Nadiya Bychkova boasted about having more ‘free time’ away from Strictly in an awkwardly timed interview days before she was axed from the BBC show’s lineup

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Just days before she was fired from Strictly Come Dancing, Nadiya Bychkova surprisingly mentioned having some ‘free time’ in her schedule, following the news that she wouldn’t be joining the show’s tour.

The 36-year-old professional dancer, a familiar face on the BBC dance show for many years, has been let go by the show’s producers.

Before news came out that Nadiya was leaving this year’s show, she had also missed appearing on the very popular Strictly tour for the second time.

She recently minimized the impact of being overlooked for a promotion, saying she was glad to have more free time.

Nadiya shared that she’s always eager to participate in Strictly Come Dancing’s various projects, but joining the tour isn’t always feasible every year.

Chris Robshaw and I both got injured early in the season, which meant I couldn’t join him on tour.

She told Closer magazine that while she enjoys working, it’s also good to have some downtime. ‘Strictly’ was a very demanding experience, especially with all the group routines, and she’d been busy with it since July, so she was happy to have a more relaxed schedule starting in January.

Nadiya hasn’t spoken publicly about why she won’t be returning to Strictly Come Dancing, and the BBC hasn’t announced the full list of contestants for this year yet.

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

The decision not to renew her contract actually comes down to her difficult behavior behind the scenes and her close relationship with Dan Walker, who she competed with in 2021.

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

I’ve been following this situation closely, and it’s really tough. Their relationship, lasting two years, clearly upset the higher-ups. They’re worried about the team dynamic and really try to avoid having exes working together – it’s all about keeping the peace and making sure everyone can work together professionally.

Someone familiar with the show explained that while ‘Strictly’ is meant to be fun and entertaining, a sense of competition is essential for it to be successful.

Network executives hope the professional dancers on the show will approach their partnerships with competitive spirit, pushing for strong performances without crossing the line into harmful or abusive behavior – something that has caused problems for the show in the past.

Nadiya hasn’t had much success in her last three partnerships with celebrities, 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.

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

On Tuesday, the Daily Mail reported that Karen Hauer, a professional dancer on the show since 2012 and the longest-serving female dancer, will also be leaving.

Even though Karen had been a part of 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 former footballer Paul Merson, and in 2023, she danced with comedian Eddie Kadi.

Okay, so here’s the inside scoop – it sounds like the BBC is really counting on Katya Jones to bring in the viewers! I’m hearing from sources that they specifically wanted her back on the show because she’s a fan favorite, and they know she draws a crowd. It’s a smart move, honestly – people love watching her!

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2026-03-10 18:06