Fresh blow for Strictly pro Kai Widdrington as show tickets slashed from £65 to £15 after bitter feud with ex

STRICTLY pro Kai Widdrington’s is set to appear in panto this year – but ticket prices have been slashed by £50.

It comes after The Sun revealed that dancers Kai, 29, and ex Nadiya Bychkova, 35, are avoiding each other behind the scenes following their break-up.

Things are so frosty between the former couple that they are standing on opposite sides of the set during live broadcasts.

Kai, who was left without a partner for this year’s series of the BBC dance contest, will appear as Captain Hook at Liverpool’s Auditorium over the festive season.

Tickets for the show have been on sale since earlier this year and are priced at between £28 – £65.

But eagle eyed fans have noticed that tickets for a number of the scheduled performances are being advertised at a cut down price on a seat filling website.

Tickets usually priced at £65 – which includes a meet & greet with Kai after the show – have been slashed to just £16.

While the £28 tickets have been cut by almost half the price to just £15 per ticket.

The offer stands on a number of performances including the Boxing Day performances – which are usually some of the busiest.

Every Saturday night, the pros and celebrities are required to gather in the ‘Clauditorium’ after each Strictly pairing has performed.

But when Claudia Winkleman is interviewing the contestants, Kai and Nadiya purposely stand on opposite sides.

A source told The Sun: “It’s painfully obvious Nadiya and Kai are in the awkward post-break up phase and struggling to be near one another.

“Obviously that’s the risk that comes with dating someone at work, so they’re both trying their best to steer clear of each other.

“When the pair are in the Clauditorium, they’re always on opposite sides. Although they may have big smiles on their faces when the cameras are running, it’s been very tense between them. 

“They refuse to be near each other at all on set- but there’s not much room up there with all the professionals.

“They just have to do their best to avoid each other every weekend.”

Strictly insiders insist the exes remain “completely professional and cordial” behind the scenes – despite the bitter break up.

Former Strictly Come Dancing couple Kai and Nadiya split over the summer after two years of dating.

Following their break-up it was reported that bosses at Strictly were considering banning workplace romances due to the tension it can cause backstage.

An insider told the  that such romances “have the potential to create negative situations for Strictly and the BBC“.

In September, was claimed Kai and Nadiya had to be kept apart at the National Television Awards.

An onlooker said: “When the pair got inside the O2 they gave each other a very wide berth.

“Organisers had ensured there would be no awkward camera shots by keeping the frosty pair apart from each other.”

Earlier this month, Nadiya gave an update on her feelings towards her ex.

The star, who is mum to seven-year-old Mila from a previous relationship, told The Mirror: “We work together but we are not friends and that’s ok.

“One thing I can tell you is that when you see me dancing with him it will be amazing because I’m a professional.”

Kai and Nadiya called time on their romance, which began in 2022, after a stint on tour together.

There was no third party involved and pals said the pair just “grew apart” after two “blissful” years together.