Strictly Come Dancing's Nikita Kuzmin heartbroken as grandad dies
On Wednesday (13.05.26), Nikita Kuzmin announced that his beloved grandad died.
Strictly Come Dancing pro Nikita Kuzmin's grandad has died.
The 28-year-old star penned a heartbreaking tribute for his grandad, which he posted to Instagram on Wednesday (13.05.26).
Nikita shared adorable shots of himself with his beloved family member over the years, with the caption: "Looking at these pictures my heart is beating so fast and I’m not sure what to write or how to even begin expressing how much I love you.
"Just memories of when I thought you’re the fastest walker in the world and how when I was a teenager I was proud of speeding past you, but you still were the quickest grandad in town.
"But especially how much you always took care of us, no matter what, always there."
The Celebrity Big Brother 2024 runner-up ended his emotional tribute with "I love you, Grandpa" in Russian.
Strictly Come Dancing stars flooded the post's comments section with love, as pro Nancy Xu, 34, and 2024 contestants, Love Island alum Tasha Ghouri, 27, and Miranda actress Sarah Hadland, 54, left heart emojis.
Nikita's fans also expressed their condolences, as one typed: "I am so sorry, am sure he was so very proud of you. Sending lots of love (sic)."
A second supporter wrote: "So so sorry Niki, sending you lots of love. He was so proud of you. Grandpas are what makes us, never forget that (sic)."
And a third follower said: "I'm so sorry, thinking of you and all the family. seems like a very special man who was and is without a doubt so very proud of you. sending you so so much love (sic)."
The death of Nikita's grandad came days after the dancer revealed he was rushed to hospital in the middle of the night after he suddenly lost his vision and was subsequently diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a teenager.
The choreographer recalled how he "lost seven kilos in five days" after he lost his appetite during the health ordeal.
Nikita recalled on a recent episode of the Walking the Dog with Emily Dean podcast: What I have realised is that, at the time, I lost vision in the way that I couldn't see clearly anymore, literally, suddenly.
"As I was walking into the tube in Ukraine, and later on, in that week, there was a week where I lost vision, and I was losing weight, I lost seven kilos in five days.
"Obviously, when you have diabetes, your sugars are high, extremely high, so I was not eating, just drinking water, because your body wants water.
"My dad, being diabetic, he spotted it because we went with my mum to this Ukrainian restaurant, and I couldn't eat my favourite thing because I simply was not hungry.
"My dad brought me to hospital in the middle of the night, and that's where they told me that it's happening. At the beginning, I thought everything was done and over.
"I was mostly not thinking about life or anything else, but mostly my career. The first thing I thought, I remember, in my brain is that I'm done with dancing, because dancing was everything."
Nikita - who joined BBC's Strictly Come Dancing in 2021 - uses a glucose monitor, and it makes his life "way easier".
He added: "I think it's a lovely thing because it makes people understand that you do have diabetes and that it's like representing my community. I'm proud."
