Strictly star Amanda Abbington recently quit the show due to “medical reasons” leaving fans stunned.
Amanda was partnered with Giovanni Pernice on the programme before her exit. It was announced this week. Amanda said on Instagram: “I did not come to this decision easily or lightly but for personal reasons I am unable to continue. I want to thank the incredible Production team and everyone on Strictly who looked after me and who are so kind and caring. It’s a wonderful bunch of people and I’ll miss all of them. I’m so sad that I am unable to go any further.”
Her fiancé, Jonathan Goodwin, offered his support to Amanda. He wrote: “You are so incredible. So unbelievably beautiful but also incredibly brave. I’m so proud to be your man.”
But who is Jonathan and how did he and Amanda meet? Let’s find out everything about their whirlwind romance…
When did Strictly star Amanda Abbington meet her partner?
According to reports, Amanda and Jonathan had been following each other on social since 2012. However, in 2021, they began exchanging messages on Twitter and swapped numbers.
At the time, Jonathan was living in Las Vegas. The pair had a seven-hour phone call and they were smitten.
Speaking to the Guardian in 2022, Amanda said: “I was on him like a rat up a drainpipe. I had fancied him for a few years.”
Jonathan added: “I had never considered moving back to the UK before that, and I actually changed my mind on that call. I kind of knew that I’d found my person by the time we hung up.”
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Whirlwind engagement
After a month of talking, Jonathan visited Vienna to meet Amanda for the first time. He admitted he already knew he was going to ask her to marry him.
They said they gave each other a “big cuddle”, and within 30 minutes of that hug, Jonathan had popped the all important question.
He explained to the Guardian: “I cut the shape of the ring box out of the middle of a book of Shakespeare’s sonnets, so it fitted inside. Underneath the box it said: ‘Will you marry me?'”
Two weeks later, Jonathan flew back to the UK to meet Amanda’s family and they enjoyed three nights together.
Jonathan’s accident
Jonathan then travelled to Atlanta, where he filmed an extreme stunt.
However, the stunt we horrifically wrong and Jonathan was left paralysed from the waist down. Appearing on Lorraine in 2022, Jonathan explained: “It wasn’t the plan. I fell 30 feet, I saved my life because I fell upside-down, so head first to the ground. But I didn’t hit my head because I tucked.”
Britain’s Got Talent star Jonathan said he gave Amanda a “get out of jail free card” adding: “I said, ‘If you want to walk away then I completely understand.'”
He added: “She told me not to be so stupid and that was that.”
An emotional Amanda said: “We’re closer and tighter than ever. We just have this unspoken thing and every day is a joy. It’s fun. We have the best time.”
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Wedding plans
The pair have been seen previously sporting rings on their ring fingers, sparking rumours they’ve tied the knot.
Read more: Anton Du Beke breaks silence on ‘terribly sad’ Amanda Abbington exit: ‘Maybe she’ll come back’
However, last month, Amanda and Jonathan reportedly confirmed they are planning to tie the knot next summer. The couple haven’t shared much more detail.
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