Kai Widdrington

Kai Widdrington (born 23 August 1995) is an English dancer and choreographer. In 2010, he was the Junior World Latin American champion. In 2012, he reached the final of the sixth series of Britain's Got Talent. Between 2017 and 2020, he was a professional dancer on the Irish version of Dancing with the Stars, and in 2021, he became a professional dancer on the BBC show Strictly Come Dancing.

Early life Widdrington was born in Southampton, England to former Premier League footballer Tommy Widdrington and mother Candice. His younger brother Theo currently plays for Aldershot Town F.C. Widdrington was also set to follow in his father's footsteps by becoming a professional footballer, but aged 12 chose a dancing career instead of a Premier League contract. By the time he was 14, he was the World Junior Latin American champion. Widdrington also has a younger sister.

Widdrington is of part Chinese descent. His maternal grandfather is half Chinese and said to have been at school in the same class as actor Bruce Lee.

Career Britain's Got Talent In 2012, Widdrington formed a dance partnership with Natalia Jeved, both of whom auditioned for the sixth series of Britain's Got Talent. The pair managed to reach the live final coming 11th and last place. Two years later, in 2014, Widdrington made a second appearance on the programme during its eighth series, as part of the ballroom dance group Kings & Queens, working alongside future Strictly Come Dancing professionals Katya Jones and Neil Jones, and future Dancing with the Stars professionals Ksenia Zsikhotska and Ryan McShane. The group managed to reach the semi-finals of the series, but were ultimately eliminated from the competition by that stage.

Dancing with the Stars In 2017, Widdrington was announced as one of the professional dancers for the first series of Dancing with the Stars in Ireland. He was partnered with comedian and actress Katherine Lynch. They were eliminated in week nine of the competition, finishing in sixth place.

In 2018, Widdrington was partnered with camogie player Anna Geary. They reached the final of the show, finishing as joint-runners up alongside Deirdre O'Kane and John Nolan.

In 2019, Widdrington was partnered with teenage actress Demi Isaac Oviawe. They were eliminated in week seven of the competition, finishing in eighth place.

In 2020, Widdrington was paired with Miss Universe Ireland 2018, Gráinne Gallanagh. On 15 March 2020, it was announced that the scheduled semi-final had become the final due to precautions around the COVID-19 pandemic halting production early. Gallanagh and Widdrington were one of the four couples in the final, and they finished as runners-up to winners Lottie Ryan and Pasquale La Rocca.

Highest and Lowest Scoring Per Dance

1 This score was awarded during Switch-Up Week.

Series 1 Celebrity partner: Katherine Lynch