Rachel Riley, the Countdown mathematician, has detailed the challenges she faced on Strictly Come Dancing and how the experience reshaped her marriage to professional dancer Pasha Kovalev. The couple, who met when partnered on the BBC show in 2013 and married in 2019, have navigated the intense pressures of the dance competition.
Strictly's 'Out-of-Body' Experience
Riley admitted she didn't enjoy her time on Strictly, describing it as an overwhelming ordeal. 'As soon as the music would start, I would have a fuzzy brain and it was like an out-of-body experience,' she confessed. However, the silver lining was meeting Kovalev, with whom she confirmed a relationship shortly after the series ended in December 2013.
The couple tied the knot in a Las Vegas ceremony on June 28, 2019. Riley noted that witnessing the grueling demands on Kovalev helped her understand his decision to leave Strictly just months before their wedding.
The Toll on Professional Dancers
Speaking on Russell Howard's Five Brilliant Things podcast, Riley highlighted the punishing schedule faced by Strictly pros. 'They start doing the group dances right through to Christmas,' she explained. 'He's mega busy.' She added that during his Strictly days, Kovalev was far from ideal company. 'He's like a zombie, like a shell of a human that's got nothing to say for himself,' she said of the struggles.
To maintain their relationship, the couple maximized time off. 'So, as soon as he wasn't working, we kind of regrouped and we kept our relationship going by travelling in between the heavy workload,' Riley disclosed.
Health Surprises and New Fitness Regimes
Health assessments revealed several minor 'hidden health surprises' for both Riley, 40, and Kovalev, 46. To increase muscle mass, they ramped up daily physical activity. Riley proposed taking up squash, which has become a weekly fixture. Kovalev said, 'We try to do it every week, at least once a week, we've been successful so far.' He admitted he'd never played before but considers it brilliant for fitness and cardiovascular health. Kovalev noted that Riley derives greater satisfaction from their matches as she regularly wins.
Dancing and Date Nights
Dancing, which originally united them, remains a fundamental part of their relationship. The pair still love showcasing their skills during date nights. Riley has also incorporated swimming into her routine, participating in the programme Shark! Celebrity Infested Waters, where she dived with sharks off Bimini's coast in the Bahamas.
Riley told the Daily Mail about the experience: 'I did feel fear at seeing a shark up close for the first time,' describing a bull shark approaching the protective cage. 'My heart was racing but I didn't freak out.' She added, 'We later learned that every kind of shark has a different personality. The bull shark is a sneaky f*****. The experts don't trust them.' Despite reservations, she confessed, 'It was glorious. There's a feeling of euphoria. You can really feel the chemical reaction in your body.'
