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Pasha Kovalev's farewell dance with Cheryl and his "Strictly family" on The Greatest Dancer was the perfect goodbye

Pasha Kovalev's farewell dance with Cheryl and his "Strictly family" on The Greatest Dancer was the perfect goodbye

Pasha Kovalev's final TV performance reminded fans why they're going to miss him so much on Strictly Come Dancing

Pasha Kovalev and Cheryl on The Greatest Dancer

Eleanor Bley Griffiths

Published: Sunday, 17 February 2019 at 11:19 am

"I'm so, so excited to be here and share this beautiful stage with all my Strictly family for one more time," Pasha Kovalev told the audience at the semi-final of The Greatest Dancer, after teaming up with dance captain Cheryl and the Strictly pro dancers to deliver one final brilliant routine.

Kovalev, who is a Strictly Come Dancing fan favourite, has just announced he is quitting the show after eight years and will not be returning in the autumn. But he was on hand to deliver one final group dance and say goodbye to fans for one last time.

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Strictly’s Pasha to perform farewell dance with Cheryl and co on The Greatest Dancer

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The group dance was Kovalev's last televised performance with Strictly stars including Gorka Marquez, Graziano Di Prima, Neil Jones, Katya Jones and Nadiya Bychkova, who were joined on stage by Glee's Matthew Morrison and Strictly's own Oti Mabuse as well as Cheryl herself.

And while it may have been a group dance, fans were delighted that Pasha was in the spotlight...

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But the whole performance reminded Strictly fans just how much we're going to miss him.

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In his resignation, Kovalev thanked "all the members of the public who’ve supported me so much over these years,” before praising “the incredible partners, professionals and myriad of behind the scenes teams who all work to make Strictly the amazing production that it is".

The Greatest Dancer final airs on Saturday 23rd February at 7:10pm on BBC1

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Authors

Eleanor Bley GriffithsDrama Editor, RadioTimes.com

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