The boyfriend of new Strictly star Jowita Przystal has admitted he used to drive her the wrong way home… to get more time with her.
Michael Danilczuk told how the pair did not get on at first because he was “terrified” by her perfection.
But once they found their rhythm as a couple, it transformed their dance partnership – wowing BBC audiences to win last year’s The Greatest Dancer.
And that in turn landed Jowita, 26, her dream position as a Strictly pro when the show returns next month.
Michael said: “I met Jowita at a dance training camp near Krakow.
“At first we didn’t like each other at all, we didn’t even want to dance with each other.
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“But we gritted our teeth and decided to try.
“I liked her but her perfection terrified me. Something broke between us and we fell in love. I missed the highway exit to her apartment on purpose just to spend more time with her. We’ve been together seven years.
“We complement each other well and share our dreams and passions.”
Part of the prize for winning The Greatest Dancer was getting to perform together on Strictly. They both also applied to be among the show’s four new professionals. Only Jowita made it.
Michael was reportedly “gutted” not to have landed his own spot.
But Jowita says it is down to him that she achieved her “biggest dream” – as going on TGD was his idea.
She said: “Casting for the programme was Michael’s total initiative. He’s always the originator of all our crazy projects.
“At first I was a little worried if we would make it, but we quickly made a decision that we had nothing to lose.
“Our biggest dream was to be a pro dancer in Strictly Come Dancing. We said to ourselves, ‘Now or never’.”
Trained in Warsaw, the Polish duo worked for four years on cruise ships.
After moving to London they joined former Strictly couple Neil and Katya Jones in Somnium: A Dancer’s Dream at Sadler’s Wells Theatre.
But beyond Strictly, they also have their own “dancer’s dream” together, revealing: “The next step will be our own tour, Michael and Jowita.”
The pair’s mentor on The Greatest Dancer was Strictly pro Oti Mabuse. The three have since become firm friends.
Jowita said: “The award was a beautiful trophy that we proudly display – but most valuable to us was a performance on Strictly Come Dancing.
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“Dancing is our whole life. Despite many sacrifices, we just love what we do and we wouldn’t trade it for anything.
“Most importantly, dance connected us, made us find each other.
“Being able to dance with the person you love is the greatest happiness.”
