Strictly Come Dancing star Katya Jones and her celebrity partner, Adam Peaty, have been impressing the judges and audiences alike with the routines in the BBC ballroom competition. The pair, who made headlines recently after fans were wowed by their streamy argentine tango, are hoping to score big once again this weekend with their Samba.
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But away from the show, just how much do you know about the behind-the-scenes life of the professional dancer? Katya, 32, was born in the town of Sestroretsk near St Petersburg in Russia, and began dancing and gymnastics training from a young age. The dancer also has a close bond with her family – here's everything you need to know about Katya's parents…
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Andrey Sokolov is a senior oil company executive, while her mother, Tatiana Kim, is a graduate from the Saint-Petersburg State University of Architecture and Civil Engineering. Tatiana is Korean, and her ancestors originate from Sakhalin, a Pacific island.
Her parents regularly visit the UK and, in 2019, travelled to spend time with Katya and their former son-in-law, Neil Jones. Tatiana shared several snaps from their trip on her Instagram, and wrote at the time: "[Great Britain] as usual it was a great time! Britain is always warm meeting, people dear to the heart! Thank you all."
© Photo: InstagramKatya with her mum, Tatiana
The pair have been married for 35 years, and Tatiana posted a loving tribute to her husband on their anniversary in August 2019. Translated from Russian, she wrote: "For 35 years ago in the funny registry office of Sestroretsk we became husband and wife. Despite many circumstances, intrigues and even ridicule.
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© Photo: InstagramKatya's parents have been married for 35 years
A girl from a serious Korean clan who did not approve of marriages outside the nationality, and a promising blue-eyed guy from a family of Soviet doctors, we made a promise to be there in grief and joy. We loved each other and what we created. Against the backdrop of the collapse of the country, we silently maintained our family world, like all our friends, who are now happy in their families… Just sharing my happiness with everyone."
© Photo: InstagramHow lovely is Katya's family?
Despite having lived in England for around ten years, Katya previously admitted that her mother thinks she'll move back home eventually. Chatting to the Mirror, she said: "My family is really close so it is hard for me. My Mum says she still cannot get used to this feeling that I am here. She still thinks one day I will come back home."
Despite being in different countries, Katya and her mum are very close. The dancer previously posted a sweet snap of them both for her birthday, and wrote: "Happy Birthday to the most gorgeous woman. You've been my strength, my example, my mentor, my friend, my shoulder to cry on and my kick up the butt from the very start.
You never stop to surprise me, you never stop improving yourself, learning new skills, setting the high standard for us all, which I always strive to achieve not to let you down."
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