Lisa Armstrong sent fans on a nostalgic trip back to the 1990s after sharing a striking bikini-clad throwback from her days as a pop star. ✨
The Strictly Come Dancing make-up artist, 49, took to Instagram on Friday with a glamorous blast from the past, posting a sun-soaked poolside snap from her Deuce era. In the image, Lisa beamed at the camera while wearing a skimpy red two-piece and a bandana, looking every inch the 90s pop girl as she relived the days before her hugely successful television career behind the scenes.
But in typical self-deprecating style, Lisa did not simply share the picture for glamour alone. She also poked fun at one very memorable beauty trend from the decade: the ultra-thin, over-plucked brows that defined so many 90s looks. Her cheeky reference to her “90s brows” gave the post a playful edge, proving she can laugh at fashion history while still owning the throwback moment. 💄
The post quickly reminded fans that long before she became one of the most respected make-up artists on British television, Lisa had enjoyed her own time in the pop spotlight. She followed the bikini snap with another retro image featuring her Deuce bandmates Craig Robert Young, Kelly O’Keefe and Paul Holmes.
Formed in 1994 by Tom Watkins, the former manager of Pet Shop Boys and East 17, Deuce arrived during a glittery, high-energy era of British pop. The group scored four Top 30 singles in the UK before eventually disbanding in 1997, leaving behind the kind of colourful, dance-pop memories that fans still love to rediscover decades later. 🌟
For Lisa, the throwback was more than just a fun social media moment. It offered a glimpse at a life before the headlines, before the heartbreak of divorce, and before her transformation into one of Strictly’s trusted backstage talents. It was a reminder that she has lived several public lives: pop performer, celebrity wife, make-up professional, and now a woman confidently reflecting on her past with humour and warmth.
The nostalgic post comes after a difficult period for Lisa and her ex-husband Ant McPartlin, who have both been mourning the loss of their beloved chocolate Labrador, Hurley. The 12-year-old dog was put to sleep in February after suffering from illness, bringing an emotional end to a bond that had once become a deeply public part of the former couple’s divorce.
Lisa and Ant adopted Hurley in 2013 after struggling to have children during their marriage, and the dog became hugely important to both of them. Lisa frequently shared affectionate photos of him online, calling him her “baby boy,” while Ant also spoke movingly about the loyalty, love and companionship Hurley gave him during some of the toughest years of his life. 💔
So devoted were they both to Hurley that the dog became part of their 2018 divorce arrangements after their 11-year marriage ended. Ant reportedly refused to give up full custody, and a system was eventually arranged where Hurley was ferried between the former couple so they did not have to see each other.
The arrangement became one of the most talked-about details of their split, reflecting just how much the dog meant to both sides. When Hurley’s health declined earlier this year, Ant was reportedly made aware and rushed to join Lisa at a veterinary clinic after a Britain’s Got Talent press conference in London. The former couple are understood to have agreed together to have him put to sleep.
The loss was heartbreaking, especially given Hurley’s place in Lisa’s life. Her final post with the dog showed him lying on her bed to mark International Dog Day last August — a simple, tender image that now carries added sadness. 🌹
Ant, meanwhile, has since built a new family life with wife Anne-Marie Corbett, whom he married in 2021. The couple welcomed their son Wilder in May 2024 and also share two Maltipoos, Milo and Bumble.
Lisa’s throwback post, then, felt like a welcome burst of brightness after a tough chapter. By looking back at her pop star years, she reminded fans of the fun, fearless and playful side of her personality — the young woman in the red bikini, smiling poolside, brows plucked to 90s perfection, embracing a moment in time with no apology.
It was nostalgic, glamorous and full of humour — exactly the kind of throwback that proves Lisa Armstrong’s story has always been about more than one headline. From Deuce to Strictly, from heartbreak to resilience, she continues to show that reinvention can come with sparkle, strength and a wink to the past.
