![Pinterest](https://pinterest.com/pin/create/button/?url=https://uknews.evprotec.com/ellie-simmonds-says-strictly-has-made-things-better-after-stares-in-street/&media=https://uknews.evprotec.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/0_m5.jpg&description=Exclusive: Strictly Come Dancing star Ellie Simmonds and dance partner Nikita Kuzmin have spoken about their time on the BBC show, ahead of them performing a foxtrot in this weekend's Halloween specialStrictly: Ellie Simmonds and Nikita Kuzmin perform dentist themed SalsaIn the back of the car taking them to training, Ellie Simmonds giggles next to her dance partner Nikita Kuzmin. They're in stitches about the fact she's always staring at his chest. Training six days a week for hours upon hours a day is not easy even for a Paralympian, but it's clearly a right laugh. "I am so used to where I am in Nikita's height, I see his chest a lot," the five-time gold medal winning swimming champion chuckles. "I focus on his necklace," she adds, quickly. Ellie, 27, who competed in her first Paralympics in Beijing in 2008 aged 13, winning gold in the 100m and 400m freestyle events, is one of few celebrities in the public eye with achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism. Ellie Simmonds (right) is partnered with Nikita Kuzmin (left) on Strictly Come Dancing ( BBC/Kieron McCarron) In a long line of firsts, the youngest British Paralympian ever at those Beijing games, the youngest person to be awarded a MBE aged 14 (four years later she scooped an OBE), Ellie is the first with the condition to compete on Strictly Come Dancing in the UK. She is 4ft tall and Nikita is 5ft 9. But she and he are past that now. "Honestly I find it weird now to dance with an average height person," says Nikita. Ellie adds: "I found it so funny when he commented about that this week. At the start he was trying to figure out adaptations but now he knows what moves I can do, which moves I can't do. It's really nice he's so used to me now." Ellie's fast become a Strictly favourite. She admits in the past, before the hit Saturday night BBC show, she'd experience name-calling on the streets. Ellie is a five-time gold medal winning swimming champion ( AFP via Getty Images) Do you enjoy reading about celebrities? Sign){kind=link}
Strictly Come Dancing star Ellie Simmonds and dance partner Nikita Kuzmin have spoken about their time on the BBC show, ahead of them performing a foxtrot in this weekend’s Halloween special
In the back of the car taking them to training, Ellie Simmonds giggles next to her dance partner Nikita Kuzmin. They’re in stitches about the fact she’s always staring at his chest.
Training six days a week for hours upon hours a day is not easy even for a Paralympian, but it’s clearly a right laugh.
“I am so used to where I am in Nikita’s height, I see his chest a lot,” the five-time gold medal winning swimming champion chuckles. “I focus on his necklace,” she adds, quickly.
Ellie, 27, who competed in her first Paralympics in Beijing in 2008 aged 13, winning gold in the 100m and 400m freestyle events, is one of few celebrities in the public eye with achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism.