Katya Jones admits she infuriated her neighbours by learning piano in solitary isolation

Katya Jones has admitted she had a serious complaint from her next door neighbour after she made too much noise while playing the piano during lockdown.

And the Strictly Come Dancing professional, 30, admitted she had to agree to do things differently after her irate neighbour knocked on her door in desperation. 

She explained: ‘I play piano and played when I was younger and hadn’t played for years. I only do pieces I know but now I have time, for the first few days of isolation, I played for hours and hours. And I’d play again and go wrong then start again and think let’s nail this. 

‘I noticed I talk to myself on lockdown. Is that weird? I’m like “You are not doing this right – your finger is not pressing it properly. Try again. Can you fix it again?”‘ 

She added: ‘I was playing it for days and days. I thought I have all his time. On the fourth day I got a knock on my door and I opened the door and it was my neighbours. I was like “Oh no, I’m so sorry. I’ve been playing way too much haven’t I?”

‘He was like “I’ve been listening for hours and hours to the same tune over and over”. My piano was right against their wall. I was like “I’m so sorry.”

‘He said “We tried every single room and we can hear it in every single room and with the TV on as well.” I was like “Oh no what will we do?”

‘We agreed I’d do one slot a day from 3pm until 4pm. They are ready mentally for it now or go out to the garden.’

The dancer also claims she’s ‘winning’ in isolation because she is by herself after splitting with husband Neil Jones in 2019, meaning she avoids any arguments with partners. 

She said: ‘I consider myself lucky actually cause I am isolated by myself and in the beginning it seemed a bit daunting, but now I’m looking at friends having rows and literally, when breathing is becoming annoying, I think I’m winning. It’s just me. I can do whatever I want.’  

Katya admitted she had been depressed and upset initially by the thought of isolating for so long away from friends and family at her London flat, with only pet dog Crumble and her beloved glitter ball for company. 

She said: ‘It was really freaking me out. At first I wasn’t going on social media and didn’t do much. Those thoughts stopped me from doing anything. Just watching videos of my friends made me think “What am I doing? Get sorted.” I thought “I’m back.”

‘I dressed my glitter ball as my companion. I do her hair and she dressed up with me. Her name is Hope. It’s like the movie Castaway with my glitter ball as Wilson. The other day for Breakfast at Tiffany’s I needed more hair and I looked across and Hope had it on her head. I needed it. I whacked it off her. She was looking a little bald for a day.’ 

Katya revealed she’d also been filling up every hour of her day by either learning or teaching something. 

She added: ‘I’m learning Spanish and have had seventeen lessons. I’m teaching friends Russian, teach my niece English, and am giving my mum dance lessons so now she dances. 

‘I have to book myself slots. I’m doing crafts too. I miss my friends and I’d love to be back with the team. It is my birthday on May 12 but I’m not sure if we will be in or out by then.’