Nicola’s girlfriend: “We want marriage and babies!”
Despite Nicola Adams’ shock at leaving Strictly after her dance partner was struck down by coronavirus, her girlfriend Ella Baig reveals they have exciting plans for their future...
Strictly fans were devastated last week when Nicola Adams was forced to pull out of the competition after her partner, Katya Jones, tested positive for coronavirus.
In a statement, former boxing champ Nicola – who has to isolate for two weeks – said she was “absolutely devastated”, but thanked Katya for being “the best dance partner anyone could ask for”.
Just hours before the news broke, Closer spoke to Nicola’s girlfriend of two years, model Ella Baig. Hugely proud of her partner, Ella, 22, told how she’d had no worries about the Strictly “curse” jinxing their romance.
TOTAL TRUST
She says, “I’ve met Katya a number of times and we get on really well, she’s lovely. I have no lack of trust in Nicola or her. It’s hard being away from your partner when they’re spending so much time with someone else, but we’re both good at communicating.”
And Ella revealed jealousy has never been an issue for the pair, who met during a night out in 2018, because they’re both used to attention.
Ella explains, “As a model, I’m always around beautiful women and Nicky has been around fit women her whole life. People are always sending her messages. But it doesn’t bother me. We have a great life and nothing comes close.”
RECORD BREAKER
Ex-professional boxer Nicola, 38, made history by competing as part of Strictly’s first-ever same-sex couple with Katya, 32 – but it isn’t the first time she has broken records.
She was the first female boxer to become an Olympic champion after winning gold at London 2012, and the first double Olympic champion following a second gold medal at Rio 2016.
Thanks to her services to sport and the LGBTQ+ community, she was awarded an OBE in 2017 – two years before she retired.
Despite her achievements, it hasn’t always been a happy life for Nicola. She claimed in her memoir, Round 1, that her father was abusive to her mother and sometimes to her, before her mum left him, and the family was left struggling to make ends meet.
Ella proudly says, “Nicola is always so fun and happy, but she’s been through a lot – growing up on a council estate and suffering domestic violence.
‘She’s had to fight for everything she has. But she’s very critical of herself, she always wants to do better.”
Now that Nicola’s Glitterball dream is over, she will return to Ella in Leeds – and the model reveals they have already discussed kids and marriage. Ella says,
“I want to be set in my career as a model and Nicky wants to get into acting. But [babies and marriage] are something we both want.”
There was more worry for Strictly last week when judge Motsi Mabuse faced two weeks’ quarantine in Germany after returning to her home country for an emergency. However, fans are being kept entertained by a rumoured romance between EastEnders’ Maisie Smith and YouTuber HRVY.
But Ella laughs, “She’d eat him alive!
But he’s such a nice boy. Maisie is the same – she offered to dog-sit for us. It would be lovely if they do get together.”
By Zara Zubeidi
‘Nicola’s had to fight for everything’