Strictly Come Dancing star Nadiya Bychkova has broken her silence about her split from fellow professional dancer Kai Widdrington during a TV appearance on Thursday.
The 35-year-old Ukrainian dancer appeared on Loose Women alongside panellists Charlene White, Frankie Bridge, Sue Cleaver, and Katie Piper.
Whilst discussing her upcoming solo tour, the conversation turned personal when Cleaver inquired about Bychkova’s recent break-up with her Strictly colleague.
The professional dancer admitted that managing the situation with her ex-partner hasn’t been straightforward.
Cleaver asked: “Last time you were here you were with Kai. And I think you said openly that you’ve broken up now. I just wanted to know how do you manage that situation?”
“Well, I don’t think any break-up is easy. But we’re professionals, so we obviously knew that we would have to go back to work together, and that’s what we do,” Bychkova responded.
Kai Widdrington and Nadiya Bychkova met on the set of Strictly Come Dancing GETTYShe added: “I think in life, it’s about how you deal with things. It’s so much thrown to us, and you need to deal with things, and maybe at some point we’ll be able to talk about it, but right now, it’s all about the tour.”
Widdrington and Bychkova, who both perform on the BBC dance show, ended their two-year relationship in the summer of 2024.
Reports suggest the pair grew apart due to the demands of touring together and spending constant time in close proximity.
By October 2024, tensions appeared evident when Bychkova reportedly revealed at the Pride of Britain Awards that she was “not friends” with her ex.
Nadiya Bychkova and Kai Widdrington were together for two years INSTAGRAM“We work together but we are not friends and that’s okay. One thing I can tell you is that when you see me dancing with him it will be amazing because I’m a professional,” she told the Mirror at the time.
Bychkova has been a professional dancer on Strictly Come Dancing since joining the show in 2017.
She holds two Guinness World Records from Strictly’s Pro Challenge for the most dance steps in 30 seconds – achieving this with fleckerls in 2020 and pat-a-cakes in 2021.
Her highest placement came in her debut series, reaching the quarter-finals with EastEnders actor Davood Ghadami.
Most recently, she partnered with Olympic swimmer Tom Dean in 2024, though they were the first couple eliminated after losing the dance-off to Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones.
Her other celebrity partners have included Dan Walker, Lee Ryan, and former England goalkeeper David James.
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During her Loose Women appearance, Bychkova spoke about her upcoming solo tour, set to begin next month.
She hinted at potentially discussing the split further during the tour, telling viewers: “On my tour, you get to audience will get to ask me questions. So there is a lovely element, so maybe if someone wanna come and ask the question.”
The Ukrainian dancer, who is a mother to daughter Mila from her previous relationship with footballer Matija Skarabot, appears eager to focus on her professional endeavours.
The tour represents a new chapter for the two-time World and European Champion in ’10’ Dance.