'Strictly Come Dancing' star Brian Fortuna is leaving the show because of changes to the BBC series' format.
The Press Association reports that three new professional male dancers are joining the show and Fortuna and series regulars Ian Waite, Matthew Cutler and husband and wife Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova had been offered new roles in a professional dance group performing routines each week.
Because of the change in format, professional dancer Fortuna would not have been able to mentor a celebrity in the next series.
He will now devote his time to the new London stage show 'Burn the Floor', where he will work with girlfriend and former 'Strictly Come Dancing' partner Ali Bastian.
He said: "I really enjoyed working on 'Strictly' over the years - loved the fans and loved all the people I got to work with - but there are changes planned for the next season so I've decided not to return to the show. Both Ali and I are looking forward to seeing all our fans at the Shaftesbury Theatre."
The new series of 'Strictly Come Dancing' will see the number of celebrity contestants reduced from 16 to 14.
The new male dancers are: Artem Chigvintsev, Jared Murillo and Robin Windsor.
The full-list of professionals who will partner the celebrities is: Chigvintsev, Murillo, Windsor, Anton du Beke, Brendan Cole, James Jordan, Vincent Simone, Ola Jordan, Flavia Cacace, Erin Boag, Kristina Rihanoff, Natalie Lowe, Aliona Vilani and Katya Virshilas.
