Who is Kai Widdrington? Meet Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer
Everything you need to know about the Britain's Got Talent contestant turned Strictly pro.
Last year, Kai Widdrington was impressing Strictly Come Dancing viewers each week with his routines alongside broadcasting legend Angela Rippon.
Widdrington, who joined the dancing competition in 2021, and Rippon scored in the 30s and high 20s every time they stepped onto the dancefloor but ended up being eliminated in Week 9.
Despite his popularity with viewers – having previously made the finals of Britain's Got Talent – Widdrington was one of the unfortunate pros to miss out on a celebrity partner this year.
If you're eager to find out more, here's everything you need to know about Kai Widdrington.
Who is Kai Widdrington?
Age: 28
Instagram: @kaiwidd
X/Twitter: @Kaiwidd
With a father and brother who are both professional footballers, Kai Widdrington nearly had a very different career by following in their footsteps, but at 12 years old he chose dancing over a Premier League contract.
It was a move that paid off as he became Junior World Latin American champion two years later, and in 2012 reached the final of Britain's Got Talent with dance partner Natalia Jeved.
In 2014, Kai competed in Britain's Got Talent once again as part of ballroom dance group Kings & Queens, which also featured future Strictly professionals Katya and Neil Jones. Kings & Queens were eventually eliminated during the fifth live semi-final, losing to vocal group Jack Pack.
In 2017, Kai was announced as a professional dancer for the first season of Dancing with the Stars - the Irish edition of Strictly - competing for four years in a row until 2020. He came second in both 2018 and 2020, so here's hoping he'll go all the way on Strictly one day!
When he first joined Strictly in 2021, it wasn't his first appearance on the show; he previously danced with Amy Dowden during the professionals' Remembrance Day 2020 routine.
But despite his previous appearances on the show, he wasn't part of the line-up this year.
"Everyone wants to get a celebrity," he told the Daily Star. "Unfortunately, it wasn’t my time this series. Two boys couldn’t have one this series, and sadly I am one of them."
However, he remained optimistic about Strictly 2025, adding: "Some of us don’t get partners and that’s the way it is. Let’s see what happens next year. Hopefully, I’ll get one then."
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What has Kai said about being on Strictly Come Dancing?
Kai has been a fan of Strictly Come Dancing for a long time, having watched the show ever since it began back in 2004.
When he joined the show back in 2021, he said: "This is my childhood dream come true. Watching Strictly from the very first series as a young boy from Southampton and now 18 years later, to be a professional dancer on the show is the most amazing feeling and the biggest accomplishment of my career."
When does Strictly Come Dancing 2024 air?
The third Strictly Come Dancing 2024 live show will air at 6:15pm on Saturday 5th October on BBC One, the BBC has confirmed.
It will be followed by the results show on Sunday 6th October.
All the celebrities will be performing, the judges will be scoring, and the public will be voting.
Grab your sequins and get ready for another epic show!
Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday 5th October at 6:15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The results show will air on Sunday 6th October at 7:15pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
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