Majella: I’m not worried about Strictly man-eater
SHE’S called the Siberian Siren and has dated two of her co-stars. But Kristina Rihanoff won’t be waltzing off with Daniel O’Donnell, his wife Majella O’Donnell said yesterday.
Singer Daniel has teamed up with the Russian beauty for the BBC series, which kicked off at the weekend, and although the blonde has enjoyed a number of romances with married contestants off-screen, Majella, 55, insisted she’s not worried in the slightest.
Kristina, 37, has courted controversy as a result of her involvement with other dancers during her eight years as a professional on the hit series.
She is currently in a relationship with former England rugby player Ben Cohen – who left his wife of 12 years – and she previously dated boxer and 2009 partner Joe Calzaghe, who also left his other half to be with her.
But speaking to Ryan Tubridy on his new RTÉ Radio 1 programme yesterday, Majella said she believes Kristina will be a great dance teacher to Daniel and that she’s happy with the on- screen match.
She told the host: ‘I knew what everybody knew I suppose, she’s the Siberian Siren. I am [relaxed] about her.
‘The poor woman doesn’t have to go off with everyone she dances with.
‘Okay, she might have had a couple of [romances] but at the end of the day, she was single.
‘ I don’t think I’ll be ditched.
‘I’m very confident. She’s very happy where she is now and we’re very happy, so I have absolutely no qualms at all. She’s very nice, I’ve met her. She’s also a brilliant chore---
Nervous: Majella O’Donnell hopes Daniel can go far
ographer. We’ve met and she is great.’
Daniel, 53, has spoken about his delight at being asked to take part in the hit show, even joking that he looked forward to stepping off a plane in Donegal carrying a glitter ball.
With another three months to go before a winner is named, Majella is being kept busy as she embraces life as a grandmother. Her daughter Siobhán McLennon gave birth to baby Olivia last month.
Yesterday, she flew out to the Tenerife holiday home she shares with Daniel, where she will spend the next two months with Siobhán, her future son-in-law Gavin Shields, and baby Olivia.
However, Majella will continue to travel back and forth to London to support Daniel as the competition hots up. Yesterday she admitted to being ‘sick with nerves’ ahead of the live shows.
‘I’m going to be sick for the length of time Daniel’s in it and hopefully that will be for a while,’ she said. However, she added of his participation in the show: ‘How often do you get an opportunity like this? It’s an experience – I just told him to go for it.
And Majella feels he has the potential to impress the judges. She said: ‘He’s great at the waltz or foxtrot and he’s a great jiver. ‘He probably has some work to do with the Latin American dances.’ O’Donnell decided to join the series as he is taking time off from touring. Aside from Strictly, his TV work i ncludes Daniel And Majella’s B&B Road Trip which will air on UTV this autumn.
‘It’s going to be quite entertaining. I laughed my head off, so people are going to think I’m nuts,’ Majella said of the UTV show. ‘They’ll see more of Daniel, his wit and how we interact with one another. That’s how we are in everyday life, so [viewers will see] al l t he banter between us.’
‘She’s very nice. I’ve met her’