Kai Widdrington’s ex Nadiya Bychkova has been spotted laughing with a West End actor on what appeared to be a date, sparking rumours she’s found love again
Strictly Come Dancing professional Nadiya Bychkova appears to have found love with a hunky West End actor.
Fourteen months after her publicised split from fellow dancer Kai Widdrington, the ballroom star has reportedly grown close to Ian, who is currently dazzling audiences as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables.
The pair were spotted enjoying a cosy coffee date in London recently, where they were seen laughing and chatting as they shared an affectionate moment together. At one point, Nadiya was seen gently cupping Ian’s face in her hand.
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According to insiders, the couple actually became close earlier this year after attending a gala event together in March. “Nadiya and Ian have a couple of mutual friends and were introduced — they hit it off immediately,” a source told The Sun.
“They have attended a couple of red carpet events together and thought people might start noticing their relationship sooner. They have loads in common and just have a lot of fun together — it is lovely to see. Everyone is very happy for them.”
Nadiya, 35, who joined Strictly Come Dancing in 2017, has kept her private life largely under wraps since her breakup with Kai last July. This is the first time she’s been publicly linked to someone new.
Earlier this week, Ian, 34, posted a picture of Nadiya and singer Michael Ball on Instagram as they celebrated Les Misérables’ 40th anniversary.
He captioned it: “40th Anniversary party with @nadiyabychkova and @mrmichaelball What a glorious night.” This was his first public nod to his budding relationship with the dancer.
The pair’s rumoured new romance comes after Nadiya’s split from Kai, 30, which brought an end to one of Strictly’s most talked-about partnerships. The dancers met on the show in 2021 and started dating the following year. They kept their relationship secret for several months before going public.
At the height of their relationship, Kai openly gushed about Nadiya, describing her as the complete package both on and off the dance floor. In a 2023 interview with Hello! magazine, he said: “She’s the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, but the real beauty is not just what you see on the outside – it’s the person on the inside I fell in love with.”
He also praised her for being an “amazing mother” to her daughter, Mila, from a previous relationship, adding: “She’s the kindest person I’ve ever met in my entire life, and the most amazing mother.”
Their love story even inspired two live dance tours together — Once Upon a Time and Behind the Magic — which gave fans a glimpse into what was then described as their “real-life fairytale romance”.
Though their chemistry on the dance floor was undeniable, their romance fizzled out in the summer of 2024. Nadiya addressed their breakup directly at the Pride of Britain Awards last year, saying: “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.”
Kai has since moved on too, going Instagram official his new girlfriend Chloe Wells earlier this year. Chloe is an executive assistant he reportedly met in a London pub. The pair recently hinted at moving in together, and fans flooded their post with congratulatory messages.
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