Nicola Adams (L) and her Strictly Come Dancing partner, Katya Jones. (Strictly Come Dancing/BBC)
Nicola Adams made Strictly Come Dancing history Saturday night (17 October) after being partnered with seasoned pro dancer Katya Jones, becoming the ballroom show’s first same-sex contestants.
It was a sight 16 years in the making, but now looking forward, both Adams and her girlfriend, Ella Baig, have said they’re confident that their relationship won’t become a victim of the infamous “Strictly curse”.
The so-called hex has seen marriages and relationships eroded by the hours of training and raunchy dance moves the show demands.
We don’t know who was more excited about meeting their new dance partner, @NicolaAdamsOBE or @Mrs_katjones! 😄 #Strictly pic.twitter.com/5i8JmHWRZ7
— BBC Strictly ✨ (@bbcstrictly) October 17, 2020
Nicola Adams: ‘Ella and I are so strong we will never be a victim of the Strictly curse.’
Speaking with The Sun On Sunday, Adams joked that Jones is “smoking hot, “but Ella and I are so strong we will never be a victim of the Strictly curse.
“I’m excited to be partnered with [Jones] — and when I saw her we hugged straight away. It was amazing. She’s the best dancer I could have got. She’s competitive, she’s full of energy — it’s perfect.
“She’s a former champion. She’s really creative and is always thinking about new things to try.
“Katya was super excited to be partnered with me. There’s no restrictions for us.”
Beauty blogger Baig said: “I’m not worried about the curse.
“Nicki and me are best friends so I don’t really see anyone as competition and she doesn’t either.”
“The grass is never greener on the other side and me and Nicki have a lot of history together, so I don’t think anyone is going to steal her off me.
“We did have a conversation about the ‘curse,’ and we agreed I would meet her dance partner so there are no hard feelings or jealousy there.”
As Adams takes to the BBC One show’s iconic dancefloor each week, the 37-year-old said she refuses to be stung by homophobic viewers.
“I’m expecting the same sort of thing I got with women’s boxing in the beginning – there will always be some resisters, but once they know you’re here to stay, they get used to it,” she told Radio Times.
“Women dance together all the time in nightclubs. Traditionally I guess men and women would dance together when they were courting, so the older generation have that in their heads.”
She added: “So someone’s going to comment on Twitter? It’s nothing, it won’t faze me at all.
“If they don’t like it, they’re going to have to deal with it or switch to another channel.”