Nikita Kuzmin joined the cast of Strictly Come Dancing as a professional dancer in 2021 and he's gone on to become a fan favourite on the BBC One show.
Ukranian-born Nikita, 25, is competing on this year's Strictly with actor Layton Williams, 29, and they've proven to be a perfect match on the dance floor, as they continued to wow the judges with their incredible performances.
While the focus is usually on Nikita's dancing, his love life has also set tongues wagging since he joined Strictly, especially after he went public with his new girlfriend, model Lauren Jaine, in October.
Let's take a look into Nikita's colourful love life…
Nicole Wirt
When Nikita joined the cast of Strictly in 2021, he was in a relationship with fellow professional dancer Nicole Wirt.
Nicole, who is also a choreographer and designer, hails from Germany, where Nikita lived pre-Strictly, and is part of the Burn The Floor cast.
The couple dated for five years in total but ended things during the 2022 series of Strictly, when Nikita was partnered with Paralympian Ellie Simmonds.
At the time, a source told The Sun: "Nikita wanted to totally focus on this series of Strictly and decided a while back he wanted to end his relationship with Nicole.
"They had been together for five years and it ended up being a mutual decision. Nicole is mainly based in Germany and she is getting busier with work."
Charlie Backshall
Following his split from Nicole, Nikita was briefly linked to Australian model and podcast host Charlie Backshall.
Charlie, 22, hosts sex podcast The Hotline. In an episode titled 'We're Back and I'm Still in Love', Charlie spoke of an act she'd performed with a man – believed to be Nikita – in the bedroom.
The pair never publicly confirmed their romance, with sources claiming Nikita was "very aware" of his brand and how being with a sex podcaster "conflicts" this.
"Nikita is very aware of his brand and the fact that he stars on the most family friendly show on TV, so dating a sex podcaster conflicts hugely," an insider told the Daily Mail at the time.
They added: "He wanted to keep the relationship a secret until after the 2022 series had finished because he didn't want it overshadowing his part in the show, where he danced with Paralympic star Ellie. But now Charlie is speaking openly about their relationship he knows it'll soon come out. He really likes her and hopes their romance will work long distance."
Lauren Jaine
In 2023, Nikita began dating model Lauren Jaine. He publicly confirmed their relationship with a series of loved-up photos on Instagram in October.
Lauren, who is signed to First Model Management and a graduate from Durham University, has been spotted supporting Nikita at Strictly live shows, including the show at Blackpool Tower Ballroom in November.
A source revealed the pair have been "dating for months" and Nikita's Strictly co-stars are "rooting" for them.
The insider told The Sun: "Nikita and Lauren have been dating for months and seem to have an amazing connection. The pair have tried to keep their romance under the radar but they have been attending events together and are really enjoying each other's company.
"Lauren joined Nikita and his parents at Saturday's live show and he was chuffed to have her in the crowds supporting him. His Strictly co-stars also think they are a great match and are rooting for the pair."
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