Chris Robshaw's famous wife, stalker incident hell and apology after England rugby scandal

Strictly Come Dancing is back on our TV this weekend, with former England rugby captain Chris Robshaw among the host of famous faces ready to strut their stuff on the dance floor in a bid to win the coveted glitterball trophy. This series' line-up boasts celebrated actors, presenters and reality TV stars, as well as several renowned figures from the world of sport.

The Strictly sporting stars include ex-Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd-Hasselbaink, Lionesses legend Karen Carney, and sprinter-turned-Gladiator Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, alongside Robshaw. The 39-year-old earned 66 caps for England, leading his country at the 2015 Rugby World Cup and securing a Six Nations Grand Slam the following year. In addition to his three years as England skipper, Robshaw spent 15 years with Harlequins before ending his career across the pond with San Diego Legion. Hanging up his boots in 2022, he has ventured into reality TV with an appearance on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins before his Strictly stint. With the stage now set for his dancing debut, here's what you need to know about the former England flanker.

Chris Robshaw's famous wife

Robshaw is married to classical singer Camilla Kerslake. The couple tied the knot in Provence in 2018 and have since welcomed two sons - Wilder, born in 2021, and Hunter, born last year.

Kerslake, born in Dulwich to a Welsh mother and New Zealand-born father, won a place in an all-girl pop group at the age of 20, but was later let go. She transitioned into classical music, performing in pubs and working men's clubs, as well as in an ABBA tribute band, to finance her singing lessons.

Her determination paid off when she was signed to Gary Barlow's record label in 2009. Her career has since seen her sing the national anthem at Wembley, perform for royalty, appear in the West End and tour with fellow classical singer Russell Watson.

Together, Robshaw and Kerslake have established their own charity, the Kerslake Robshaw Foundation. The foundation aims to provide children with opportunities to socialise and stay active through music and sport. Discussing the charity, Robshaw said: "Camilla and I are passionate about supporting young people and their families in taking seriously the prospect of a career in the sports or arts. We worry about the future and the growing disparities and think each child should have the same opportunities as any other on and off the pitch."

Kerslake added: "Coming from a working-class background and being in the classical music world hasn't been easy. I want future generations of working-class artists to have role models like them to aspire to. I'm worried this won't happen if research continues to show further declines in working class creatives. Investing in the arts and in diversity benefits not just our economy but our health, happiness and most importantly brings people together."

Stalking nightmare

While Robshaw will be thrilled about the Strictly challenge, the former England captain has endured a challenging period in his personal life after being harassed by a stalker. The Harlequins icon briefly encountered a woman at two separate professional events last year, and within six months, she allegedly began a sustained harassment campaign against him.

The woman is accused of spreading lies about Robshaw and encouraging others to follow suit, including threats to fabricate lies about him and his wife to social services. When the alleged threats reportedly turned violent, Robshaw contacted police, with the woman believed to have fled the country. She now appears on the National Police Wanted List, according to the Mirror.

The nightmare unfolded around the time the former rugby ace and his wife had welcomed their son Hunter, with Robshaw admitting to The Times that the "tough" ordeal remains an "ongoing headache." He said: "What should've been a time for celebrating our new baby was overshadowed as we were dealing with the horror of this. But Strictly has brought us some joy. It's nice to hear the family laughing again, even if it is at my expense."

A close source connected to Robshaw told the Mirror how the rugby star sought permission from the officers managing his case before agreeing to take part in the BBC programme. "Before signing up, he had to tell his case officer that he was doing the show, going as far to ask for their blessing as such," they told the Mirror.

"The police were told about Strictly, before he told his own family. He was one of the last celebrities to sign up, because he was taking the right measures to secure his family, before signing on the dotted line."

Robshaw has also suggested he would be prepared to leave Strictly if the situation worsened, with the source adding: "Chris has made it clear that his family always comes first. He told friends that if this situation ever put Camilla or the children at risk, he'd walk away from Strictly without hesitation.

"He almost pulled out of the show altogether but changed his mind because he wants his son to see him out there, embracing something new and fun. He doesn't want fear to win."

Public apology

Back in 2020, Robshaw landed himself in trouble after he and several of his Barbarians team-mates violated strict Covid protocols, resulting in their match against England being cancelled entirely. The flanker was part of a group of 12 who broke the Covid-secure bubble at the team hotel to dine out, resulting in their immediate expulsion from the squad.

In the rush to find replacements for the match, another breach of Covid protocols was discovered, leading the RFU to cancel the match. Robshaw later took to social media to publicly apologise, admitting his actions were "irresponsible" and expressing deep remorse for his behaviour.

"I want to express my deepest apologies for breaching the Barbarians' Covid-19 restrictions by leaving the hotel post training with some of my team-mates," he stated. "A huge effort went into conducting this match in a safe fashion and it was irresponsible of me to break the protocols which are put in place to protect players, staff and the public.

"I understand that my actions have ultimately contributed to the cancellation of Sunday's match and I am sincerely remorseful for my role in undoing all the amazing work that went into trying to make it happen."