Strictly’s Janette Manrara shares sweet update on baby daughter

janette manrara, best heroes award 2023
Strictly’s Janette Manrara shares baby Lyra updateMike Marsland - Getty Images
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Strictly Come Dancing star Janette Manrara has opened up about life as a new mum to baby daughter Lyra.

The It Takes Two host welcomed her first child with former Strictly dancer Aljaž Škorjanec in July this year.

Talking exclusively to Digital Spy at Best's Heroes Awards last week (October 18), Janette shared an update on how mum, dad and baby are all doing.

janette manrara, best heroes award 2023
Mike Marsland - Getty Images

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"She’s incredible. She’s the best, best baby," she said of Lyra. "I think we really lucked out because she sleeps alright, she doesn’t cry a lot and she’s just happy, she smiles all the time."

Janette added that it "feels really natural" being a mother to her and admits that seeing husband Aljaž as a dad has only strengthened their relationship.

"I was already in love with him before but to see him now," she tells us. "He’s such a good father to Lyra. It changes everything and takes our relationship to the next level.

aljaz skorjanec and janette manrara may 2023
Joe Maher - Getty Images

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"He’s doing daddy day care at the moment whilst I’m down in London filming It Takes Two. So there’s lots of FaceTimes and lots of videos going forward to see how she’s doing."

Janette reveals that Aljaž and Lyra are her biggest cheerleaders with the two sitting down to watch every episode of It Takes Two.

"He sends me photos of the two of them sat on the couch watching me on telly, so that makes me proud. I love working, I’ve always loved what I do, so I’m very happy to come back to work as I missed it. But at the same time, I have the best job of my life now of being a mother to Lyra."

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She adds: "Hopefully one day she’ll look back and be like my mum was cool, my mum is a bit of a bad ass."

Weighing on this year's Strictly class, Janette says "everyone's so good". "It's literally anyone's game," she tells Digital Spy. "I'm intrigued to see what's going to happen."

Sunday's results show saw Eddie Kadi and Karen Hauer leave the competition, with 11 couples going through to dance another week.

More information about the Best Heroes and their inspiring stories will be available to read in the next issue of Best magazine, on sale November 7.

Strictly Come Dancing airs on Saturdays and Sundays on BBC One, while spin-off Strictly: It Takes Two airs on weeknights on BBC Two. Both shows are available to stream on BBC iPlayer.

Tickets for Strictly's 2024 live arena tour are available now.

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