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Joe McFadden has announced he is engaged to partner Rob (Picture: @mrjoemcfadden)

Former Strictly Come Dancing winner Joe McFadden has revealed he is now engaged to his partner in a surprise post.

Joe, 48, had kept the whole romance under wraps, shocking fans as he revealed plans to tie the knot with now-fiance Rob Smales.

Calling Rob his ‘soulmate’, the Holby City star hard launched their romance by posting a selfie of them together on X along with the good news.

‘Couldn’t be happier to be engaged to be married to my amazing soulmate, Rob,’ he wrote simply before adding the hashtag ‘#loveislove’.

The post was flooded with congratulations, including from 2017 Strictly castmate Richard Coles who wrote: ‘Woohoo! Love you Joe!’

Joe joked back that they ‘might be in need of someone to officiate…😘’.

The Strictly star danced with Katya Jones and took the 2017 crown (Picture: PA)

Joe, who recently starred in 2:22 A Ghost Story, has not publicly posted Rob until now, preferring to keep their romance out of the spotlight.

Casulty’s Kirsty Mitchell commented: ‘I bought the hat ages ago! 🤣😉 Glorious news. Glorious couple. Couldn’t be happier for you both. Loving the love ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️’

2:22 A Ghost Story castmate Donna Air said: “You guys!! Congratulations, so happy for you both!”

‘Congrats xx,’ added Laura Whitmore among numerous heart emojis from friends and fans alike.

Joe and Rob have kept their romance very low key (Picture:@emmacookeactress)

In 2017, when Joe lifted the Glitterball trophy with Katya Jones, he had confirmed he was single and struggling to find love.

He told The Daily Record: ‘I don’t know why I’m single. I must be unlovable, I don’t know. Who knows? Maybe I work too hard.’ 

It’s not known when or how the couple met but Rob works as an impressionist painter and had an exhibition in London not long ago.

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The artist also shared the engagement announcement on his Instagram story with the simple caption: ‘Engaged’.

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