Strictly pro Nadiya Bychkova breaks cover as ‘devastated’ dancer is seen for the first time since being axed in show ‘bloodbath’

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Nadiya Bychkova was seen on television again on Wednesday, marking her first public appearance since leaving Strictly Come Dancing.

The 36-year-old professional dancer was a long-time favorite on the BBC dance show, but show officials decided not to renew her contract this week.

Nadiya recently demonstrated she still works with the BBC when she was seen leaving BBC Studios in Manchester on Thursday after being on the Morning Live program.

During the live show, the dancer avoided talking about being eliminated from Strictly Come Dancing. Instead, she led presenters Helen Skelton and Gethin Jones in a dance workout, a segment playfully titled ‘Strictly Fitness’.

She was seen hurrying to her car shortly after, trying to avoid attention with sunglasses and a stylish cream-colored coat and sweater.

Before news came out that the Ukrainian performer was removed from this year’s show, Nadiya had already missed appearing on the tour for the second consecutive year.

Ever since the news broke that she was let go, she’s been vacationing in Turkey, staying at the luxurious Regnum The Crown resort, which costs around £3,000 per night.

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 season 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 friendship with Dan Walker, who she competed against in 2021.

Let me tell you, working with some personalities can be… challenging! This particular star’s demanding behavior really rubbed some of her co-stars the wrong way. And honestly, her split from Kai Widdrington added a lot of uncomfortable tension. It made things awkward for everyone, especially the professional dancers who had to work alongside them both. It’s just never easy when personal lives impact the workplace, is it?

The couple’s two-year relationship caused problems with their managers, who prefer to avoid having former partners work together to maintain a positive team environment.

Someone familiar with the show explained that while ‘Strictly’ is meant to be fun and entertaining, a level of competition is essential to its success.

Oh my gosh, they need the dancers to really compete, to push themselves and their partners for the absolute best performances! But, and this is HUGE, they’re terrified of another scandal. You know, like those bullying accusations from a few seasons back? They want fierce competition, but absolutely no drama that will ruin everything. It’s a delicate balance, honestly, but I’m dying to see them really bring the heat this year – just without any of that awful negativity!

Nadiya hasn’t had much success in her last three pairings with celebrity partners, including Matt Goss. She hasn’t even reached the top 10 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, age 30, Luba Mushtuk, 36, and Gorka Márquez, 35.

On Tuesday, the Daily Mail reported that Karen Hauer, who has been a professional dancer on the show since 2012 – making her the longest-serving female pro – will also 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 former footballer Paul Merson, and in 2023, she danced with comedian Eddie Kadi.

The Daily Mail reported that BBC executives are keeping Katya Jones on the show because she’s a fan favorite and they want to maintain viewership.

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2026-03-11 16:33