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Daily Mirror
Daily Mirror
Entertainment
Zoe Delaney

Strictly's Dan Walker elbowed dancer partner in teeth in horrific rehearsal clash

Dan Walker has been recalling some of his biggest blunders from his time on Strictly Come Dancing last year.

The Channel 5 newsreader looks back on the time he accidentally hurt his dance partner Nadiya Bychkova one time during rehearsals for the BBC show, and reveals how one Strictly judge told him they thought he would be 'awful' on the famous dancefloor.

The former BBC Breakfast presenter remembers how Nadiya's 'strong Ukrainian teeth' were unharmed after he accidentally elbowed her in the face as they attempted to work on the star's dance moves.

Dan and Nadiya enjoyed an impressive stint on the show last year, only being sent home after their quarter-finals tango in December and receiving a huge wave of support from viewers watching at home.

Dan Walker and Nadiya Bychkova had a few mishaps during their time on Strictly Come Dancing (BBC/Guy Levy)

Discussing his time with professional dancer Nadiya, Dan reveals: "I think I did actually elbow her in the teeth one week - she's got strong Ukrainian teeth so we were alright there, and I think I made a mistake in one week but I've blanked it out but I had a really lovely time on the show."

Speaking with the Daily Star, the presenter goes on to explain how Strictly judge Anton Du Beke told him after his first dance how he thought Dan was going to be awful but was 'actually ok'.

"That was fine though because when you've not got any expectations of where you are going to be good or not and I was with someone who was so good at teaching and I learned so much from her and it was a really positive three months," Dan adds when reminiscing about all things Strictly.

Dan was a hit with Strictly viewers last year (PA)

Dan took over from from Bill Turnbull on BBC Breakfast in February 2016, before taking on a new position with the Channel 5 news team in June this year.

Ahead of his career move earlier this year, Dan opened up about the times he would go head-to-head with Piers Morgan on Good Morning Britain - explaining how his former TV rival took it 'too far' at times.

Discussing the incident that saw Piers smash a cup with the BBC Breakfast logo on it in 2017, Channel 5's new leading news anchor said: "I’ve never dipped to his level of insults. I think he overstepped the mark when he smashed a mug with my face on it."

Nadiya and Dan have stayed pals following his Strictly stint (Nadiya Bychkova/Instagram)

"I don’t need to do that sort of thing."

He went on to add: "When I first started at BBC Breakfast, I met him at a function and he said, 'You’re going to be terrible. We’re going to annihilate you.' But my attitude was to remain quietly confident."

Dan announced his exit from the BBC in April this year, after stating that the offer to join Channel 5 was an opportunity that doesn't "come around very often".

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