Strictly professional opens up about suffering ‘deep depression’ after being axed from the show

FORMER Strictly Come Dancing professional Cameron Lombard has opened up about his mental health struggles after leaving the BBC show. 

Cameron, who made his final Strictly appearance in 2022, has admitted he fell into a “deep depression” after leaving the series. 

Professional dancer Cameron appeared in 49 episodes of the BBC show between 2021 and 2022. 

He announced his departure the following year, in April 2023, revealing he was leaving the show to pursue other “exciting” projects.

Taking to Instagram, he said “the last two years have been a blast,” while thanking the Strictly team “for the life-changing opportunity and for the best experience anyone could wish for.”

“[I] will forever be grateful and I’ve loved every minute, danced on the world’s biggest stages, met the world’s best fans, performed for thousands of people as well as millions watching around the world and have made friends for life that I’ll cherish forever,” he continued, before adding that he would update fans about “exciting future projects,” when the time was right. 

However, Cameron has now up about his life away from Strictly, admitting that he fell into a “deep depression” after being axed from the show. 

“A year ago, my world shifted when I didn’t make the Strictly Come Dancing lineup. What followed was a battle with deep depression, trying to fill the emptiness that success once occupied,” he wrote on social media.

Cameron quickly added that he’s reflecting back on this time from a much stronger place.

“In that darkness, I found my true strength,“ he said. “Setbacks don’t break us—they shape us.”

He continued: “With the unwavering love and support from my wife, my incredible family and a fire inside me that will never die, I’m entering a new chapter.”

Cameron went on to reveal that he’s undertaking an exciting move to the United States where new opportunities await.

He explained: “Moving to Miami isn’t just a move – it’s a rebirth. Here, I will not just dance; I will create, inspire, and leave a mark that can’t be erased.”

“To those who believed in me, you were my anchor. To the doubters, you make me laugh on the toughest of nights. 

“This journey has tested me, but every fall has only made me rise higher. 

Cameron called the move a “personal triumph,” added: “My journey has been one of highs and lows, but every step has led me to this moment. 

“A moment filled with possibility, with life, with passion. The best is yet to come—not just for me, but for anyone who’s ever been knocked down. We rise, we conquer, and we thrive. Together, let’s dance through life with passion, resilience, and an unyielding belief in our dreams,” he added. 

When Cameron’s exit from Strictly was announced, it was not clear he’d been axed from the series. 

At the time a BBC spokesperson said: “Cameron is a fantastic performer, and we have loved working with him for the past two years on Strictly.

“He is currently pursuing other opportunities, but will always be a part of the family and our door will always be open to him in the future.”

However, it seems Cameron has closed that door, at least for the time being, as he purses new opportunities in Miami. 

Meanwhile, the BBC dance competition show’s latest series has a full roster of professional dancers and an impressive line-up of celebs including Pete Wicks, Tasha Ghouri, Dr Punam Krishan, Sam Quek MBE, and JB Gill.

The series returned to screens on Saturday evening in the wake of the Strictly scandal and investigation into allegations of abuse by former pro dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima.