Strictly’s ‘golden couple’ Kai Widdrington and Nadiya Bychkova put on a ‘frosty’ display and were ‘kept apart’ at the NTAs following split

They were once the golden couple of Strictly, but warring Strictly stars Kai Widdrington and Nadiya Bychkova were kept far apart at last night’s National Television Awards.

The professional dancers were first seen walking the red carpet separately. All eyes were on 35-year-old Nadiya as she strutted up the red carpet showing off her pink ruffled dress which featured a very long train.

It follows her acrimonious split from Kai, 29, who walked the red carpet separately with radio DJ friend Tyler West, in June. She later met with BBC bosses at the broadcaster to make a complaint about Strictly.

An onlooker said: ‘When the pair got inside the O2 they gave each other a very wide berth.’ 

‘Organisers had ensured there would be no awkward camera shots by keeping the frosty pair apart from each other.’

The professional dancers were first seen walking the red carpet separately

‘Angela Rippon was on Kai’s arm all night, and was keen to show her support after his recent demotion.’

‘When it came to accepting Strictly’s award, Kai was front of centre behind Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman but Nadiya was nowhere to be seen.’

‘If this is what they are like at an awards bash, imagine what things are like in the rehearsal room.’

Fans of Kai, who danced with Rippon in the 2023 series, think the split cost him a more prominent position on the flagship dance show, after it was announced that he would not be paired with a celebrity this year and would only take part in group dances.

On the red carpet, Kai told the Mail Online: ‘It is one of those things where some people don’t get partners and that is the way it is. I’m going to be there supporting my colleagues. 

All eyes were on 35-year-old Nadiya as she strutted up the red carpet showing off her pink ruffled dress which featured a very long train

An onlooker said: ‘When the pair got inside the O2 they gave each other a very wide berth’

It has been reported the couple were battling off stage problems throughout their tour and were ’emotionally drifting’ away from each other long before their split 

Nadiya and Kai are confirmed for the upcoming series of Strictly, which returns to screens in September (pictured in November 2022)

‘I’ll be part of a lot of music acts, guest acts, I will be doing bits on Morning Live and It Takes Two. I will be doing the Christmas special. I’m not really out of it, I’m just not dancing with a celebrity.’

‘Everyone wants to get a celeb, but unfortunately it wasn’t my time this year. Hopefully I will get one next year. Unfortunately there’s nine male celebs and six female celebs.’

Asked about group numbers in the forthcoming 20th anniversary series, he said: ‘We’ve been filming a lot of them and there are some amazing dance numbers coming up. 

All I’m going to say is that for one of the dances where I feature, it is going to be very funny and a lot of kids will enjoy it. It is a very animated, popular film. We’d worked very hard through the summer to get them ready for the public.’