Pasha Kovalev worries trolls’ messages to pregnant wife Rachel Riley could affect their unborn baby

Pasha Kovalev has revealed he worries how cruel online trolls’ hurtful messages to his wife Rachel Riley could affect their unborn baby.

The dancer, 41, and his TV presenter wife, 35, are currently expecting their second child and Pasha said he can see how the abuse Rachel receives online ‘stresses her’.

Speaking to The Mirror, he said: ‘I definitely can see how it stresses her. The smallest stress affects how the baby’s development is going.’

Hurtful: Pasha Kovalev has revealed he worries how cruel online trolls’ hurtful messages to his wife Rachel Riley could affect their unborn baby

The Strictly Come Dancing star, who is already father to Maven, 16 months, with Rachel, added that he hates seeing hate flourish online where there is less accountability.

He explained: ‘If you come up to someone on the street and tell them something like that, you’re probably going to get some sort of repercussion. You’d be held accountable for your actions.

‘Online there’s a limited amount of repercussion, and it opens a floodgate. It should be stopped.’

Rachel previously told how the stress of receiving hateful messages online stopped her first daughter from kicking when she was pregnant with her.

Family; The dancer, 41, and his TV presenter wife, 35, are currently expecting their second child and Pasha said he can see how the abuse Rachel receives online 'stresses her' (pictured with daughter Maven)

Family; The dancer, 41, and his TV presenter wife, 35, are currently expecting their second child and Pasha said he can see how the abuse Rachel receives online ‘stresses her’ (pictured with daughter Maven)

The Countdown star had been a vocal critic of Jeremy Corbyn and the anti-antisemitism row in the Labour Party and received horrific messages online as a result.

Speaking on the Trolled podcast with Tracy-Ann Oberman, she said: ‘I was very stressed and upset for a couple of days and my baby stopped wriggling for a couple of days.

‘So at that point, it’s like, ‘You know what, nah’. It’s not worth the hormones. I’ve now changed most of my Twitter settings as you don’t need to see them.

‘They’re not after proper debate. They’re not after their minds changing. They’re not doing it for virtuous reasons, so I block them.’

He said: 'I definitely can see how it stresses her. The smallest stress affects how the baby's development is going.'

He said: ‘I definitely can see how it stresses her. The smallest stress affects how the baby’s development is going.’

Rachel announced her second pregnancy with a hilarious Instagram post asking her fans to figure out her latest Countdown conundrum, which aptly spelt the phrase fertility. 

After making her announcement, Rachel also shared two selfies from the set of Countdown which showed off her baby bump.

In the caption of her post, Rachel joked that she didn’t need to hold her stomach in anymore as she wrote: ‘Nice being able to breathe again at work! No more stomach holding in, phew.’

Baby news! Rachel announced she was expecting her second child by unveiling the news with a hilarious Countdown conundrum

Baby news! Rachel announced she was expecting her second child by unveiling the news with a hilarious Countdown conundrum

Rachel’s first post showed her cradling her blossoming bump in a pretty black floral mini dress as she posed alongside the famous Countdown letters board.

With the tiles spelling out the phrase ‘Fitt Riley’ Rachel asked her fans to guess what the correct word could be, with many quickly guessing it must be ‘Fertility.’

Rachel’s caption read: ‘A special teatime teaser! And your clue is… Riley had this to thank for the reason her clothes no longer fit her…

‘And it’ll only get worse till Autumn! Happy, happy days for our little family @pashakovalev and future big sister Mave.’

Guess what? The presenter asked her fans to figure out her latest Countdown teaser, which aptly spelt the phrase fertility

Guess what? The presenter asked her fans to figure out her latest Countdown teaser, which aptly spelt the phrase fertility

Rachel’s post continued the trend of her first baby announcement in 2019, which saw her reveal she was expecting with a Countdown teaser that spelt the word ‘maternity.’

The maths guru met Pasha while they competed on Strictly together in 2013, and they married six years later in a surprise Las Vegas ceremony, just weeks after announcing they were set to become parents.

Rachel and Pasha welcomed their first child, daughter Maven Aria in December 2019, with the star announcing her arrival after the tot was two weeks overdue.

Continuing the trend: In 2019 Rachel announced her first pregnancy with a similar Countdown conundrum, posting a jumbled teaser that spelt the word 'maternity'

Continuing the trend: In 2019 Rachel announced her first pregnancy with a similar Countdown conundrum, posting a jumbled teaser that spelt the word ‘maternity’

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