Strictly's Nadiya Bychkova Confirms Romance with West End Star Ian McIntosh
Strictly Come Dancing professional Nadiya Bychkova has sparked romance rumours by cosying up to West End actor Ian McIntosh at a high-profile London event. The 36-year-old dancer, who split from her Strictly co-star Kai Widdrington last year, appeared arm-in-arm with McIntosh at the Ballet Icons Gala 20th Anniversary at the London Coliseum on Sunday.
Public Appearances Fuel Speculation
The duo reportedly met in March and have since been spotted at multiple events together. In October, they attended the Les Miserables 40th Anniversary Gala in London, where photographs showed McIntosh wrapping his arm around Bychkova's waist on the red carpet. Sharing a snap from the evening on Instagram, McIntosh wrote: 'What a glorious night.'
At the recent Ballet Icons Gala, Bychkova did little to dispel the speculation, gushing that she was 'enjoying Valentine's weekend with good company.' After the gala, the couple headed to an after-party at The Savoy Hotel.
Mutual Friends and Common Interests
A source told The Sun: 'Nadiya and Ian have a couple of mutual friends and were introduced, they hit it off immediately. 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.'
Earlier in the week, the pair were spotted enjoying a cosy coffee date in London, further fuelling rumours of their blossoming romance.
Professional Backgrounds
Ian McIntosh is known for his roles as Jean Valjean in Les Misérables and Jesus in Tim Sheader's Jesus Christ Superstar. He was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role for his portrayal of Barry Mann in Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.
Nadiya Bychkova, a Ukrainian performer who has also starred in Les Misérables, commented on the Ballet Icons Gala: 'It's beautiful to see so much talent, artists and creators for one night on the same stage. It's really special to me especially being a professional dancer.'
Moving On from Past Relationships
Bychkova separated from fellow dancer Kai Widdrington in June 2024 after two years together, following their lucrative Behind The Magic tour. Widdrington has since moved on, going Instagram official with his new girlfriend, executive assistant Chloe Wells, nine months after the split.
Over the summer, it was reported that Widdrington and Wells were planning to move in together soon. In a loved-up social media post last month, Widdrington shared a snap of the couple looking adoringly into each other's eyes, captioning it: 'Happiness is underrated,' alongside a black heart emoji.
Daily Mail contacted both Nadiya Bychkova and Ian McIntosh's representatives for comment at the time of the initial reports.
