Nadiya Bychkova puts her football skills to the test as she attends Angry Birds x TOCA Social event after Strictly axe

by

After leaving Strictly Come Dancing, Nadiya Bychkova showed off her football abilities at an event hosted by Angry Birds and TOCA Social.

The 36-year-old professional dancer had been a regular on the BBC dance show for many years before being let go by producers last week.

I popped over to TOCA Social in London on Thursday – it’s this amazing immersive football experience – for a fun event celebrating their new Angry Birds game. It was a great chance to unwind and check out something new!

I was absolutely captivated by Nadiya’s latest look! She just makes everything seem so easy. She wore this gorgeous white satin suit – a cropped blazer with strong shoulders and these amazing flared trousers – and paired it with a simple nude top. It was effortlessly chic, honestly. She always knows how to put it all together!

She completed her outfit with nude high heels, and even kept them on while playfully attempting to kick the football.

Nadiya hasn’t commented on why she’s leaving the show, and the BBC hasn’t announced the new cast yet.

The Daily Mail reports that claims she was removed from the main team because of her age are untrue.

The decision not to renew her contract actually stems from her difficult behavior behind the scenes and her close friendship with Dan Walker, a fellow competitor from 2021.

Her demanding and dramatic behavior upset her colleagues, and her split from Kai Widdrington, 30, created an uncomfortable atmosphere among the professional dancers, who found it difficult to be around them both.

Their two-year relationship caused problems with management, who prefer to avoid having former couples work together to maintain a positive team environment.

According to a source, ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ is meant to be fun, but it needs a competitive element to be successful.

Network executives hope the professional dancers on the show will approach their partnerships with competitive spirit, pushing for strong performances without being overly aggressive or creating negative controversies, especially considering past bullying accusations that have damaged the show’s reputation.

Nadiya hasn’t had much success in her last three team-ups with celebrity partners, including Matt Goss. She hasn’t even reached the top ten with any of them.

To maintain the show’s quality, we’re hoping the next person to join the cast does a great job.

Several other professional dancers won’t be returning this year, including Michelle Tsiakkas, 30, Luba Mushtuk, 36, and Gorka Márquez, 35.

Earlier this month, The Daily Mail reported that Karen Hauer, who has been a professional dancer on the show since 2012 – making her the longest-serving female professional – will not be returning.

Even though Karen had been on the show for 13 years, she only recently found out about the decision.

Karen’s most recent dance partner on the show was Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, known for his role in Gladiator. Before that, she partnered with ex-footballer Paul Merson and, in 2023, comedian Eddie Kadi.

The Daily Mail reported that BBC executives are keeping Katya Jones on the show because she’s a fan favorite, even though they’re facing other challenges.

I’ve been loving seeing Nadiya back on social media after a well-deserved break! She recently shared some gorgeous photos from her sunny getaway, and she’s looking amazing – clearly all that relaxation did wonders for her!

She stunned in the skimpy white two-piece, featuring a triangle bra and gold accents.

Nadiya seems to be enjoying some time off from dancing, as she recently posted about her stay at the Regnum The Crown hotel.

Along with a small bouquet of flowers, the celebrity wrote: ‘Water, light, silence – one of those truly peaceful moments.’

Read More

2026-03-20 13:49