Team GB star Tom Dean has become the latest victim of the Strictly curse after splitting from his longterm girlfriend, MailOnline can reveal.
The Olympic swimmer, 24, secretly called off his relationship with communications exec Charlotte Phillips two weeks into the current series, in which he had been paired with Ukrainian dancer Nadiya Bychkova.
Tom became the first celebrity to leave Strictly this year after losing his place in the competition to Toyah Willcox and Neil Jones, who were voted off the following week.
He admitted to feeling ‘genuinely shocked’ and ‘gutted’ after receiving the fewest number of votes from the public and waltzing off the show in week one.
But it wasn’t just the disappointment of becoming Strictly’s first casualty of the ballroom as Tom was secretly heartbroken following his breakup from Lottie.
Sources close to London-born Tom told MailOnline the relationship had been on the rocks for some time due to the pair ‘drifting apart’ and insist Nadiya, 35, who split from fellow pro Kai Widdrington, 29, last July, was not a factor behind the breakup.
The dance partners have been seen attending various events together, including last month’s Pride of Britain Awards as part of their Strictly commitments.
An insider revealed: ‘Like in so many breakups, Tom and Lottie’s year-long relationship had naturally run its course and it has nothing to do with Strictly, it just happened to be in the first two weeks that they decided to part ways. They are still good friends and it’s all amicable between them.’
The Olympian last posted a photo of Lottie on Instagram back in August, where they snuggled together in an office lift.
He regularly shared an insight into the couple’s relationship online such as holidays they shared together and an image from his welcome home party following the Paris Olympics, which featured Lottie.
But the executive had been absent from his Instagram for months while Tom continued to post about his Strictly pairing with Nadiya.
They attended October’s Pride of Britain Awards and last week enjoyed a lunch event together at The Waterside Inn, where a host of chefs cooked them ‘incredible food.’
Tom commented on a post Nadiya shared of the pair: ‘What an afternoon. Best food and best company.’
The three-time Olympic gold medallist was Nadiya’s first Strictly partner in a year after she wasn’t given a celebrity for the first time in 2023.
She was paired with singer Matt Goss in 2022 and the year before starred alongside former BBC Breakfast Show host Dan Walker, of whom she remains close friends.
Nadiya, who was previously engaged to Slovenian footballer Matija Skarabot, split from fellow professional dancer Kai in July.
MailOnline has approached Tom’s representative for comment.
The world champion dancer reportedly leads a string of Strictly professionals who are at risk of being axed from the series.
According to reports, bosses are keen to give the show a ‘huge shake-up’, starting with the professional dancers at the centre of the programme.
Tom reached the final of the men’s 200m individual medley at the Paris Olympics and was part of the men’s 4x200m freestyle gold-medal winning team.
Three years previously, he won gold in the 200m freestyle and the men’s 4x200m freestyle at the Tokyo Games.
He was awarded an MBE in the New Years Honours in 2022 for his services to swimming.
