Strictly Come Dancing fans were delighted on Monday evening when favourite pro Pasha Kovalev made a surprise return to the show – albeit in a very different role. The former Strictly pro made an appearance on It Takes Two during the Choreography Corner segment. Pasha was introduced by host Rylan Clark-Neal, who told him that it was great to have him back. "Rachel [Riley] is amazing and I am actually happy to be here," he said. Rylan then joked that Pasha had lost a lot of weight, referring back to his Halloween costume – where he was dressed as a troll – back in October 2018. During the segment, Pasha gave his opinions on the dances during Halloween week and even gave a demo. At the end of the segment, Rylan thanked Pasha for coming on the show and told him how lovely it was to have him back. When asked if he would come back again, the pro replied: "Yes sure."
Strictly pro Pasha Kovalev made a surprise return to the show on Monday's It Takes Two
Pasha's appearance on It Takes Two marks his first with the Strictly family since he took part in the pros tour earlier in the year. The star had announced his decision to leave the show in February. The popular pro dancer surprised fans when he announced he was stepping away from the BBC One show after "eight incredible years". This year, he has been replaced by pro Neil Jones, who has been given a celebrity partner after years of being a backing dancer – much to the delight of his fans. Pasha's last ever Strictly partner was Pussycat Dolls star Ashley Roberts, who is now dating pro Giovanni Pernice after meeting him on the show.
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Pasha's last Strictly stint was in 2018
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It's an exciting time for Pasha and his wife Rachel, who are expecting their first baby at the end of the year. The couple are due to become parents this December and despite knowing the gender of their baby, Pasha and Rachel are keeping mum about the sex for now. Speaking to HELLO!, the Countdown presenter said they are wanting to keep it a secret for as long as possible. Rachel and Pasha started dating in 2014, after they were partnered together in the 2013 series of Strictly. Rachel's first husband was Jamie Gilbert, her Oxford University sweetheart whom she split from in November 2013 after one year of marriage. She previously admitted that she didn't feel the need to ever get married again, telling Radio Times: "I am in love now. I don't feel I have to get married. I don't think I need that pressure anymore."
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