STRICTLY Come Dancing pro Nikita Kuzmin got the thumbs up as he arrived in London for training after splitting from his long-term girlfriend.
This week The Sun exclusively reported how the Ukrainian champion, 24, appears to have fallen ill with the programme’s notorious curse after we revealed Nikita and partner Nicole Wirth had split after five years together.
We then reported how Nikita was seen covering his head with his leather jacket while he was seen with another mystery woman weeks before the breakup news broke.
Meanwhile, German dancer Nicole added fuel to the fire when a cryptic series of Instagram messages she posted were discovered.
Yet Nikita – who is paired with Paralympian Ellie Simmonds on this year’s Strictly Come Dancing – is clearly focused on the task at hand.
He wore dark sunglasses and smiled for the cameras as he arrived at Elstree Studios for the show.
Looking sharp, he wore a pale blue suit but protected the pastel fabric from the rain with a black coat.
He rounded off his look with white trainers and a can of Coca Cola – presumably to fuel his intense workouts.
This week The Sun exclusively reported how Nikita and Nicole had split – prompting the dancer to move out of his London flat.
The pair have been part of 2016 with Nicole mainly based in Germany at Strictly’s Judi Motsi Mabuse dance school.
Yet just weeks after the start of the new series of Strictly Come Dancing, Nikita is said to have called time on their long-term romance.
Friends said her colleague Nicole had moved her belongings out of Nikita’s flat in London.
Meanwhile, Ellie and Nikita, 27, came fifth in the chart last week and won a standing ovation for their waltz on Saturday night.
A source said: “Nikita wanted to fully focus on this series of Strictly and decided some time ago that she wanted to end her relationship with Nicole.
“They had been together for five years and it was ultimately a mutual decision.
“Nicole is primarily based in Germany and is becoming increasingly busy with work.
“Nikita is totally into Strictly so they’ve decided it’s best for them to go their separate ways.”