Strictly Come Dancing fans are used to seeing Nikita Kuzmin with a smile across his face week after week as he competes for the glitterball on the BBC show.
But away from the cameras, it seems the professional dancer has been forced to deal with his fair share of stress, especially as he needed to help his grandmother escape Ukraine for her own safety. And it was the kindness of a few people that enabled his nan flee the country and arrive to safety following the Russian invasion.
Speaking about the act of kindness that will forever be etched in his memory, he told the Mirror at the Pride Of Britain Awards, he tearfully said: "It's such a beautiful event. It's honestly my favourite one of the year by a mile. It just feels like a pure, pure event. The bravest of people, the loveliest of people all come together but we are all just celebrating. It's just the best thing ever."
He added: "I'm not going to say their names and I'm not going to get emotional but there were a lot of people who helped get my grandmother out of Ukraine when the war started. I would give them my heart if I could - I would give them my heart... I'm already tearing up. [eyes red with tears]. It's beautiful tears. You're making me cry. I'm emotional enough and thinking about my grandmother makes me cry."
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Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)Last month, Nikita opened about his daily struggle after being diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes and reveals that he found strength in connecting with fans who also have the same condition.While on ITV's Lorraine, he said: "It's not easy. Obviously, it's a condition that you carry with yourself every single day. But I always say that diabetes is our superpower. When we're kids, to understand how to be scheduled, how to be responsible. "
He said: "One of the best things in the world is when I go through the stage door after the show, I see all the teenagers and adults coming with me." They show me their sensor and we tap them together. It's our superpower and I know it might be quite hard. I'm also learning every single day. Realistically, I'm just trying to do my best."
He continued: "Obviously, we have the technology today but it's literally trying to make the best of it every single day and just see how it goes." After his stint on the BBC show, Nikita is set to go on his solo tour next year, which will take him across the UK. He recently revealed that he is still in disbelief and feels scared that he's about to tour on his own.
He added: "It's quite scary if I'm being honest, but it's very wild because I can never actually gather the fact that I could have my own show because I always ask why would people even come to see me? I have so many ideas, so many projects and I just wanna go there and give back to the people who spend their money coming to see me."
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