Maura Higgins spotted getting close to newly-single Strictly star at Pride of Britain
Maura Higgins, the former Love Island star, was seen getting cosy with Strictly Come Dancing pro Kai Widdrington at the Pride Of Britain Awards in London last night. Maura, who has previously been linked to current Strictly contestant Pete Wicks and had a brief relationship with ex-Strictly pro Giovanni Pernice, could be adding another Strictly connection to her list.
The 33 year old presenter and 29 year old dancer were spotted larking around after the ceremony, with Kai even twirling Maura before they headed into a different room together. While this was happening, Kai's ex and fellow Strictly pro Nadiya Bychkova, from whom he recently split, arrived solo on the red carpet and revealed that she and Kai "aren't friends".
The talented dancing duo ignited a romance in 2022 but have since parted ways. Discussing the separation, the ballroom star told the Mirror : "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."
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Nadiya chose to keep the reasons for their break up private and despite the tension, both are set to cha-cha-cha their way across the Strictly stage together later in the series. The 35 year old Ukrainian dancer shared her candid thoughts at the glamorous Pride of Britain Awards on Monday night (21 October) which she described as "one of her favourite nights of the year".
On their split, a source told The Sun: "It's heart-breaking. "Kai and Nadiya seemed like the most perfect couple and have been so, so blissfully in love."
The couple previously opened up to OK! about their hopes of starting a family together one day. “Marriage is important to me,” said Nadiya on the couple’s first exclusive joint photoshoot. “One day I would like to be a wife, and extend my family.”
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“It’s a future I want, too, absolutely,” added Kai. “I would love to be a dad and one day be a husband and have a family. Ultimately, we’re not trying to start a family right now, but we are trying to create that family feeling among us and that’s important.”
Last year, Kai couldn't help but gush about his then-girlfriend Nadiya, calling her "drop-dead gorgeous". He confessed: "I think I speak for most of the men in Britain when I say that they would find Nadiya absolutely drop-dead gorgeous - and I still have to pinch myself sometimes."
Kai also revealed that he and Nadiya tried to keep their romance under wraps for as long as possible, but they informed 'Strictly' bosses about their relationship "as a professional courtesy". He shared: "We knew that it would come out and that it would be a big thing, so we kept it private for as long as we could, which was both annoying and exciting at the same time."
