Overview
- Márquez announced in late April that he will leave Strictly after a decade, saying he is grateful to the show for helping him build a career, find love and start a family.
- He has already been working as a judge on Spain’s Bailando con las Estrellas and has signalled an ongoing shift from competing to off‑screen and judging roles.
- Márquez completed the Strictly: The Professionals UK tour, where he performed with fellow pro Luba Mushtuk and shared an emotional on‑stage moment before leaving the programme.
- On the Lost in Translation podcast he said he turned down a staged on‑tour goodbye because he wanted to celebrate rather than make his exit about being sad, adding that he is “fine” and “better than ever.”
- His departure comes alongside several other professional exits and a new presenting team for the 2026 series, a reshuffle that the show is using to refresh its line‑up and promotion cycle.