Copyright walesonline
Rugby star Chris Robshaw has shockingly revealed that he's hoping viewers will suspect his marriage might succumb to the notorious "Strictly curse" . The former England captain, who has been paired with Ukrainian professional Nadiya Bychkova on Strictly Come Dancing this year , enjoys a blissful marriage with opera star Camilla Kerslake . The pair became got engaged in 2012, before exchanging vows in Provence, France. Since walking down the aisle seven years ago, the duo have expanded their family, becoming proud parents to two boys. Wilding was born in May 2021 and is now four, and the couple's second son, Hunter, made his arrival in August 2024, making him 13-months old. Yet despite the Strictly curse being notorious for striking without warning, Chris isn't remotely concerned about his marriage being in jeopardy. He's now confessed he'd be delighted if his connection with Nadiya triggered speculation about a romance. Speaking to The Sun, he revealed: "Surely if people think there's something going on between us, we must be doing something right," reports the Mirror . He believes that if their performances look passionate enough, it would demonstrate that he and Nadiya have "managed to create a sense of chemistry for the show". He continued: "Plus, Camilla and I are solid, she's incredibly supportive, and we have a lot of trust in our marriage. Family is everything to me." However, he's made sure to involve Camilla in rehearsals, with a video posted on Instagram on Sunday showing Nadiya cradling his baby son, Hunter. The clip also showed Nadiya giving Camilla a private training session, as well as a group rehearsal involving the entire family. Camilla has been fully supportive of her husband's Strictly debut, and recently took to Instagram to share how the family has dealt with a terrifying stalking incident. Expressing gratitude to the press for "handling a very difficult situation with such sensitivity", she declared they wouldn't let it "define" them. She penned: "This won't define us and instead, we'll be focusing on our family and the exciting journey ahead with Strictly! I don't know about you, but I'm very ready for the sequins and spray tans to take centre stage. "Let's hope it's more snake hips and not hip replacement for our boy! If you see us goofing around on socials, know that while we're navigating a lot behind the scenes, we also want to share the joy, laughter and magic of SCD with you. "Strictly is our happy place right now and we're embracing that fully. Thank you again, from the bottom of our hearts, for lifting us up and surrounding us with so much love. Bring on the sequins!" Thankfully, it appears the infamous curse won't strike this time around, but there's no denying that the rigorous training and close-knit environment of the show have left a string of shattered relationships in their wake. Notable instances include comedian Seann Walsh, who was caught on camera smooching his dance partner Katya Jones in 2018, despite both being in relationships with other people at the time, with Katya married to fellow Strictly professional Neil Jones. In another case, winners Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton went public with their relationship after the series ended, although they refuted any romantic involvement while the show was still on air. Meanwhile, Ben Cohen's 11-year marriage to Abby came to an end following his stint on Strictly with Kristina Rihanoff, with whom he now has a daughter. However, he too denied allegations that his marriage fell apart due to his relationship with Kristina. Dianne Buswell and Joe Sugg recently announced they're expecting their first child together, having met on Strictly back in 2018. And Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev, who were paired up on the show in 2013, are also now parents to two children after her marriage ended shortly after her Strictly journey. Strictly Come Dancing airs tonight at 6.55pm on BBC One and iPlayer.
