Strictly's Kai Widdrington Snubbed: Helen Skelton's Relief

Helen Skelton recently made headlines by revealing she's quite "pleased" that one particular professional dancer didn't land a spot in the main lineup of this year's Strictly Come Dancing. During a lively episode of Morning Live on Monday, September 16, the beloved TV host conversed with Gethin Jones and welcomed ballroom expert Kai Widdrington to the program.

The 41-year-old presenter had a joyful chat with the 29-year-old BBC star, especially after the show's new series launch. Unfortunately, it seems that this year, the talented dancer from Southampton, Kai, was not included in the lineup. This happened because former dancer Aljaz Skorjanec was brought back to celebrate the show's 20th anniversary. Rounding out the roster of returning dancers, we also have familiar faces such as Amy Dowden, Dianne Buswell, Michelle Tsiakkas, and Johannes Radebe. Joining them on the dance floor are Luba Mushtuk, Karen Hauer, Jowita Przystal, Gorka Marquez, Nadiya Bychkova, Neil Jones, Nikita Kuzmin, Vito Coppola, and Nancy Xu.

Eager for changes, Helen shared some exciting news about Kai's new role outside of the iconic ballroom. “As we mentioned, it’s the return of the Glitterball!” she announced on the Morning Live stage. Adding a friendly touch, she noted, “Kai, we said this is your first time with us, and I can say we’re friends. We saw you haven’t got a partner, but we’re glad because it means you can hang out with us all week!”

With a smile, Kai replied, “I’m here, you’ve got me all week. I’m here Monday to Friday doing Strictly fitness, and I can’t wait!”

Despite his enthusiasm, it was clear that the prospect of not being paired with a celebrity had left Kai a bit disappointed. In an exclusive conversation with the