After some controversy about their pairing, Daniel O’Donnell’s Strictly Come Dancing partner Kristina Rihanoff has said his wife Majella O’Donnell is her “personal hero”.
Speaking on The Ray D’Arcy Show, Kristina said that she is inspired by Majella’s charity work for breast cancer as her mother is suffering from the disease.
She told Ray: “Majella is in my eyes a personal hero because I know what she went through and my mother actually has been going through the same problem as well with breast cancer. Obviously Daniel told me what she’s done for the charity, I think it’s incredible. She’s definitely in my eyes a woman to admire.”
The professional dancer revealed the rehearsals for ‘Strictly’ are going well adding that Daniel is a pleasure to work with as he’s “such a lovely person and so dedicated.”
She added: “I really hope we do everyone proud because we’re working hard. He is a beginner and we have lots of hours of rehearsals this week and next week but I’m really happy with how it’s going because he’s very dedicated and that’s what I think it takes to do well on the show.”
Kristina has courted controversy in the past after having previously dated two of her former dance partners on the show, Ben Cohen and Joe Calzaghe. Her relationship with Calzaghe lasted three years.
Kristina, nicknamed the Siberian Siren, and Ben danced together in 2013’s ‘Strictly’ – but it later emerged that they had entered a relationship, although it is understood it only began after Ben’s marriage to wife Abby was over.
Viewers can find out how the dancing duo are getting on at BBC One on Friday September 25 and Saturday September 26.
