pasha kovalev rachel riley maven

Strictly's Pasha Kovalev reveals the amazing way baby Maven is taking after him

The former Strictly dancer welcomed little Maven in December

Deputy Online Editor
August 6, 2020

Pasha Kovalev and Rachel Riley appear to have a budding dancer on their hands! During a recent Q&A, the former Strictly Come Dancing professional confessed how much their daughter Maven, who was born in December, enjoys dancing.

READ: Pasha Kovalev shares fond memories of late Strictly partner Caroline Flack

Asked how he has been spending his time in lockdown, Pasha told Jewish youth organisation JLGB: "I'm trying to dance with my daughter at the moment, she laughs and screams all the time – she absolutely loves it."

WATCH: Pasha Kovalev speaks about Caroline Flack for the first time since tragic death

The professional dancer, who left the BBC show in 2019 after eight years, confessed his seven-month-old tot could well follow in his famous footsteps rather than her mother's – time will only tell!

READ: Rachel Riley breaks her Twitter silence after important cause

"She might become a dancer eventually," he teased. "I don't know but I'm not going to push her. We dance a little around [the house] and it's a lot of fun."

© Photo: Instagram

Pasha and Rachel Riley are doting parents to little Maven

Pasha and Rachel started dating in 2014 after they were partnered together in the 2013 series of Strictly. In May 2019, the lovebirds eloped to Las Vegas and were married in secret before they went on to welcome their daughter, whose full name is Maven Aria Riley Kovaleva, on 15 December, two weeks after her due date.

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Reflecting on how much Strictly has had a positive impact on his life, the dad-of-one explained: "I absolutely loved it, I thought [I'd initially] be on it for three months for one series and then it went up to eight years. [It gave me] my personal life and being married to Rachel and being in the final four times."

© Photo: Getty Images

The couple met on Strictly back in 2013

The conversation quickly turned into the anti-Semitic trolling Rachel faces on a daily basis. Heaping praise on his wife's kind nature, Pasha said: "I absolutely support Rachel in everything she is doing.

GALLERY: Inside Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev's gorgeous family album

"She has a golden heart and she is simply the nicest person who loves people around her. She is just trying to make everyone's lives better. She has high standards for herself. I know her judgement is always level headed, directed in always a positive way."

"Of course the 'haters' are obviously a big part of standing up - it doesn't matter what you stand up for if you put yourself out there… it's unfortunate that [social media trolling] happens, I wish it wouldn't."

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