Strictly Come Dancing professional Nikita Kuzmin has spoken out over speculation that he and Tilly Ramsay could be more than dance partners.
Nikita and Tilly have been frontrunners throughout their time on this year’s Strictly, with some viewers suggesting that the pair’s chemistry could be evidence there’s more to their relationship than just dancing.
The 23-year-old Ukrainian dancer was asked for his thoughts on the rumours during a recent interview with Metro, and while he was full of praise for his celebrity partner, he also clarified there was nothing going on between them.
“We’re just laughing about it,” Nikita said. “It’s nothing serious. I mean, we’re professional dancers here, and we’re here to make and have an amazing journey on Strictly and to have fun.
“Tilly and me – I don’t know how Strictly managed to make such a perfect partnership because we’re just like two best friends having to dance together.”
The two single stars have won huge praise from the judges throughout the competition, and have so far managed to avoid landing in the dreaded dance-off.
Nikita continued: “I think you can see [on screen] the fact that we just go so well together.
“We have this trust – we trust each other. I trust Tilly that she’s going to be amazing and Tilly trusts me completely [with] whatever I say, whatever I’m trying to teach her.”
“It’s all about trust – trust and friendship,” he added.
But Nikita and Tilly aren’t the only Strictly partnership who’ve been at the centre of romance rumours this year.
AJ Odudu and Kai Widdrington – who topped the leaderboard this week thanks to their Charleston routine – have repeatedly been rumoured to have found romance during training, with the TV presenter offering a fairly cryptic response when asked about this earlier in the week.
Strictly continues on Sunday night at 7.15pm on BBC One.