Diamond Deception: Dianne Buswell and Joe Sugg Reveal the Hilarious, Health-Related Truth Behind Viral Engagement Photos
Seven years is a lifetime in the world of celebrity romance, especially when that romance is born under the bright lights of a televised ballroom competition. When professional dancer Dianne Buswell and YouTuber sensation Joe Sugg met on Strictly Come Dancing, they weren’t just executing intricate quicksteps and emotional waltzes—they were quietly defying the dreaded ‘Strictly curse’ and building one of the most beloved relationships in British entertainment.
Now, as they celebrate their seventh anniversary, the dancing king and queen sat down for a candid interview on Loose Women, pulling back the curtain on the beautiful secrets of their enduring partnership, from Joe’s unusual “moment of clarity” about love to Dianne’s powerful BAFTA-winning choreography. Most importantly, they finally cleared up the persistent, headline-grabbing gossip surrounding a supposed engagement, revealing a truth far more hilarious and bizarre than any fan could have imagined.
The Day-One Connection That Almost Didn’t Happen
Their partnership began, as most great celebrity romances do, with a little bit of drama and a lot of laughs. Dianne and Joe confessed that their bond was immediate, describing how they “just got on from day one,” noting Joe’s quirky humor and charismatic presence. Dianne, initially holding high hopes for her celebrity partner’s dance ability, admitted she was slightly let down. “I thought he was going to be so much better than what he was,” she joked, highlighting the intense focus they had to maintain to make it to the final.
Crucially, the sparks were kept on a tight leash. Unlike other Strictly couples who might find romance overshadowing the competition, Dianne and Joe were “proper focused on the dancing.” It wasn’t until the Glitterball trophy was lifted (or, in their case, nearly lifted) and the show concluded that the professional partnership organically blossomed into something more profound. They realized they missed “each other’s company when we weren’t in each other’s company,” a simple realization that signaled the start of their journey together.
However, Joe dropped a bombshell that could have rewritten their history entirely: he initially campaigned to be paired with a different dancer. Before finding his chemistry with Dianne, he had done his audition with Janette Manrara, and in a moment of earnest ambition, he confessed, “I want Janette as my as my partner now.”
While he and Janette had hoped to be paired, fate intervened, leading him to Dianne. Looking back, Joe acknowledged the profound cosmic justice of the situation, recognizing that if his original wish had come true, “we would not be sat here today together.” It was a reminder that sometimes, the best partnerships are the ones you didn’t see coming.
Food in the Teeth and the Comfort of the Unfussy Life
For many couples, the moment they realize they are in love is a grand, cinematic event. For Joe Sugg and Dianne Buswell, it was wonderfully, hilariously mundane—a testament to the comfort they found in each other’s genuine selves.
When asked to pinpoint the exact moment he knew he was in love with Dianne, Joe provided an answer that instantly became an iconic addition to celebrity relationship lore. It wasn’t a sunset walk or a dazzling dance move; it was an accidental, unglamorous moment that spoke volumes about acceptance and ease.
“I think I remember there’s a time where you had food in your teeth, Dianne, and it, and it didn’t bother me at all,” Joe confessed. He explained that normally, small, “geeky” flaws would bother him, but seeing Dianne completely relaxed, with a bit of forgotten dinner in her smile, was the true test of their connection. In that moment of imperfection, he found the kind of unbothered acceptance that signaled real, lasting love.
Dianne’s realization was similarly rooted in deep comfort, though less focused on dental mishaps. She cited Joe’s inspiring work ethic, his natural humor, and the overall sense of ease their relationship provided. Dianne openly admitted she was “quite fussy in a way” about relationships and life, but with Joe, “none of that mattered.” It was the overwhelming array of things—not a single lightning bolt—that made her realize she had found her person. She concluded that their relationship simply “felt so comfortable,” a far more enduring foundation than manufactured romance.
The Unforgettable Dance That Brought a Nation to Tears
Beyond their romantic success, Dianne’s interview touched upon one of the most emotionally impactful moments of her professional career: choreographing the dance that won her a BAFTA, performed with her Strictly partner, Chris.
The dance, set to the iconic Liverpool anthem, “You’ll Never Walk Alone,” was always meant to be more than just a dance; it was a deeply personal tribute to Chris’s roots and his connection to the city. Dianne knew the routine had to carry significant weight.
She revealed her initial vision for the piece, which involved Chris walking onto the floor alone. Chris’s reaction was immediate and blunt: “Nah, that’s rubbish. We’re not doing that.” However, Dianne urged him to trust her, and in a pivotal moment during rehearsal, the power of her vision materialized. As they finished the run-through, Chris stopped, tears welling up in his eyes, and admitted, “You were right D. This felt so amazing for me.”
The emotional resonance wasn’t confined to the rehearsal room. Dianne shared a stunning anecdote about the first time they performed the routine in front of a live audience, specifically during a kids’ dress run where the studio was filled with children aged two to ten. Even this hyper-young audience understood the power of the piece, as “the whole studio, even the kids, stood up” in a standing ovation.
It was an overwhelming realization for Chris, who took Dianne outside afterward and, in one of the few times she had ever seen him cry, told her, “I just realized how much this is meaning to not just me but so many other people.” It was a moment that underscored the phenomenal, life-changing influence that simple art and passion can wield, and Joe, watching from the sidelines, affirmed the widespread national emotion, confessing he was an “emotional wreck” throughout their entire run, calling her success “very well deserved.”
The Swollen Finger and the Rumor Debunked
While the bulk of the interview was dedicated to heart-warming confessions and professional triumphs, the moment everyone was waiting for came at the very end: the status of their rumored engagement.
Headlines had been circulating after a photograph appeared online showing Dianne with a ring prominently displayed on that finger. The question of whether Joe had proposed has hounded them for months, and they finally used the platform to deliver the definitive, utterly surprising answer.
Joe first set the record straight with his trademark wit, teasingly asking if the Loose Women panel had seen a picture of his engagement ring, before clarifying that the ring in question was absolutely not from him.
Dianne then launched into the truly bizarre explanation, which involved a trip to Australia, a health concern, and a very unfortunate choice of handwear. The professional dancer explained that her hands get “very swollen” and “expand” when she flies to Australia. She was trying to wear a ring—an ordinary ring—but one of her fingers was less affected by the swelling than the others.
“This finger is actually the one that doesn’t expand as much,” she explained. She placed the ring on her wedding finger for convenience, then took a picture with her brother. The simple, non-romantic photo was immediately misconstrued by fans and media alike, who jumped to the logical, but in this case, completely false, conclusion.
Dianne, like the audience, was initially confused by the frenzy the photo caused, acknowledging that she was “as confused as everybody else” when she realized the innocuous picture with her brother had been blown up into a global engagement announcement.
The grand, viral engagement rumor, therefore, boiled down to a simple, health-related issue concerning fluctuating hand size during a long-haul flight. It’s a perfect illustration of how easily online gossip can spin out of control from the most innocent of details.
As Dianne prepares to hit the road for her new tour, Red Hot and Ready, with fellow Strictly star Vito Coppola, the couple proved once again that their love story remains one of Hollywood’s most unique—built on quirky confessions, profound mutual support, and a hilarious willingness to set the record straight, even if the truth involves a swollen finger and a snack stuck in a tooth. For fans eager to follow their journey, it seems the next instalment of the Dianne and Joe saga is still to come, and the world is eagerly waiting to see when that real diamond will finally appear.