Fern Britton claims Strictly Come Dancing partner Artem Chigvintsev 'kicked and shoved' her in training and joked about killing her
Britton revealed that the Russian professional also told her to 'shut her face'
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Your support makes all the difference.Fern Britton has claimed that her former Strictly Come Dancing partner Artem Chigvintsev would "kick" and "shove" her during their training sessions.
The TV presenter was speaking at an event for The Times when she recalled her 2012 experience on the BBC One ballroom dancing show.
Britton, 55, recounted how Chigvintsev would "look at her feet and just kick or shove" her before jokingly telling her to "shut her face" and "go home before I kill you".
"What was his other one? 'If you go for a cup of tea now, I will blow off like an atomic bomb'," she reportedly said. "I thought, well I won't correct him on that one."
Britton emphasised that the duo were friends "for a moment or two" while rehearsing but he "wasn't charm personified". They went on to finish tenth that series and Chigvintsev gave her "a big bunch of flowers".
"Even Artem said 'You made me a better person' and I got such lovely messages saying 'Go girl!'" she said shortly afterwards.
Chigvintsev announced that he would be quitting Strictly Come Dancing last June to continue his work with Dancing with the Stars in the US.
He won Strictly in its eighth series with former EastEnders actress Kara Tointon, whom he dated for four years until last October.
Britton and Chigvintsev are yet to respond to our requests for comment.
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