Dan Walker has said he is "gutted" after his former Strictly Come Dancing partner Nadiya Bychkova was left without a celebrity partner for the upcoming series of the BBC show. The 2023 couples will be revealed during Saturday's launch show, which airs this month.
Bychkova, a 34-year-old Ukrainian dancer, has been paired with a celebrity every year since joining Strictly in 2017. Her previous partners include Davood Ghadami, Lee Ryan, David James, Dan Walker and Matt Goss. She and Walker finished fifth in the 2021 series.
Walker took to social media to express his disappointment, sharing a photograph with Bychkova and writing that all the professionals are great but it was "gutted" that she had not been given a partner. He also compared the decision to "putting Messi on the bench for the World Cup final" and described her as a "top class lobster" and "the Yorkshire Barmaid".
A source told the Mirror that being left without a partner was "crushing" for Bychkova. "She was both gutted and very, very angry," the source said, adding that she had come to terms with it and would support Kai Widdrington during the series.
The dancer is thought to have been overlooked in favour of Luba Mushtuk, as only one taller female professional was needed for this year's cast. A fan comment criticising BBC producers on Bychkova's Instagram was liked by the dancer, who replied with a thank-you and a white heart emoji.
