Janette Manrara and Aljaz Skorjanec on becoming parents

On today’s Lorraine, Janette Manrara and Aljaz Skorjanec, Strictly Come Dancing stars, spoke about becoming parents and taking their daughter Lyra on tour with them this Christmas.

In their first TV interview since becoming parents, Janette begins by reflecting on Lyra’s birth, which was an elective C-section in July. “Everything went super perfect on the day, it was magical. The day couldn’t have gone better. We danced, we sang, it was a big celebration,” Janette said.

On becoming a dad, Aljaz gushed, “I love her, every single day more.” He added, “I fell in love with Janette, it was love at first sight, but that’s a different level. I tell Janette every single day I couldn’t love my baby any more.”

Aljaz also told Lorraine he dances with his daughter at home to help her sleep.

“It’s the only way I can get her to sleep,” he revealed. He added, “I have a bit of a hyper energy sometimes and I can’t seem to settle her at all. In the evenings, Janette does an amazing job of putting her to sleep and I can only do it if I dance with her. Just like me, she loves the Foxtrot… she falls asleep every single time.”

Janette also revealed some of the past Strictly contestants have visited Lyra at their home.

She said, “We’ve had lots of the Strictly lot come around – Sara Davies, Katya [Jones], Dan Walker, Rhys Stephenson, it’s been amazing – all the love we’ve got from our family in the UK. We had our parents come… the house has never been busier.. we’ve never had more people around. It’s so full of love. Everybody comes and celebrates Lyra.”

She added Lyra has been to Elstree Studios, where Janette films Strictly’s spin off show, It Takes Two. “She’s had her first visit to Elstree. She’s come to It Takes Two a couple of times. We also saw some of the dancing. It was very beautiful,” Janette said. “I was in the hair and make-up room feeding her and I just thought, ‘How crazy the world and life is and I’m back here in this space 10 years later, with my daughter?’ It was quite surreal.”

Aljaz went on to say he feels “blessed” they can take Lyra along to work with them.

“We’re so lucky we can spend so much time with her. I feel really, really blessed. I’ve put everything else in my life on pause for a little while because I want to be there with her, I want to see the smile, I want to see the first cry. I want to be there for all of it. I was waiting to be a dad for years and now I can finally do it. I want to be there for her.”

Lorraine said, ‘Can you imagine when she brings her first boyfriend round?’ and Aljaz said, “Lorraine, that will be 2047, so we have so much time.” On Lyra joining the two of them when they go on their Dancing in a Winter Wonderland tour later this year, Janette said, “It will be so special being on the road with Lyra celebrating our favourite time of the year. I think we’re going to cry a lot on stage.” Aljaz added, “There may be times we’re not going to sleep on tour. Let’s see how it goes, it may be our first and only tour with the baby!”

Lorraine weekdays from 9am on ITV1 & ITVX