Former Strictly pro Pasha Kovalev has made a poignant admission as he talks about his health and returning to the hit BBC show he won in 2014 with Caroline Flack

Dianne Buswell and Pasha Kovalev, who has opened up on his health and future on Strictly(Image: Dave J Hogan, Getty Images for Phil McIntyre Productions)

Former Strictly Come Dancing favourite Pasha Kovalev has made a heartfelt admission regarding his future on the BBC show.

Pasha left Strictly back in 2019, having been a part of the show for eight years. During that run, he earned plenty of fans and even won the competition in 2014 with partner Caroline Flack.

But, having seen fellow dancer Aljaz Skorjanec resume his role following a break, Pasha made a confession regarding his future on the show. The star, who became a father in December 2019 with his now wife Rachel Riley, made his thoughts very clear.

Pasha told Reach PLC: “To be honest, I’m not planning on going back to Strictly. I am happy where I am.

“I had an amazing time on Strictly, I won it once which is amazing, but once you start having a family, my priorities changed a little bit. I just wasn’t ready to divide my attention between family and Strictly, so something had to go.”

The revelation comes after the 45-year-old dancer admitted to making lifestyle changes to look after his health for his family. In association with Bupa’s Knowledge Is Power campaign, Pasha took a “quick, easy and stress-free” health assessment to improve his health.

Although the results didn’t flag up any serious concerns, Pasha was advised to focus on getting more sleep and reducing his cholesterol levels to prevent potential health issues. He expressed relief and awareness following the assessment: “I didn’t know what to expect, there is nothing wrong with me, which is very good.

“But, there are little things that you have to pay attention to, and it’s little things that you don’t really think about. But, after having them on paper laid out you think, OK, I can change this, things in my lifestyle and dietary habits can be adjusted, [my] sleep pattern.”

Pasha with wife Rachel Riley and their daughters, Maven and Noa(Image: Mike Marsland, Mike Marsland/Getty Images for Lupus Films)

While his LDL (low-density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels weren’t alarmingly high, Pasha has taken his doctor’s advice seriously and implemented “strict” changes, reports Bristol Live. “I’ve definitely changed my sleep pattern and I’ve started going to bed a bit earlier,” he disclosed.

Additionally, he’s made dietary changes: “I have [also] reduced the amount of carbs intake, I’ve cut down to almost nothing and [my] exercises are there, I just need to be a bit more consistent.”

The NHS suggests that a healthy diet and regular exercise can help lower LDL cholesterol. High levels can lead to blocked blood vessels and increase the risk of heart problems or stroke.

Advice from the NHS website emphasises the importance of incorporating items like fruit and vegetables, oily fish, wholegrains, and nuts and seeds into a diet. On the other hand, they recommend limiting consumption of foods that may contain unhealthy fats and/or sugars, such as fatty meats, cakes, cream, and hard cheeses like cheddar.

Pasha was eager to undertake the test to ensure optimal health for a happy family life with his children and wife. He said: “I’ve never done a proper check and I’m at the age where I’ve got family growing up, I’m not getting younger, and I thought it’s the right time to start monitoring actually what is going on inside.

“You might feel good, but there can be things that happen underneath and then if you can catch them straight away you might be [thankful] later.”