We bet Strictly fans were thrilled to see parents to-be Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev on Celebrity Gogglebox on Friday night! The pair even touched on the upcoming arrival of their first child, revealing that it was too early to find out the gender – though Rachel joked that she couldn't see any male parts on her first scan! She said to Pasha after teasing it could be a girl: "But they said it was too early so I might just be insulting our son."
Rachel and Pasha appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox
The happy couple joined the likes of Ruth and Eamonn Holmes, Rylan Clark-Neal and Little Mix on the show, which saw them settle down to dissect the week's telly – though some fans were sad to see that Rachel and Pasha weren't included in the segment on Countdown. One fan tweeted: "So, they've got Rachel Riley on #CelebrityGogglebox and the others are watching #Countdown, but they've not got her watching herself? Shame…"
Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev receive first baby present following pregnancy announcement
Rachel announced her pregnancy in May, with a sweet Countdown-themed post on social media. Sharing a photo of herself cradling her baby bump as she posed in front of the famous letters board, which spelled out "R TINY MATE" - an anagram of the word 'maternity' – she wrote: "Pash and I have a conundrum for you. You have till December to work it out! We're over the moon excited."
The pair met when they were partnered in the 2013 series of Strictly Come Dancing. They started dating in 2014, after Rachel split from husband Jamie Gilbert the previous year. Last month Rachel opened up about the demise of her marriage to Jamie, her high school sweetheart, revealing Strictly was not the reason for the split – although, her filming commitment gave them some distance.
Rachel Riley opens up about the breakdown of her marriage to Jamie Gilbert
Pasha announced he was leaving the dance show after eight years in February. His statement read: "After scoring 93 perfect tens, reaching 4 finals lifting 1 glitter ball, it's time for me to find a new challenge and so I've decided to make last year my final season on Strictly."
The couple are expecting their first child in December
He added: "I've had five fantastic years, full of wonderful memories, thanks to the incredible partners, professionals and myriad of behind the scenes teams who all work to make Strictly the amazing production that it is. The biggest thanks go to all the members of the public who've supported me so much over the years - I look forward to seeing you on the Strictly Pro-Tour this spring, and for many future adventures to come!"