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One Strictly star has an odd link to a jewel heist

Strictly Come Dancing star La Voix has an unexpected connection to a jewellery heist, it has emerged.

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The tale about the former RuPaul’s Drag Race UK contestant has resurfaced as she is competing on the BBC show.

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In 2009, drag queen La Voix, whose real name is Chris Dennis, was working at her day job as a theatrical make-up artist when two men hired her to do their make-up to make them appear significantly older.

The star was under the impression that the makeover was for a music video. La Voix spent four hours transforming the men – Aman Kassaye and Craig Calderwood. Just an hour after the make-up session, the two men arrived at Graff diamond store on New Bond Street, London and emptied the cases. They subsequently left with £40m worth of gems, reports the Mirror.

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La Voix is taking part in Strictly(Image: PA)

Calderwood was convicted of robbery and possessing a firearm and sentenced to 21 years in prison. Kassaye received a 23-year sentence for conspiracy to rob, for possessing a firearm and for kidnap.

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The 2009 heist is considered the biggest jewellery heist in UK history.

La Voix revealed on the Little Did You Know podcast in 2021: “I was booked to do two men who wanted to be made to look older, and I was told it was for a music video. We started doing things you could do with latex and all the ageing make-up.”

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La Voix, real name Chris Dennis, is paired with Alijaz Skorjanec on Strictly(Image: BBC)

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The pair paid La Voix £450 for the makeover before heading to the jewellery shop.

It was only the following day that La Voix spotted something familiar whilst reading the newspaper’s grainy CCTV photographs. She recalled: “I thought, ‘That’s those two men that I did the make-up on yesterday!’”

Metropolitan Police detectives questioned the television personality and took the make-up brushes, gowns, banknotes and rubber masks for DNA analysis. La Voix was also required to provide testimony in court, which she described as “very frightening”.

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La Voix used to work as a makeup artist(Image: PA)

Supporters and admirers of the performer have flocked to social media to discuss the extraordinary tale.

Fellow drag performer Marmalade posted on X: “Morning everyone! Quick question, am I suffering from carbon monoxide poisoning or did I ready this correctly? Lmk!”

Another user commented: “This is an insane piece of lore to drop.