Strictly Come Dancing star Karen Clifton was still wearing her wedding ring on Monday morning as she stepped amid claims that her two-year marriage to husband Kevin is on the rocks as she moves on with accountant Stuart Wood.
The professional dancer, a relative newcomer to the long-running BBC show, revealed the distinctive gold band while stepping out with friends.
Calling into a local coffee shop for a warm beverage, Karen, 35, appeared to be in high spirits following claims that she has enjoyed a string of dates with accountant Stuart, 27.
Still on: Strictly Come Dancing star Karen Clifton was still wearing her wedding ring on Monday morning as she stepped amid claims that her two-year marriage to husband Kevin is on the rocks
Sporting a thick black coat and grey scarf, the Blackpool based star was well wrapped against plunging winter temperatures as they walked her pet dog.
Completing her low key look with a pair of skinny jeans and a casual black cap, Karen beamed while chatting to her small group as they navigated a modest residential street.
The Strictly Come Dancing professional recently insisted that she and her co-star husband are ‘working on their marriage’, but new reports have surfaced claiming the beauty is romantically linked to Stuart.
There it is: The professional dancer, a relative newcomer to the long-running BBC show, revealed the distinctive gold band while stepping out with friends
Stepping out: Calling into a local coffee shop for a warm beverage, Karen, 35, appeared to be in high spirits following claims that she has enjoyed a string of dates with accountant Stuart Wood, 27
In pictures obtained by The Sun, Stuart and Karen have been spotted together on several occasions outside her home, with the duo leaving the house separately on Saturday morning.
It’s claimed the starlet has enjoyed several meetings with Stuart, with sources claiming to the paper that the accountant is ‘absolutely besotted’ with Karen and is hopeful they will have a ‘future’ together, despite her still being married to Kevin.
They said: ‘They’ve met up on a number of occasions the past few weeks and are getting to know each other.
‘She’s been telling him that there could be a future together… There is hope for Stuart that they might elope together.’
In good company: Karen was joined by two female friends during her latest outing
Moving on? Karen Clifton, 35, is reportedly dating an accountant amid rumours her two-year marriage to dancer Kevin Clifton is ‘on the rocks’
Moving on? It’s claimed the starlet has enjoyed several meetings with Stuart, (pictured) with sources claiming to the paper that the accountant is ‘absolutely besotted’ with Karen
Trouble: The Strictly Come Dancing professional recently admitted that she and her co-star beau are ‘working on their marriage’, but new reports have surfaced claiming the beauty is romantically linked to Stuart
An onlooker added that the duo appeared ‘smitten’ during one meeting at a pub, adding: ‘Karen didn’t really seem to care who was looking.’
MailOnline has contacted representatives for both Karen and Kevin.
She has found herself plagued by claims that her marriage to dancer Kevin has become strained and seeming to address the rumours, Karen had admitted that the duo are ‘working on their marriage’ while attending the OK! magazine Beauty Awards recently.
Karen made a solo appearance at the bash and it came after cracks allegedly appeared within her seven-year relationship with Kevin, due to distance.
He is said to have spent increasing amounts of time in Scotland training his former Strictly partner Susan Calman for the show.
New love? It’s claimed the starlet has enjoyed several meetings with Stuart, with sources claiming to the paper that the accountant is ‘absolutely besotted’ with Karen, despite her still being married to Kevin (above)
Relationship difficulties: She has found herself plagued by claims that her marriage to dancer Kevin has become strained and seeming to address the rumours, Karen admitted that the duo are ‘working on their marriage’ recently
Reunited: The professional dancer was joined by fellow Strictly stars Janette Manrara, Kristina Rihanoff and Oti Mabose at the cosmetic award ceremony
Candid: Addressing the claims surrounding her marriage, she said: ‘We’re just a regular couple, we’ve been together for seven years and like any other relationship you have your ups and downs. Nothing is perfect’
Karen, meanwhile, had spent time in London and Manchester ahead of the current Strictly series, in which she was partnered with Simon Rimmer.
Addressing the claims surrounding her marriage, Karen had told The Sun: ‘We’re just a regular couple, we’ve been together for seven years and like any other relationship you have your ups and downs. Nothing is ever perfect, so you make it work.’
Downplaying rumours of a rift, she made sure to add: ‘Everything is fine, it adds a little bit of spark to the relationship and it just means that we care about each other.’
She added: ‘We just need to keep pushing and relationships take work, it’s not as easy as you think, especially being in a job like Strictly.’
Brushing it off: Downplaying rumours of a rift, she made sure to add: ‘Everything is fine, it adds a little bit of spark to the relationship and it just means that we care about each other’
Kevin, meanwhile, is believed to have confided in friends that things ‘aren’t going well’ currently between the married couple.
He touched on the strain between himself and Karen on his exit from this year’s Strictly series, after Susan was voted out of the competition.
Kevin reached out to Karen publicly, as he admitted to the show’s co-host Tess Daly: ‘When Strictly is on I’m not the easiest person to live with. I go a bit mad.
‘So I’d like to say first of all, thanks to my wife for putting up with me.’
Prior to his public display, Karen had previously admitted that the pair’s marriage is nothing like the perfect union it appears and that domestic fights often result in them sleeping separately.
Marital woes: Kevin, meanwhile, is believed to have confided in friends that things ‘aren’t going well’ between the married couple currently
Making amends: He touched on the strain between himself and Karen on his exit from this year’s Strictly series, after Susan was voted out of the competition and publicly reached out to Karen
Emotional: Kevin reached out to Karen, as he admitted to the show’s co-host Tess Daly: ‘When Strictly is on I’m not the easiest person to live with. I go a bit mad. Thanks to my wife for putting up with me’
‘We’re not a superhuman couple, we’re normal, so when things happen, we fight,’ she told The Daily Mail in August.
‘We fight about things like him not taking the rubbish out. He does it more than me but that’s only because I tell him to do it.’
The stunning brunette joined the show in 2012, and met Lincolnshire-born Kevin when he joined a year later.
At the time, he had been married to fellow dancer Clare Craze for six years, but they split that same year. Striking up a romance with Karen, he married her two years later.
Dynamic duo: The Venezuelan brunette joined the show in 2012, and met Lincolnshire-born Kevin when he joined a year later. They tied the knot in 2015
Competition: She had been partnered with Sunday Brunch host Simon Rimmer on this year’s series of Strictly Come Dancing