‘There’s so much ADHD paralysis… it’s like a state of overwhelm where you just can’t do what you need to do.
‘You can have funny content, but if you think it’s funny, then you don’t have ADHD – because it’s not. There’s nothing funny about it. It’s horrible.’
After Love Island she went on to star on shows like Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, but feels she is now done with TV.