STRICTLY chiefs ditched pro dancer Nadiya Bychkova from this year’s main line-up amid fears she was too old at 34 to dance with 20-year-old Bobby Brazier.
Bosses reckoned viewers of the BBC1 telly contest wouldn’t be comfortable with the 14-year age gap between the Ukrainian and the EastEnders actor.
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Nadiya Bychkova has been snubbed by Strictly bossesCredit: PA
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Show chiefs believed the dynamic between her and Bobby Brazier wouldn’t have sat well with viewersCredit: BBC
At 6ft 2in, Bobby would have been the only one tall enough to match with leggy Nadiya.
The shock snub comes despite a string of other pairings with huge age gaps over the years — which have not attracted any controversy during performances.
A TV insider said: “At almost 6ft tall in heels, Nadiya is by far the tallest of all the pros.
“That meant she would have towered over seven out of the eight male celebrities in the competition.
“The only person she could have been paired with is Bobby, who stands at 6ft 2ins, and is by far the tallest celeb on this year’s show.
“On the basis of height, it was expected that they would form a duo on this series.
“But bosses felt there was something odd about the fact that the particularly fresh-faced Bobby only turned 20 this summer, while Nadiya is a mature woman.
“It’s not solely about the actual age gap, however.
“It’s also about appearances.
“So long as they both have the same boy or girl-next-door look, it works.
“But if they contrast too much, it’s just not going to fly — particularly in dances where audiences have to believe in the chemistry between dance partners.”
The source continued: “Not putting Nadiya in a duo was a difficult decision to take.
“But the bosses always have Strictly’s best interests at heart and the golden rule is that nobody is ever bigger than the show.”
It was revealed at the weekend that Nadiya wouldn’t be getting a partner, prompting disbelief among Strictly devotees who have followed her closely since she joined the programme six years ago.
However there are always more pros than celebrities — meaning that some professional dancers end up on the “subs’ bench” each year if a suitable match in terms of height, age and chemistry can’t be found.
Previously, Nadiya’s lofty stature has gone in her favour as she’s always bagged towering men such as TV presenter Dan Walker, who is 6ft 6ins, and former EastEnders star Davood Ghadami, who is 6ft tall.
But the fact they were in their thirties and forties when they danced with her instantly made them a more suitable match.
Dan was one of the first to rush to Nadiya’s defence on Monday, saying that giving her only a supporting role in the show’s dance troupe was a bad idea.
He wrote on X, formerly Twitter: “All the pros are great but gutted to hear that @nadiyabychkova hasn’t got a partner.
“I’m sure she’s still looking forward to being part of the biggest show on TV.
“But it feels like putting Messi on the bench for the World Cup final!”
Bobby is the son of the late Jade Goody and TV presenter Jeff Brazier, and has proved hugely popular since he was cast as Freddie Slater on the soap last year, aged just 19.
He said earlier this week that he had a specific idea of the sort of female partner he wanted — and it wasn’t someone he’d be distracted by.
Talking at the National Television Awards, where he won the Rising Star gong for his ’Enders role, he said: “I am not looking for any Strictly romance, I am looking for a big sister.”
The launch show airs this Saturday, with the full line-up of pros and their celebrity partners finally revealed.
The following Saturday’s show will be the first time the couples will dance in pairs.
This year, the oldest contestant is former newsreader Angela Rippon at 78.
And as the oldest pro on the show is Neil Jones, aged 41, there would be a whopping 37 year divide if she’s partnered with him.
A spokeswoman for the BBC declined to comment.
Nadiya’s height has gone in her favour previously as she’s always bagged lofty men
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Nadiya started dating fellow pro Kai Widdrington after they met on StrictlyCredit: Instagram,
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Source: tiengtrunghaato.edu.vn