Strictly’s Nadiya Bychkova addresses rumours about why she didn’t get partner

The professional dancer will still take part in group numbers but hasn’t been paired with a celebrity contestant.

By Patrick Cremona

Published: Tuesday, 19 September 2023 at 15:58 PM

Popular Strictly Come Dancing professional Nadiya Bychkova has denied claims about why she didn’t get a celebrity partner for the new season of the ballroom extravaganza.

A report in Mail Online last week quoted a BBC insider as saying there was “zero chemistry” between Nadiya and the men in this year’s line-up – but the Ukranian dancer has said these comments are wide of the mark.

Speaking to the Daily Mail, she clarified: “It wasn’t the case that there was no chemistry between me and the dancers.

“It’s just, obviously, the bosses’ decision. Unfortunately, this year it was me who wasn’t picked.”

Nadiya first joined the Strictly cast for season 15 back in 2017 and has been paired with the likes of Lee Ryan, David James and Dan Walker during her time on the show.

She was previously partnerless in season 18, while last year she was paired with Bros star Matt Goss – making it to week 4 of the season before being eliminated.

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Her best season of the show came with Walker, with the pair finishing fifth in season 19. And the presenter and journalist said he was “gutted” to learn that Nadiya would be without a celebrity partner this year.

“I’m sure she’s still looking forward to being part of the biggest show in TV but it feels a bit like putting Messi on the bench for the World Cup final,” he wrote on Twitter (recently rebranded as X).

He added that “she is so talented” and claimed she was “the best teacher anyone could hope for”.