Glamorous dance siren Kristina Rihanoff is already the talk of this year’s Strictly, with unstoppable rumours about her relationship with her dance partner Joe Calzaghe.
But Kristina has insisted their relationship is Strictly business – for now.
“Joe is a very good-looking guy and we’re close friends,” she says, “but for the moment he’s my partner on the show and we have a business relationship.
“I don’t know what’s going to happen between us when it ends, but I hope our friendship will last a long time.”
Kristina and former world-champion boxer, Joe, have been snapped looking every inch the smitten couple – holding hands, gazing into each other’s eyes and cuddled up together.
“People will write and think whatever they like,” says Kristina. “But right now we’re concentrating on work.
“We are very close and have developed a great relationship in a short amount of time.
“Of course we don’t know what’s going to happen between us next – there are so many things going on with the show and work we don’t have time to figure it out.”
The Russian bombshell, 32, admits she loves spending time with Joe but knows he will have to step up his game if he wants to stay in the competition for much longer.
“We didn’t do great in the first week,” admits Kristina. “It’s nothing to do with a lack of chemistry between us – that’s not the problem. Joe just needs to get some more confidence performing.
“It’s easier for the other celebrities, they’re pretty much all actors or presenters and know how to play up to an audience.
“They can put on an act and pretend to be something they’re not. It’s harder for Joe to do that because he’s not a professional performer, he’s a boxer.”
Kristina says Welshman Joe, 37, was hurt by the judges’ harsh comments about his wooden performance on the opening weekend.
“He felt really disappointed with what the judges said,” explains Kristina. “They were really rude to him. Joe is used to being the best at what he does, he’s a world-champion boxer.
“So it was very hard to hear he was the worst dancer on the floor that night. But he’s not a quitter and it’s my job to pick up his confidence because I know he can do better, he dances so much better in rehearsals.”
Kristina, who worked on the US version of the show Dancing With The Stars before joining Strictly last year, won hearts in her first series by competing with veteran journalist – and hopeless dancer – John Sergeant.
“John was great. But he wasn’t the best dancer,” admits Kristina. “We worked around it though and had a fantastic time.”
The unlikely pair ended up being extremely popular with the public, despite cutting jibes from John’s arch critic Arlene Phillips, who was axed before this year’s series.
But Kristina says she’ll miss Arlene.
“When I heard about Arlene leaving the show, part of me was quite sad,” she says. “I don’t know why they decided to get rid of her.
“We don’t know whether it’s ageism or another reason. It wasn’t because she was really harsh with John – that’s her job. She has to say if people are bad or the show would be boring.”
And Kristina, who has been on the wrong side of the judges’ tongues already this series, is determined to prove them wrong again with Joe.
“John could do it because he had 50 years experience on TV,” says Kristina, “so he knew exactly how to charm the audience, make people laugh and get people on side.
“Joe is a completely different guy and we’ll have to deal with it differently. But I have total faith in him and I am determined to stay in the competition for a lot longer. We’ll just have to keep on working hard.”
Competitive Kristina is hell bent on staying in the show as long as she can – but for reasons not many people know.
The stunning blonde depends on the money she makes as a professional dancer to support desperate members of her family back home in Russia.
“You have to put your family first and I am just so pleased I’m in a position to help them,” explains Kristina.
“For me it’s a lot of responsibility but I’m fortunate enough to have a job that gives me enough money to support them. I know how important it is to have somebody you can rely on.”
Kristina sends thousands of pounds home to her aunt in Vladivostock, Russia, to help give her young cousins a good start in life. Their father died of lung cancer a few years ago.
“My aunt Valeria is a qualified doctor, an amazing paediatrician, but can only get work as a nurse,” says Kristina. “She has two children to support as well as my grandfather Boris who also lives with them.
“The money I send pays the rent and for the children’s education and extra classes in dance and theatre. I don’t want them to be on the streets, smoking or getting into drugs.
Growing up in Russia was tough for Kristina and she was also touched by tragedy when her grandmother, Valentina, who helped bring her up, died of breast cancer at just 57. As a result she is supporting Breast Cancer Month in October by agreeing to be the face of Damart’s pink vest.
“We had little information about breast cancer so she was diagnosed at a very late stage.
“I knew she was sick and in hospital – I just didn’t know why. Then one day I went home and my mother wasn’t there. I called her at work and a lady answered and said, ‘She had to go home because her mother died’.
“I didn’t want to believe it. I couldn’t take it in and it didn’t seem real until after the funeral.”
Her grandmother remains an inspiration for Kristina.
“My grandmother was the kindest woman in the world,” recalls Kristina. “She was the one who encouraged my dancing when I was little.”
Now, one of ballroom’s elite, Kristina’s main home is in LA, where she has lived and worked for the past few years. Her mum moved over to live with her last year, then Kristina was offered her Strictly job in London.
“I didn’t know I’d be coming to England, and the terms of my mum’s visa meant she wasn’t allowed to leave the US for a year. I worry about her being there without me. “We’ve just applied for a British visitor’s visa so I’m hoping she’ll be able to join me in London.”
For now, Kristina is determined to enjoy her time on Strictly – and with Joe – while she can.
“He’s a lovely guy,” she says. “Everybody involved with Strictly loves him because he’s a very cool person to be around.
“He has an amazing sense of humour and when he feels comfortable and relaxed around you he’s so funny.
“He’s teaching some of the male professional dancers to box, which they are so excited about. And the best thing about him is he’s such a humble guy.
“He signs autographs and is always really friendly to people. You don’t see him acting full of himself. And that’s the most attractive thing about him.
“My job at the minute is to help Joe learn to dance, and feel confident in what he’s doing.
“I’ve met his family and they’re great, they’ve come to some rehearsals and the show at the weekend. His father is a really interesting man, he trained him in boxing for all those years. They’re very supportive people.
“When it’s all over I hope our relationship will continue. We’ll stay friends for a long time I think. Who can say what the future holds for us?”
The singer shared a "special bond" with her older sibling - who died on June 25 of acute Propofol intoxication - and has decided to dress in dark clothes as a mark of respect.
