Caroline Daly had already spent years teaching dance, co-founded her own school, and earned professional qualifications before most of Britain knew her name. She is the wife of actor Adam Thomas, yes — but that is only one part of a story that started in a dance studio when she was three years old.
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Who Is Caroline Daly?
Caroline Daly, now Caroline Thomas after her 2017 marriage, is an English professional dancer, qualified dance teacher, and co-principal of ABCD School of Dance and Drama in Altrincham, Greater Manchester. She was born on April 23, and is believed to be in her mid-thirties.
Her public profile grew largely through her relationship with Adam Thomas, the actor known for Emmerdale (2009–2018) and Waterloo Road. But her professional life in dance is entirely her own.
A Dancer Since Age Three
Caroline started dancing at three years old. Through childhood and into her late teens, she performed in productions, pantomimes, and shows, building the kind of stage experience that most professional teachers draw on for the rest of their careers.
By the time she was 18, she had gained her formal teaching qualifications across multiple dance genres, earning the credential A.N.A.T.D — Associate of the National Association of Teachers of Dancing. The NATD is one of the most respected professional dance education bodies in the United Kingdom.
She then spent years working as a dance teacher alongside Andrea Brunton, a Fellowship-level NATD examiner, at a stage school in Stockport. In 2012, the two decided to open their own school together.
ABCD School of Dance and Drama
ABCD School of Dance and Drama is based at 2a Post Office Street, Timperley, Altrincham. Caroline co-founded it with Andrea Brunton, and both hold the title of Principal.
The school teaches students from age three through to professional and vocational level, covering Ballet, Tap, Modern, Street, Contemporary, Drama, Singing, Acrobatics, and Musical Theatre. It also runs a teacher training programme for those pursuing a career in dance.
Caroline teaches classes personally — from the youngest students right through to senior girls — while also managing the day-to-day running of the school. The team has expanded over the years, with a Vice Principal, a Musical Theatre specialist with a first-class honours degree from the Arden School of Theatre, and a Contemporary dance teacher who holds a BA Honours degree from Salford University.
On Instagram, the school runs under @abcdschoolofdanceanddrama.
Meeting Adam Thomas
Caroline and Adam met in 2007 when he was 19 and filming Waterloo Road for the BBC. They dated for close to eight years before Adam proposed on a beach in Dubai in 2015.
On August 27, 2017, they married at Delamere Manor in Cheshire, a 100-acre estate that was previously the private home of Take That singer Gary Barlow. Their son Teddy, born September 8, 2014, served as ring bearer on the day.
Caroline wore a mermaid-style gown with a sweetheart neckline and sheer lace top for the ceremony, later changing into a sparkly low-cut second dress with sheer mesh panels for the evening reception, accessorised with face jewels. She also put together a surprise choreographed dance performance with her team as a wedding gift for Adam.
Their wedding song was “Dancing on My Own”, the Callum Scott cover of the Robyn original. What made it more personal: Callum Scott performed the song live at their wedding.
Teddy and Elsie-Rose
The couple’s son, Teddy James Thomas, was born on September 8, 2014. He has followed his father into television, landing a role on BBC’s Waterloo Road alongside Adam.
Their daughter, Elsie-Rose Thomas, was born on May 20, 2018. During the pregnancy, Caroline wrote a personal column for OK! magazine, revealing that the baby’s due date fell on her late grandfather’s birthday. She chose the name as a feminine version of a nickname her father had used for her grandfather, who had passed away the previous year. In July 2025, Elsie-Rose broke her right arm playing football and wore a cast for nearly four weeks.
Strictly Come Dancing 2023
Adam joined Strictly Come Dancing Series 21 in 2023, partnered with professional dancer Luba Mushtuk. At the Strictly launch, Adam told reporters his wife had given him no dance tips at all before joining, adding: “I wish she had, but she pointed out that I haven’t taught her how to act either.”
In Week 7, Adam danced the Rumba to “Dancing on My Own” — their actual wedding song, the one Callum Scott had performed live at their reception. Caroline was visibly emotional watching from the audience. The performance sparked widespread discussion online when viewers pointed out the irony of a couple using a heartbreak anthem as their first dance.
Adam was eliminated later that week in a dance-off against Angela Rippon, with all four judges voting unanimously to save Rippon. Anton Du Beke called it the closest dance-off of the series.
After Adam’s exit, Luba Mushtuk wrote a public tribute to Caroline, saying she had been there “for both of us each step of the way” and calling her “the best.” Fellow contestant Amanda Abbington also reached out to Caroline publicly following the elimination.
Adam’s Arthritis and Caroline’s Role
In August 2023, Adam publicly revealed a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, which had been affecting his knees, wrists, fingers, ankles, and toes since the start of that year. The announcement came while he was in the middle of his Strictly run.
Caroline has been closely involved in his treatment. In February 2025, Adam posted photos on Instagram showing her administering his anti-inflammatory medication by injection at home. He wrote: “Shoutout to my wife Caroline… I love growing with you,” and signed off by awarding her “Family Member of the Month.”
By July 2025, Adam shared that his outlook had shifted. He said he had “lost hope” at one point but was now back to doing things he thought he might never do again, and he remained committed to diet, recovery, and the possibility of managing the condition without medication long term.
Caroline Daly has spent nearly two decades in dance studios, classrooms, and competition halls. She built a school that has now been running for over twelve years, trained hundreds of students, and maintained her own professional identity through every stage of a very public family life. The spotlight that found her came second.
