In 2021, Jowita Przystał joined as a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing, and the following year, she was partnered with wildlife cameraman and CBeebies presenter Hamza Yassin, with whom she won the show for her first celebrity partnership. Since joining Strictly Come Dancing, Jowita’s further celebrity partners have been 6x Paralympic champion Jody Cundy CBE, TV personality Pete Wicks and, most recently, for her fifth series, she partnered TV presenter Ross King, and Strictly Come Dancing is available to stream on BBC iPlayer. It has been announced that Jowita is part of the cast of the upcoming Strictly The Professionals tour, which begins its run on Wednesday 29th April in Stockton, travelling around the UK throughout May, with the final date being at Blackpool Opera House on Saturday 30th. Jowita was a contestant on Series 2 of The Greatest Dancer, where she was mentored by former Strictly Come Dancing professional Oti Mabuse, with Jowita going on to win the competition, and over her dance career so far, previous projects include performing on cruise ships in shows such as Burn The Floor, Legally Blonde The Musical and Rock of Ages, and she was the Polish Open Latin Champion in 2014. Alongside her friend Natalie Care, Jowita is the co-founder of My First Friend, where they currently run live podcasts every Sunday on TikTok. Catching up with Jowita, she told us about being a professional dancer with BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, winning the show with her first celebrity partner Hamza Yassin, the upcoming Strictly The Professionals tour and being announced as the winner of The Greatest Dancer – Series 2.

How do you find the experience being a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing and how was it returning for your fifth series last year?

Being a professional dancer on Strictly has always been my biggest dream, and I feel incredibly grateful that I’m already five seasons into the show. Each year feels so special in its own way, and it still seems surreal that I’m actually part of Strictly Come Dancing. I genuinely pinch myself every single day.

What do you enjoy most about meeting your celebrity partners and teaching them new dance styles and routines?

I absolutely love teaching, and I adore the process of watching my celebrity partner improve day by day. I’m like a proud dance mum, always supporting and cheering them on. It’s amazing to see someone who starts as a complete non-dancer evolve and grow throughout the series. I just want to share my love and joy of dancing with them and make sure they have the best possible experience.

For your first year with a partner, you won the show in 2022 with wildlife cameraman and CBeebies presenter Hamza Yassin, how did you feel being announced as the winners and what was it like performing your Showdance in the final?

I was so proud of Hamza. He worked incredibly hard to reach the final, and I truly believed everyone there deserved that Glitterball. We were fortunate that people connected with us and appreciated our partnership, and I’ll be forever grateful for the support we received throughout the series.

Performing our Showdance felt incredibly special. It was the pure essence of our journey and the perfect summary of our partnership. Hamza loved ballroom, so being able to showcase that style in our final dance meant so much to both of us.

Over the years, you have also been partnered with 6x Paralympic champion Jody Cundy CBE, TV personality Pete Wicks and, most recently, TV presenter Ross King; have you had any favourite routines to perform, either with your celebrity partners or in a pro dance?

There have been so many, it’s impossible to choose just one! A recent highlight was a group number where I performed with Nikita (Kuzmin) to Ordinary – that was a really special moment. I felt like Tinker Bell being up in the air. Every partnership and pro dance brings something unique, which is what makes the show so exciting.

What was it like being asked to join the series in 2021 and what are some of your stand-out highlights from being involved with Strictly Come Dancing so far?

I remember getting the phone call while I was eating porridge – I almost choked on a blueberry. I honestly thought it was a joke. That call completely changed my life. Since then, I’ve made so many beautiful memories and experienced unforgettable moments. Every day I have a chance to work and share the stage with the most talented people, and it’s a blessing. I hope there are many more to come.

You have been announced as part of the line-up of the upcoming Strictly The Professionals UK Tour, which is starting on Wednesday 29th April in Stockton, what are you looking forward to for the tour?

I really miss performing on stage and sharing my love of dance with a live audience. The tour is also a wonderful opportunity to say thank you to everyone who supports and watches Strictly. Without our audience, we simply wouldn’t exist.

How was it being a contestant on and winning Series 2 of The Greatest Dancer in 2020 and being mentored by former Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Oti Mabuse, and what do you feel you learnt from your time on the show?

Winning Series 2 of The Greatest Dancer was an incredible experience. The level of talent was so high, and being part of the show meant so much to me, especially as the prize was the chance to perform on Strictly, which brought me one step closer to my dream.

Working with Oti Mabuse was wonderful. She’s an incredible dancer and mentor, and I learned so much from her. The show was intense at times, but absolutely worth it.

You have previously been a cast member of the hugely-popular live dance tour Burn The Floor, what is it like touring with the production?

I was part of Burn The Floor for four years, performing on cruise ships around the world. I’ll always be grateful to Peta Roby and Nic Notley for giving me that opportunity. I learned so much, grew tremendously as a dancer and performer, and had the chance to see so many beautiful places.

Can you tell us about some of your favourite memories from your dance career before winning The Greatest Dancer and joining Strictly Come Dancing, which has seen you become the Polish Open Latin Champion in 2014 and perform on cruise ships with shows such as Legally Blonde The Musical and Rock of Ages?

Winning the Polish Open Championships was a very proud moment, but it also made me realise that there was more to dance for me than competing – I wanted to perform. Being part of musical theatre productions like Legally Blonde The Musical and Rock of Ages was so much fun. I loved stepping into different characters, even if I still can’t sing! Thankfully, I had a fake microphone.

Where does your love of dance come from and how did you originally get into it?

No one in my family danced, but I’ve felt connected to music since I was a little girl. I remember watching ballet on the MEZZO channel – the first one I saw was Swan Lake – and I completely fell in love with dance from that moment.

Do you remember which style of dance you found most challenging to learn when starting out, and what advice would you give a new dancer hoping for a career like yours?

Ballet was particularly challenging for me because of the control and attention to detail it requires.

My advice to new dancers would be to stay patient, work hard, and never lose the joy that made you start dancing in the first place.

Do you have a favourite aspect of being part of the dance industry?

I fall in love with dancing because it allows me to express myself better. I feel like I can communicate through body language and movement better than through words. And that’s the beauty of dance. I can’t imagine doing anything else.

What are events such as the National Television Awards, TV Choice Awards and Pride of Britain Awards like to attend?

Every event is different, and I’m honoured to be invited to them, but my personal favourite is the Pride of Britain Awards. It’s incredibly inspiring because it celebrates truly brave and extraordinary people. It makes you reflect on yourself and reminds you what’s important in life.

How was it being a contestant on The Weakest Link, being slimed on CBBC’s Saturday Mash-Up and taking part in Gethin and Helen’s Wheely Big Challenge for Red Nose Day 2025?

Let’s just say, The Weakest Link wasn’t my finest TV moment – I left first.

Saturday Mash-Up was great fun, although I wasn’t a fan of the slime. It’s very cold.

Taking part in Red Nose Day and supporting Gethin (Jones) and Helen (Skelton) in their challenge was wonderful. I was so proud of them. It wasn’t an easy challenge, but from all of the people I knew they will be capable of finishing it.

You are the co-founder of My First Friend, can you tell us about this and how did it come about?

I’m so proud of My First Friend and everything Natalie (Care) and I are building for our community. The idea came from the fact that Natalie was my first ever friend outside of the dance world, and we wanted to invite others into our little world too. Currently, we are running our live podcast every Sunday on TikTok, but you can also find us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. We’re also very proud to support the charity Menstrual Health Project, where we have our first live gathering on 22nd of March to raise money and awareness of menstrual health problems.

How do you like to spend your free time?

I love travelling and exploring new places wherever I can.

Apart from the Strictly The Professionals UK Tour, do you have any other shows or projects coming up that you can share, and what are you hoping 2026 brings for you?

One of my biggest dreams is to have my own tour one day – I truly hope that becomes a reality. For 2026, I hope to be back on Strictly Come Dancing, entertaining everyone every Saturday night.

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