BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Aljaz Skorjanec and Janette Manrara's personal struggle that lasted several years

Strictly Come Dancing professionals Aljaz Skorjanec and Janette have finally found their bliss, but it wasn't without its trials. Aljaz is back on our screens for this year's dance-off after a brief hiatus from the BBC show following his new fatherhood.

Aljaz, 34, is aiming for his second Glitterball Trophy this year, having first won the title in 2013 with Abbey Clancy. Meanwhile, his wife Janette Manrara, 40, now co-hosts the show spin-off It Takes Two.

The couple have previously opened up about their struggle with infertility, offering a beacon of hope to others on the same path. The dancing duo tied the knot in July 2017 after first crossing paths on the popular BBC programme and had been attempting to conceive for several years when IVF was recommended.

Read more Janette Manrara's relationships with two BBC Strictly Come Dancing stars before marrying Aljaz Skorjanec

Janette even stepped down from her role as a professional dancer on Strictly so that she and Aljaz could concentrate on their efforts to start a family. "We thought IVF was the next best thing for us to do," she shared with Hello! magazine last year.

"The doctor said that as soon as I got my period we would start injections, but my period never came." The co-host of It Takes Two had been gearing up both physically and mentally for the IVF process, which includes daily injections of medication, along with numerous scans and check-ups.

However, in an astonishing turn of events, when her period failed to show up, the dancer found out she was already expecting. "I think the baby decided to make Mum and Dad panic a bit before saying: 'ok, fine, I'm coming up now'."

Aljaz admitted he had braced himself for months of emotional turmoil during their IVF journey, but was ecstatic when Janette announced her pregnancy. He said: "I was beside myself. We were preparing for IVF mentally and physically and then it was just a relief to finally have that positive test."

The pair broke the news of their impending arrival in February last year, with their daughter Lyra born in July, and Aljaz voiced that he has "so much respect" for parents who undergo IVF.

Aljaz admitted he'd felt "ready to be a dad" since his early 20s. Although overjoyed with Lyra, the couple are hesitant to expand their family after the difficulties they faced before conceiving.

"We obviously want more children, but after the process we went through to have Lyra, you quickly learn there are never any guarantees in life," he revealed to Prima magazine.