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Strictly dancers reportedly at war behind the scenes

Yet more rumours of behind-the-scenes tension...

Those Strictly judges can be cutting from time to time, but we’d always assumed that the dancers themselves got on like a house on fire.

However, this series has cast a few doubts over that perception, with numerous reports of jealousy and feuding behind the scenes.

And judging by a story on today’s Sun Online, tensions are still simmering between the show’s contestants.

In the report, it’s claimed that two of the show’s professional dancers are ‘furious’ at their colleague, new addition Nadiya Bychkova, for all the attention she gets, and the article adds that they’ve even labelled the Slovenian dancer “CHEAP”.

Nadiya, 28, is partnered with EastEnders star Davood Ghadami, 35, and together they’ve turned in some wonderful performances.

But as well as earning some great scores from the judges, Nadiya has been drawing attention with her stunning blonde looks – and according to the report, that’s put a few noses out of joint.

The story claims that fellow professionals Janette Manrara and Karen Clifton were upset after Bruno Tonioli told Nadiya after one of her dances that she looked like a “movie star”.

A ‘show source’ is reported as saying: “They think she looks cheap — more like a lap dancer than a Hollywood A-lister.

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“Dancers are fiercely competitive, and the arrival of such a glamorous new addition has gone down like a lead balloon with some.

“It has got so bad that when one of them walks into a room, the others will leave.”

Former world champion Nadiya has reportedly posed naked for Playboy magazine twice. And following one shoot, she explained her reasons for doing it.

She told The Sun: “I wanted the photos for myself. I am very satisfied with just about every picture. You must see them, then you’ll know what I’m talking about.”

This isn’t the first time we’ve heard allegations of behind-the-scenes turbulence on this year’s Strictly.

Previous reports have suggested that there’s friction between Alexandra Burke and her professional partner Gorka Marquez following rumours that the Spanish star has become romantically involved with Gemma Atkinson.

Read more: Strictly Come Dancing’s Joe McFadden DROPS partner Katya Jones but the judges ignore it

Alex later dismissed the reports, saying of Gorka: “We are such close friends, I honestly don’t think I’ve ever had a connection with someone like this before.”

Well, as long as this (supposed) friction makes for some spectacular dancing, long may it continue!


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor