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Strictly star left ‘scared and helpless’ after London mugging

Strictly Come Dancing Television Show Studio
Strictly Come Dancing Television Show Studio. Picture: Alamy

By Alice Brooker

Strictly Come Dancing star Michelle Tsiakkas has issued a public warning after a recent traumatic experience in central London.

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Michelle Tsiakkas has taken to Instagram to detail a "traumatising" incident where her phone was stolen in London.

The 29-year-old dancer informed her followers that she was left feeling "scared and helpless", whilst also issuing a public message that her fans should "remain vigilant".

On the social media site, she said: "Now this was a couple of days ago, and I’ve just about mentally recovered from that.

"It was quite traumatising on the day. It wasted my whole day and made me feel awful, scared, helpless and I don’t want the same to happen to you.

"My phone got stolen."

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Ms Tsiakkas has appeared as a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing since 2022.

In the show's 22nd series this year, she was paired with EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick. They were eliminated in Week 10.

Speaking to the camera when sharing to Instagram about the mugging incident, Ms Tsiakkas continued: "I mean, I see it happening all the time, but it’s just one of those things that you just never think is gonna happen to you, and then it does."

She added: "He just left. He was wearing a mask so there was no way that I could have seen what he looked like and he was going really fast on that electric bike, so there was no way on earth I could have caught up with him.

"Thankfully there were two really lovely and helpful women there and they'd seen that I was a bit distressed."

In a caption for the post, Ms Tsiakkas wrote: "This can happen to you in Central London. Be aware and be very careful. Phone theft is happening more and more, and it seems like crime in the city is getting worse … Has something like this ever happened to you?"