Kai Widdrington

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Kai Widdrington
Born (1995-08-23) 23 August 1995 (age 28)
Southampton, England
Occupation(s)Dancer
Choreographer
Known forDancing with the Stars (Irish series)
Britain's Got Talent
Strictly Come Dancing
Height1.88 m (6 ft 2 in)
ParentTommy Widdrington
RelativesTheo Widdrington (brother)

Kai Widdrington (born 23 August 1995) is an English dancer and choreographer. In 2010, he was the Junior World Latin American champion. In 2012, he reached the final of the sixth series of Britain's Got Talent. Between 2017 and 2020, he was a professional dancer on the Irish version of Dancing with the Stars, and in 2021, he became a professional dancer on the BBC show Strictly Come Dancing.

Early life[edit]

Widdrington was born in Southampton, England[1] [2] His father is former Premier League footballer Tommy Widdrington, and his younger brother, Theo, currently plays for Aldershot Town F.C. Widdrington was also set to follow in his father's footsteps by becoming a professional footballer, but aged 12 chose a dancing career instead of a Premier League contract. By the time he was 14, he was the World Junior Latin American champion.[3]

Widdrington is of part Chinese descent. His maternal grandfather is half Chinese, he’s said to have been in the same class as Bruce Lee.[4]

Career[edit]

Britain's Got Talent[edit]

In 2012, Widdrington formed a dance partnership with Natalia Jeved, both of whom auditioned for the sixth series of Britain's Got Talent. The pair managed to reach the live final.[5] Two years later, in 2014, Widdrington made a second appearance on the programme during its eighth series, as part of the ballroom dance group Kings & Queens, working alongside future Strictly Come Dancing professionals Katya Jones and Neil Jones, and future Dancing with the Stars professionals Ksenia Zsikhotska and Ryan McShane.[6] The group managed to reach the semi-finals of the series, but were ultimately eliminated from the competition by that stage.[7]

Dancing with the Stars[edit]

In 2017, Widdrington was announced as one of the professional dancers for the first series of Dancing with the Stars in Ireland.[8] He was partnered with comedian and actress Katherine Lynch. They were eliminated in week nine of the competition, finishing in sixth place.[9]

In 2018, Widdrington was partnered with camogie player Anna Geary. They reached the final of the show, finishing as joint-runners up alongside Deirdre O'Kane and John Nolan.[10]

In 2019, Widdrington was partnered with teenage actress Demi Isaac Oviawe.[11] They were eliminated in week seven of the competition, finishing in eighth place.[12]

In 2020, Widdrington was paired with Miss Universe Ireland 2018, Gráinne Gallanagh.[13] On 15 March 2020, it was announced that the scheduled semi-final had become the final due to precautions around the COVID-19 pandemic halting production early. Gallanagh and Widdrington were one of the four couples in the final, and they finished as runners-up to winners Lottie Ryan and Pasquale La Rocca.[14]

Series Partner Place
1 Katherine Lynch 6th
2 Anna Geary 2nd
3 Demi Isaac Oviawe 8th
4 Gráinne Gallanagh 2nd

Highest and Lowest Scoring Per Dance

1 This score was awarded during Switch-Up Week.

Series 1 – with celebrity partner Katherine Lynch
Week No. Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Redmond Barry Benson
1 No dance performed - - - - No elimination
2 Waltz / "If You Go Away" 6 6 6 18
3 Cha-cha-cha / "Express Yourself" 6 6 6 18 Safe
4 Samba / "Voulez-Vous" 5 5 6 16 Safe
5 Foxtrot / "Summertime" 7 8 7 22 Safe
6 Quickstep / "You're the One That I Want" 7 7 7 21 Safe
7 Foxtrot / "Big Bad Handsome Man" 9 10 9 28 No elimination
Switch-Up Week with Aoibhín Garrihy
8 Charleston / "Cabaret" 7 8 8 23 Safe
9 Jive / "Proud Mary" 6 6 7 19 Eliminated
Series 2 – with celebrity partner Anna Geary
Week No. Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Redmond Barry Benson
1 No dance performed - - - - No elimination
2 Tango / "Rebel Rebel" 6 8 7 21
3 Samba / "New Rules" 6 6 6 18 Safe
4 Contemporary Ballroom / "Let It Go" 9 9 9 27 Safe
5 Paso Doble / "Titanium" 7 7 8 22 Safe
6 Tango / "Green Light" 9 9 9 27 No elimination
Switch-Up Week with Alannah Beirne
7 Charleston / "Bang Bang" 10 10 10 30 Safe
8 American Smooth / "Achy Breaky Heart" 7 7 8 22 Safe
9 Rumba / "Secret Love Song"
Team Dance / "Party Rock Anthem" 		8
8 		8
8 		8
9 		24
25 		Safe
10 Jive / "Time Warp"
Swing-a-thon / "You Can't Stop the Beat" 		9
Extra 		10
4 		10
Points 		29
33 		Safe
11 Foxtrot / "Dancing in the Moonlight (It's Caught Me in Its Spotlight)"
Salsa / "Don't Stop the Music" 		8
10 		8
10 		8
10 		24
30 		Safe
12 Tango / "Rebel Rebel"
Charleston / "Bang Bang"
Showdance / "This Is Me" 		9
10
10 		10
10
10 		9
10
10 		28
30
30 		Runners-up
Series 3 – with celebrity partner Demi Isaac Oviawe
Week No. Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Redmond Barry Benson
1 No dance performed - - - - No elimination
2 Cha-cha-cha / "Cut to the Feeling" 3 3 4 10
3 Foxtrot / "After All" 4 5 5 14 Last to be called safe
4 Salsa / "One Night Only" 6 6 8 20 Safe
5 Rumba / "Dance with My Father" 5 5 6 16 Safe
6 Salsa / "Dance Again" 8 8 9 26 No elimination
Switch-Up Week with Mairéad Ronan
7 Viennese Waltz / "Fallin'" 7 7 7 21 Eliminated
Series 4 – with celebrity partner Gráinne Gallanagh
Week No. Dance/Song Judges' score Total Result
Redmond Barry Benson
1 No dance performed - - - - No elimination
2 Tango / "Bang Bang" 6 6 6 18
3 Jive / "Dear Future Husband" 6 7 7 20 Safe
4 Salsa / "(I've Had) The Time of My Life" 7 7 7 21 Safe
5 Contemporary Ballroom / "Unstoppable" 9 9 9 27 Safe
6 Quickstep / "Out of Our Heads" 7 8 8 23 No elimination
Switch-Up Week with Brian Dowling
7 Quickstep / "Paper Rings" 8 8 9 25 Safe
8 Viennese Waltz / "Waltz of the Flowers" 10 10 10 30 Safe
9 Paso Doble / "I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That)"
Team Dance / "Physical" 		8
8 		9
8 		8
8 		25
24 		Bottom two
10 Samba / "Wonder Woman Theme"
Rock-Til-You-Drop / "Happy Days" 		7
Awarded 		8
2 		7
points 		22
24 		Safe
11 Foxtrot / "Falling"
Charleston (with Stephen Vincent) / "Dance Apocalyptic" 		9
10 		9
10 		9
10 		27
30 		Runners-up

Strictly Come Dancing[edit]

From September 2021, he appeared as a professional dancer on the nineteenth series of Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with television presenter AJ Odudu.[15] In their first week the couple topped the leaderboard with a score of 34 for their jive to Gold Dust by DJ Fresh. Judge Motsi Mabuse hailed the routine "the best dance of the evening, without a doubt."[16] The couple qualified for the final but had to withdraw the day before after Odudu suffered an ankle injury.

For the twentieth series, Widdrington was partnered with Loose Women panellist, Kaye Adams. They were the first couple to be eliminated from the series after losing the first dance off to Matt Goss and Nadiya Bychkova. On 30 November 2022, it was announced he would dance with Alexandra Mardell for the 2022 Strictly Christmas Special; they eventually won the competition with a perfect score on their quickstep.

For the twenty-first series, Widdrington was partnered with television presenter and journalist, Angela Rippon. They finished 7th, being eliminated in week 9 after losing the dance off to Bobby Brazier and Dianne Buswell.

Series Partner Place
19 AJ Odudu 3rd
20 Kaye Adams 15th
21 Angela Rippon 7th

Highest and Lowest Scoring Per Dance

Series 19 – with celebrity partner AJ Odudu
Week Dance & Song Judges' Score Total Result
Revel Horwood Mabuse Ballas Du Beke
1 Jive / "Gold Dust" 8 8 9 9 34 No Elimination
2 Foxtrot / "Tears Dry on Their Own" 7 8 8 8 31 Safe
3 American Smooth / "I Have Nothing" 8 9 9 9 35 Safe
4 Samba / Don't Go Yet 7 7 7 7 28 Safe
5 Argentine Tango / "Edge of Seventeen" 8 8 10 9 35 Safe
6 Viennese Waltz / "Dangerous Woman" 9 10 9 9 37 Safe
7 Charleston / "Don't Bring Lulu" 9 10 10 10 39 Safe
8 Paso Doble / "Game of Survival" 7 7 7 7 28 Safe
9 Waltz / "Edelweis" 9* 10 10 9 38 Safe
10 Couple's Choice / "Make Me Feel" 9 8* 10 9 36 Safe
11 Salsa / "Rhythm Is Gonna Get You/Get on Your Feet" 7 8 8 7 30 Bottom two
12 Quickstep / "Sing Sing Sing"
Rumba / "Show Me Heaven" 		10
9 		10
10 		10
10 		10
10 		40
39 		Safe
  • Green number indicates when AJ & Kai were at the top of the leaderboard.
  • Red number indicates when AJ & Kai were at the bottom of the leaderboard.
  • *Score awarded by guest judge Cynthia Erivo.
Series 20 – with celebrity partner Kaye Adams
Week Dance & Song Judges' Score Total Result
Revel Horwood Mabuse Ballas Du Beke
1 Tango / "Voulez-Vous" 6 5 5 5 21 No Elimination
2 Charleston / "Music! Music! Music!" 4 6 6 6 22 Eliminated
  • Red number indicates when Kaye & Kai were at the bottom of the leaderboard.
Series 21 – with celebrity partner Angela Rippon
Week Dance & Song Judges' Score Total Result
Revel Horwood Mabuse Ballas Du Beke
1 Cha-cha-cha / "Get the Party Started" 7 7 7 7 28 No Elimination
2 Foxtrot / "You Make Me Feel So Young" 8 8 7 8 31 Safe
3 Quickstep / "Do-Re-Mi" 6 7 6 7 26 Safe
4 Rumba / "Rise Like a Phoenix" 8 7 8 8 31 Safe
5 Argentine Tango / "Tanguera" 8 9 8 9 34 Safe
6 Charleston / "Theme from Murder, She Wrote" 9 8 8 8 33 Safe
7 Waltz / "Fascination" 7 8 6 7 28 Bottom two
8 Paso Doble / "Hung Up" 8 8 8 8 32 Bottom two
9 American Smooth / "Tea for Two" 6 7 7 8 28 Eliminated

Personal life[edit]

From 2016 to 2021, Widdrington was in a relationship with professional dancer and fellow Dancing with the Stars professional, Giulia Dotta.[17][18] In June of 2022, it was reported that he is in a relationship with fellow Strictly professional dancer, Nadiya Bychkova.

Dance tours[edit]

In June 2023, Widdrington and Nadiya Bychkova announced they were to appear at "Dancing With The Stars Weekends" 2024.[19]

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Southampton dance duo through to Britain's Got Talent semi-finals". Daily Echo. Retrieved 2018-12-21.
  2. ^ "'I love being from Southampton': Strictly's new star talks city pride and inspiring others". Daily Echo. Retrieved 2021-10-18.
  3. ^ "Four new professional dancers announced for Strictly Come Dancing 2021". bbc.com. Retrieved 2021-07-19.
  4. ^ "Fun fact! Bringing this story back seemed fitting…". instagram.com. Retrieved 2022-05-22.
  5. ^ "Britain's Got Talent grand final 2012: how the public voted". Radio Times. Retrieved 2018-12-21.
  6. ^ "VIDEO: Hampshire dancer bids for Britain's Got Talent glory". Daily Echo. Retrieved 2018-12-21.
  7. ^ "Dancer Kai misses out on Britain's Got Talent Glory". Daily Echo. Retrieved 2018-12-21.
  8. ^ McGowan, Sharon (2016-12-16). "RTE's Dancing With The Stars professionals have been revealed". irishmirror. Retrieved 2018-12-21.
  9. ^ "Katherine Lynch exits DWTS as Aoibhin Garrihy steals the show". Independent.ie. Retrieved 2018-12-21.
  10. ^ "DWTS: 'Jake Carter is a very deserving winner'". RTÉ.ie. 2018-03-26.
  11. ^ "RTÉ defends putting Demi in 'Dancing With The Stars' in her Leaving Cert year". Independent.ie. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
  12. ^ Power, Ed. "Dancing with the Stars: Judges in the dock as Demi Isaac Oviawe voted off show". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2019-05-30.
  13. ^ "Gráinne Gallanagh, Sinéad O'Carroll reveal DWTS pros". 2019-12-17. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  14. ^ "Grainne Gallanagh 'over the moon' with Dancing with the Stars success". www.derryjournal.com. Retrieved 2020-06-18.
  15. ^ "BBC One - Strictly Come Dancing - Kai Widdrington". BBC.
  16. ^ Horton, Tom (26 September 2021). "Strictly Come Dancing: AJ Odudu wows judges in first week of competition". independent. Retrieved 3 October 2021.
  17. ^ Moran, Hannah (2017-03-26). "The Couples You Never Realised Were Dating On Dancing With The Stars". EVOKE.ie. Retrieved 2018-12-21.
  18. ^ O'Loughlin, Mikie (2021-07-28). "DWTS' Kai Widdrington and girlfriend Giulia Dotta split up after five years". RSVP Live. Retrieved 2021-08-01.
  19. ^ "5* Weekend Break with the Stars of BBC Strictly Come Dancing". www.donaheys.co.uk. Retrieved 2018-10-05.
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