Since joining the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing, Nikita Kuzmin has quickly become a fan favourite. In 2023, the Ukrainian-born professional dancer finished as runner-up alongside his celebrity partner, West End star Layton Williams.

This year, he's been paired with Amber Davies and they've been wowing audiences with their performances, finishing third on the leaderboard this week with their stunning Argentine tango.

During his third series on the show, Kuzmin made history as part of this season's only same-sex pairing. The duo have consistently impressed the judges with their routines, including their semi-final performance where they topped the leaderboard with a combined total of 116 points across two dances, according to Manchester Evening News.

Their Charleston even earned them a perfect score of 40 and a rare standing ovation from notoriously tough judge Craig Revel Horwood. Despite his success, Kuzmin remains humble and proud of his roots, describing himself on Instagram as "just a kid from Ukraine".

Here's everything you need to know about the talented dancer, from his battle with diabetes and mysterious tattoo, to his beloved cats and model partner, reports Wales Online.

Nikita originally from Ukraine, relocated to Italy with his family when he was just nine. His parents, Natalia and Levgen Kuzmin, also have another child, Anastasia, Nikita's older sister who shares his love for dance.

The siblings frequently share snaps of their escapades on Instagram.

From a tender age, Nikita nurtured a deep passion for dance, which propelled him to become a six-time Italian champion in Latin and ballroom dancing. He spent a year showcasing his skills as a professional dancer on the German version of Strictly Come Dancing - Let's Dance, before being scouted by the UK competition in 2021.

Upon becoming part of the Strictly Come Dancing family, he voiced his admiration for the "magic" that the show exudes. In an interview with the BBC, he said: "And joining it as a professional dancer is my big chance to make some magic on the most famous dance floor," adding, "I can't wait to give it my all!".

Reflecting on his journey two years later during a chat with Portsmouth News, the professional dancer pondered on the profound impact Strictly had on his life. He said: "I was born in Ukraine and lived and danced in three other countries - Italy, Denmark and Germany - before coming to the UK. But it was Strictly that made me feel 100% me."

He further added: "I've never been as creatively challenged as I was on that first series - and I couldn't have been luckier in having Tilly Ramsay as my first partner. It felt like a match made in heaven."

Nikita's parents had the chance to witness their son perform live for the first time during Strictly 2023's movie week, even getting a mention from the studio. He told co-host Claudia Winkleman: "I'm really excited, really nervous, but it makes me feel like a kid. In the end I'm just a kid from Ukraine living his dream. It's just special."

Nikita's sister Anastasia has also displayed her dancing talents on the Italian version of Strictly, Ballando con le Stelle. She secured the title in 2012, dancing with partner Andrés Gil.

She has also presented dance programmes throughout Europe including Ballando on the Road, Dance Battle and Happy Dance.

In 2021, Nikita's first Strictly partner was TV presenter and social media star Tilly Ramsay. The pair achieved sixth position, just missing out on the quarter finals.

The year after, in 2022, he was matched with Paralympian Ellie Simmonds. They became the sixth couple to leave the show, falling short of the much-desired Blackpool performance.

2023 was the first year Nikita reached the Tower Ballroom, dancing with partner Layton Williams. Remarkably, they made it to the final, but were beaten by actress Ellie Leach and her dance partner Vito Coppola.

Heartbreak over Ukraine-Russia war and fears for grandparents

Nikita has spoken candidly about his worries for his family during the Ukraine-Russia conflict. During an appearance on ITV's Loose Women, he shared that many of his family members, including his grandparents, aunts and uncles, are still trapped in the war-torn country.

In a heartwarming turn of events, he was overjoyed to share that he had successfully brought his grandmother to safety after she managed to flee to Poland.

Sharing the news with his Instagram followers, he wrote: "Picked up my grandma from Poland! She is so incredibly brave and strong, 2 nights without sleeping, walking 8km+ in the freezing cold, when on a normal day, she can barely walk!".

"She travelled from Kiev, my mom flew from Rome and I drove from Frankfurt and we all reunited in Krakow! Just so happy to be together."

He added: "When I was waiting for my mom and grandma at the train station, I've been immersed in this situation for the first time in real life. Although I know I should have been happy for my family, I couldn't. Just had tears on my eyes, because of how sad the situation is. How many thousands of kids and women doing their absolute best to stay strong."

Nikita was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes as a child.

Now, he uses his platform to raise awareness about managing the condition, referring to it as his "superpower".

He told Instagram followers that he felt "proud to be diabetic", acknowledging he experienced "good and bad days".

He said: "Shared a bit of my personal story this morning and hope to send a little message to maybe that one person who needs a bit of positivity in a newfound condition. Your life will be fine! Everything is ok. You can manage everything!".

Speaking on Morning Live, he said: "When I found out, I thought: 'my career's over,' and the next morning I woke up and I saw all those kids smiling and they were happy and they were diabetics just like me. I went out of my room and - this is one of my best memories in my life - there was this wall of fame.

"It was all of the famous, successful diabetics - Olympians, Paralympians, presidents, actors - everything. And actually, I think I made quite a few of them up because I thought there was quite a few more people than there actually were. I checked a couple of days ago and most of them were not even there."

Strictly fans have long been curious about the significance behind a circle of inked numbers on his arm, with Nikita sharing a snap on Instagram with the puzzling caption: "What do the tattooed numbers mean on my arm? (wrong answers only)" - but refusing to disclose the true meaning.

Nikita typically maintains privacy around his personal affairs on social media but supporters will recognise he's devoted to cats and he's shared peeks inside his spectacular residence. The performer appears to have a knack for interior design, with his spacious living room decorated with colourful artwork and a striking wall clock made from individual vinyl records.

The dancer is the proud owner of two cats named Leo and Bagheera and seems to enjoy playing the guitar in his spare time, as shown in photos posted by his girlfriend.

His girlfriend's pictures reveal an acoustic guitar casually leaning against a tall, white mirror.

Strictly Come Dancing star's powerful statement about devastating health condition - The Mirror