Strictly Come Dancing siren Kristina Rihanoff on her partnership ahead of Puttin’ On The Ritz

Strictly siren Kristina Rihanoff is a familiar face in the tabloid papers.

It’s no wonder after relationships with fellow Strictly dancer Vincent Simone and former boxer Joe Calzaghe, who she started dating after they were partnered on the Saturday night show.

Then there are those persistent rumours of a romance with ex-rugby player Ben Cohen her partner on the most recent series which they’ve both denied, after his 11-year marriage ended last September.

When Ben was seen leaving Kristina’s apartment two weeks ago, the gossiping only intensified.

Speaking to The Sunday Post just before that, she was non-committal about her long-term Strictly future.

“It’s been announced I’ll be in the next one, but beyond that, I don’t know,” revealed the Russian star.

“I always look at different things, so who knows for the future?”

The BBC this week gave her their backing, but while she gives Strictly her all, as far as she’s concerned it doesn’t matter if she wins or loses.

“People won’t remember in a few weeks who won the show, I don’t think it’s important. There are 14 of us and only one can win.

“Taking part and being involved in someone’s development, like creating dances for Jason Donovan and Simon Webbe, is much more important than winning.”

That love of teaching dance is one of the passions she shares with her professional partner, Robin Windsor.

They met on the show when Robin joined in 2010 and immediately clicked.

“We work fantastically well together and it’s so enjoyable,” the 37-year-old said.

Robin agrees.

“It’s been the perfect partnership,” he said. “In all those years, we’ve never had an argument.”

Both started dancing at an early age Robin when he was three and Kristina at five.

He quickly decided it was something he could do as a living, but that realisation came later for Kristina, who studied for a degree in tourism and hospitality before turning to full-time dancing and landing a job overseas.

“When I started it was just a hobby,” she continued.

“At 16 I started teaching and things moved from there. I never thought I would move away but that’s what happened.

“It was very hard to leave my family but they visit me in London when they can.”

Robin didn’t have so far to travel to follow his dream, moving from Ipswich to London.

“When I won my first competition at 11 I realised I could do it as a career and aimed to move to the capital, which I did,” added the 35-year-old.

The pair are currently appearing in the tour of Puttin’ On The Ritz, a tribute to the music of Cole Porter, George Gershwin and Irving Berlin.

Kristina said: “We love that style of dance and it gives us a chance to perform it, because it’s very different for us.”

They’re only involved in five weeks of the tour and one of those stops is in Glasgow next week.

Robin explained: “We only signed up for five weeks because we thought we were going to be on Strictly again, but obviously that’s not the case for me, so I’m currently negotiating about carrying on with the tour through November.”

Fans were up in arms when he was omitted from this year’s line-up, especially after returning to fitness from the back surgery that caused him to miss last year’s series.

“Everyone I know who’s had an injury has been asked back once fit, so I did assume it would happen with me as well, but it wasn’t to be.

“There were moments when I had the injury that I felt I might have to find a new career but, thankfully, I had good people looking after me.

“Strictly was the best time of my life and catapulted my profile. Now I can do anything I want, thanks to the show.

“I think the fans were more disappointed and upset than I was and their support was fantastic. I never say never but when one door closes another opens.

“I’m doing panto for the first time this year and that’ll be the first time I’ll sing on stage, so that’s a new experience.

“I’m also putting on classes to teach the public how to ballroom dance, and one of those will be at Sloan’s in Glasgow on June 7.

“My dream is to get all of Britain ballroom dancing in the future!”

Puttin’ On The Ritz King’s Theatre, Glasgow, June 9-13