Strictly pro Nadiya Bychkova 'not friends' with ex-boyfriend Kai Widdrington

'Strictly Come Dancing' professional dancer Nadiya Bychkova has admitted she and ex-boyfriend Kai Widdrington are "not friends".

The pro dancers started dating in 2022, but they split up earlier this year, and the 35-year-old star revealed they don't spend time together now apart from at work, where they have a "professional" relationship when dancing alongside one another.

Speaking at the Pride of Britain Awards at London's The Grosvenor House Hotel on Monday night (21.10.24), she told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "We work together but we are not friends and that’s OK.

"One thing I can tell you is that when you see me dancing with him it will be amazing because I’m a professional."

Nadiya attended the Pride of Britain Awards with Olympian Tom Dean, who she was partnered up with on the BBC Latin and ballroom show this year.

Sadly for the pair, Tom became the first celebrity to be axed from the current series, and Nadiya believes there are plenty of viewers who still wanted to see what he was "capable of".

She said: "It’s never nice to leave early.

"Tom and I have had so much support from people and I get the feeling that the viewers wanted to see what he was capable of and so did I.

"Someone had to go and it’s just a shame it was Tom.

"We are going to keep dancing though. I am going to teach him a salsa with some big lifts.

"Not for TV, just so he can see he can be brilliant."

Following his elimination in September, Tom admitted at the time he wished he could've gone further in the contest.

He told 'Strictly' host Tess Daly: "I’ve had the best time the last few weeks and getting to work with Nadiya has been incredible.

"I wish I could have gone further and done more dances.

“I’ve had the most fun and I wish we could keep going longer and longer. We’ll still go out for loads of brunches I’m sure."