04-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Strictly's Nadiya Bychkova 'tired' by co-star gossip as she shares dating update
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Nadiya Bychkova has confessed that she was left feeling "tired" by the gossip surrounding her and her former Strictly dance partner. Speaking at the National Film Awards in London's Porchester Hall, the 35-year-old Ukrainian dancer, who joined the BBC show in 2017, opened up about the joys of being single, remarking, "Being single is beautiful."
A world and European champion in ballroom and Latin '10' dance, Nadiya has graced the dance floor on the Bosnian version of Strictly before. In the UK, she's dazzled audiences alongside celebs like EastEnders star Davood Ghadami and Olympic swimmer Tom Dean.
Off the dance floor, Nadiya is a mum to her daughter, Mila, whose dad is Matija Skarabot, a Slovenian footballer currently with Italian club Gemonese Calcio. She expressed how much she's relishing her single status, "especially in summer."
Speaking to the Mail, Nadiya gushed: "Look at me – being single is beautiful. I'm enjoying it, especially in summer. I'm in a really good place and I'm really happy."
(Image: BBC)
However, she also revealed she'd been left "tired" over speculation linking her to Channel 5 newsreader Dan Walker, whom she danced with on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021.
The duo's journey in the dance competition ended just shy of the semi-finals, earning 31 points but ultimately facing defeat in the dreaded dance-off against AJ Odudu and her dance partner, Kai Widdrington.
Nadiya, whose romantic relationship with Kai came to an end last year, later became close friends with Dan. Since then, the pair have been known to spend time with each other and share photos on Instagram.
False rumours swirled around Nadiya and Dan after she was seen backstage offering comfort to the journalist, who is married to his wife, Sarah, and is a father of three.
Nadiya hailed Dan as a "gentleman" and stressed that their relationship was strictly platonic, according to the Sun. Dan was reportedly distressed at the time due to the passing of his friend, Gary Speed.
(Image:)
She commented: "It was a very difficult day for Dan. It was a full-on week in general, a lot of work, and it had made him emotional."
Nadiya explained that he'd filmed an interview and was "watching that video." She added that they'd become "really good friends", that it had been a "tough day", and that she was glad she was "there for him."
Sharing his side of the story with the publication, Dan said he simply "needed to give somebody a hug", adding that he "needed to release emotionally" from what he'd been "bottling up" over the week.
In other news, Nadiya recently shared heartfelt snaps with her daughter on Instagram following The Gala Ball London, an esteemed two-day international dance event.
Her Instagram post read: "I will always be your biggest fan. The most precious moments. #theproudestmum #grateful. Having you puts everything into perspective. Love you more than anything, my baby girl."
