Nikita Kuzmin health: how the Strictly star manages Type 1 diabetes, injury risk, mental strain and life as a touring athlete

Mian Hamid November 07, 2025

Why Nikita Kuzmin’s health story matters now — and what fans rarely see behind the sequins

Nikita Kuzmin health: how the Strictly star manages Type 1 diabetes, injury risk, mental strain and life as a touring athlete

When audiences watch Nikita Kuzmin spin across the Strictly floor or headline a West End tour, they see grace, precision and drama. What they don’t always notice is a smaller, lifesaving device tucked into his costume — a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) — and the daily choices behind keeping a world-class body performing under the spotlight. That tension — an elite athlete’s routine layered with a chronic autoimmune condition, injury hazards and the emotional toll of being a displaced Ukrainian in global show business — is the story too few outlets have told in depth. This feature unpacks the facts, the physiology, the training & nutrition realities, and the public-health opportunities in Kuzmin’s journey.

  • Name: Nikita Kuzmin — Ukrainian-born professional dancer and choreographer, known for Strictly Come Dancing, Let’s Dance and recent stage projects.

  • Born: 23 December 1997 (Kyiv, Ukraine). Moved to Italy at age 9; later lived in Germany. 

  • Health angle: Diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at 13; publicly uses a CGM that is sometimes visible during performances. He’s discussed the condition in interviews, framing it as an “invisible battle” and a source of discipline.

  • Recent headlines: Runner-up on Celebrity Big Brother (2024) and cast in new dance productions including Burn the Floor: Supernova (2025). He also publicly responded to a partner’s injury on Strictly. 

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is an autoimmune condition that destroys insulin-producing beta cells. For high-intensity performers, glucose variability matters more than it does for sedentary people: both hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) and hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar) can impair balance, concentration and stamina — critical in choreography that requires split-second timing and risky lifts.

Kuzmin’s openness about wearing a CGM during shows provides rare, visible proof of how modern tech enables elite performance with chronic disease. CGMs continually track glucose trends and — when linked to a phone or watch — allow real-time adjustments to carbohydrate intake, insulin dosing and pacing. In practice, that means pre-show carbohydrate strategies, small in-rehearsal snacks, and vigilant post-performance correction plans. Kuzmin has referenced this setup publicly, helping destigmatize “hidden” health conditions on live television.

Dancers on TV and tour operate like elite athletes: multiple rehearsals per day, frequent travel, rapid costume changes and uneven rest. That environment increases acute injury risk (sprains, fractures) and overuse issues (tendinopathy, stress reactions). Recent press around Kuzmin has included the emotional fallout when a partner withdrew due to a fractured ankle just before live shows — a stark reminder that performers face sudden changes to both mental state and workload. Kuzmin’s public reaction after partner Dani Dyer’s injury shows the emotional labor behind the choreography: grief for an opportunity lost, immediate logistical changes and the stress of protecting a partner’s physical and mental wellbeing.

What elite dancers do to reduce risk: progressive loading, cross-training (swimming, Pilates), targeted strength for ankles/hips, sleep prioritization, and physiotherapy touchpoints between rehearsals. For someone with T1D, injury recovery also requires tighter glucose control because stress hormones can spike glucose and wound healing rates are affected by chronic hyperglycaemia — another reason Kuzmin’s condition is medically relevant to his career. 

Across interviews and social posts, Kuzmin demonstrates the discipline dancers need for energy and aesthetics: consistent carbohydrate timing, lean protein for repair, and hydration strategies during long shows. For athletes with T1D, the core rule is the same — match insulin to carbs and activity — but the margin for error is smaller. The availability of quick carbohydrates (glucose gels, juice) at rehearsals and backstage is standard; Kuzmin’s visible CGM and public openness help signal the backstage logistics that most fans never see. 

Kuzmin left Ukraine at a young age and has been publicly candid about fearing for family during the Russian invasion — a stressor that compounds the usual performance anxiety of televised competitions. The dual pressures of representing Eastern European culture on big stages and managing a chronic illness create a layered identity: performer, diaspora son, athlete-with-a-condition. That pressure can increase cortisol levels, which in turn influences blood glucose — again linking mental-health support to physiological performance. Kuzmin’s public interviews where he discusses his grandmother and the Ukraine crisis show the emotional stakes he carries into rehearsals and live performances. 

  1. Visibility reduces stigma: A CGM plainly visible on stage normalizes chronic disease among young audiences who idolize dancers. Kuzmin’s example is an organic public-awareness campaign. 

  2. Practical model for coaches & medical teams: His blend of tech (CGM), cross-training and scheduled fueling is a model other performing professionals can emulate. 

  3. Policy implications: As touring artists cross borders, access to insulin, supplies and urgent care varies; prominent artists discussing supply logistics can highlight gaps and spur advocacy.

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