Shocked Strictly star calls police after yob hits her in the face in terrifying street attack
A STRICTLY Come Dancing star was left shaken today after being hit in the face in a terrifying street attack.
BBC Asian Network star Nikita Kanda, who starred in the latest series of the dancing show, called police after seemingly being targeted at random in London.
The shaken star, 28, wrote on Instagram this evening: “Today something really scary happened and I feel the need to share it.
“After finishing my show today I was walking underground at Oxford Circus station minding my own business looking at my phone and a random guy decided to hit me in the face for no reason at all and laughed about it.
I’m in utter shock that someone could do this. I’ve lived in London my whole life and something like this has never happened.”
Nikita, who was partnered with Gorka Marquez on Strictly and eliminated second, continued: “I would like to think I’m very street wise and always aware of my surroundings. Luckily, I’m not hurt, the big sunglasses I wear actually protected my face in some way.
“It’s just absolutely disgusting that someone can do this in broad daylight and what was even more sad no one around me cared or batted an eye lid that someone just hit me in public.
“The police are dealing with it and taking it very seriously but I thought it was important to share if you are walking alone or if you travel alone a lot like I do just to be careful.
“There are some very nasty people out there and this has just opened my eyes and shook me up tbh. What kind of world do we live in.”
Nikita rose to prominence in July 2022 she temporarily presented the Asian Network Breakfast Show, before being appointed the permanent host in January 2023.
She gained wider exposure when she was cast in Strictly months later, though her time was short-lived with only veteran entertainer Les Dennis departing before her.
Her final performance saw her take on the role of Cher from the 1995 film Clueless.
Appearing on sister show It Takes Two after her exit, she said: “I had so much fun, it’s so iconic. It’s [set in the] 1990s, I’m a 90s baby.
“I really just took the role on I feel like, and he really helped me each week with my confidence getting there, the sassiness, the acting.”
It was at this point that the TV personality revealed that she had twisted her ankle while she was at the dress rehearsal on Friday night (October 6).
“I even hurt my foot the day before and I just think I have to power through.
“I’ve got a bandage on now, it’s not very glamorous under the sparkles.
“But do you know what? I just wanted to give it 100% because that’s what you’re there to do.
“You’ve got to give it everything and I feel like that’s what we did, and we had a blast and I’m just really sad that we weren’t in training today.
“It felt really weird going back to radio and then not meeting him after for training.”
With the help of Gorka, Nikita went on to share her love for the show as she “slowly fell in love with dance”.
She said: “I genuinely did start falling in love each week with the training and learning different things.
“I find myself just doing it now in the kitchen or when I’m out and about, it’s just in me now and you [Gorka] really helped me with that.”
