John Nellis Announces Expecting Baby on Strictly Come Dancing

John Nellis, a contestant on the popular television show Strictly Come Dancing, announced on Saturday that he and his wife, Shannon McMahon, are expecting their first child together. The news was shared during the broadcast of the competition.

Nellis, 33, expressed that the hardest part of his time away from home for the show has been the separation from his family. "I miss my wife more than you can imagine, and my son," he stated. "And our family's growing. We're having another baby in February. I want a big family. I want big Christmases and big parties like I grew up with more than you can imagine."

The couple married last year at Ballyness Resort in Dungiven, Northern Ireland. Nellis is a stepfather to his wife's son, Eli.

In addition to his personal news, Nellis also performed with his dance partner, Katya Jones, on the show. They danced the Couple's Choice to "An Irish Party in Third Class" from the film Titanic. While judges Craig Revel Horwood, Shirley Ballas, and Anton Du Beke offered critiques and scores, Nellis's performance contributed to his combined score, placing him on the leaderboard.

Nellis is a prominent figure in the sports content creation world, boasting over 20 million followers across social media platforms. Known for his football-related content, his videos have garnered billions of views and featured collaborations with athletes such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Cristiano Ronaldo. He previously worked as an air traffic controller before transitioning to full-time content creation, and he was named Sport Creator of the Year at the 2024 TikTok Awards UK & Ireland.

The cast of the current Strictly season faced some initial criticism for its lineup, with some viewers deeming it lacking in household names. However, Nellis has been noted for his performances on the show, impressing viewers since his debut.