Celebrity Big Brother star Nikita Kuzmin’s beautiful gay Strictly routine still strikes a chord
Nikita Kuzmin and Vito Coppola perform to Something Just Like This. (BBC Strictly Come Dancing/YouTube)
As Strictly Come Dancing professional Nikita Kuzmin enters the Celebrity Big Brother house, we’re taking the opportunity to remember his moving gay dance routine with fellow Strictly pro Vito Coppola.
On Monday (4 March), Kuzmin was one of the 12 celebrities to enter the CBB house, alongside the likes of Sharon Osbourne, Dragon’s Den star Levi Roots, Kate Middleton’s uncle Gary Goldsmith and former X Factor judge Louis Walsh.
In Kuzmin’s introductory video before entering the house, the dancer said: “I’m extremely competitive. When you compete all over the world, you commit your whole life to winning. But, at the end of the day, I’m just a kid from Ukraine who is here to accomplish his dreams. Be loud if I have to be, be quiet if I have to be… be sexy.”
Many will recall Kuzmin, part of Strictly Come Dancing since 2021, partnering with Gordon Ramsay’s daughter, Tilly. They finished sixth that year.
Following his arrival in the Celebrity Big Brother house, Kuzmin’s girlfriend, Lauren Jaine, posted on Instagram that she was excited for him to be “part of this amazing experience”.
Kuzmin was partnered with actor Layton Williams in last year’s Strictly – a powerful same-sex pairing that saw them come second.
Together the duo blew fans away, scoring a perfect 40 in December when they performed to “Backstage Romance” from Moulin Rouge! The Musical.
But in another moving display, Kuzmin performed a heart-warming gay “love story” with Italian dancer and choreographer Vito Coppola last year that struck an instant chord with viewers.
The performance in October, to a cover of Coldplay and The Chainsmokers’ “Something Just Like This” involved the pair playing out Kuzmin’s character’s dream of them being together.
The duo served up an emotive and energetic routine, embracing each other and dancing in perfect harmony, concluding with Coppola finding – to his elation – his make-believe partner’s drawings of the pair.
Fans couldn’t get enough of the performance, with some calling it the best professional dance of the season.
One even said they are “absolutely mesmerised” every time they watch the love story.
And another gay viewer took to X/Twitter to thank the duo for performing it.
“Omg Nikita and Vito’s sweet gay love story dance was the most beautiful dance & story ever!” wrote another viewer.
