STRICTLY Come Dancing winner Hamza Yassin has gushed over his dance partner Jowita Prystal - and admitted to holding her hand during the tense shows.
The wildlife cameraman, who was crowned winner of the BBC One dancing competition last month, reunited with his former dance partner on The One Show.
Hamza, 32, and Jowita, 28, sat close side-by-side on the sofa as they discussed their time on Strictly Come Dancing.
The TV presenter opened up on how he "held hands" with the professional dancer - despite romance rumours between the pair being squashed.
Hamza was said to have been "besotted" with the star before he was knocked back by her hooking up with Giovanni Pernice.
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After their win, Hamza was keen to take their relationship a step further but she wanted to remain platonic.
However, despite any hopes of a romance coming to an end, Hamza opened up about how the pair remained close with behind-the-scenes secrets from the show.
Hamza said that he "held Jowita's thumb" tightly during every result's show in one move showing their closeness.
"Every week I had this thing where I held her thumb and I leaned in, and I'd say to her, 'Thank you very much, it's been a great journey'," Hamza said.
"I didn't think I could dance, and you [Jowita] were fantastic at just bringing out my strengths," he went on.
Before Jowita gushed: "It's all about Hamza, and meeting him for the first time, I knew straight away, I felt in my bones that he was going to be great.
"I already pictured what we could do on the show, we got on together like so well from the first momenet.
"I knew that he will trust me, I felt that he would give it to me. I was just so driven by him, and everything that he brings. He was my drive."
The pair then laughed together as they placed their heads close together and smiled for the cameras.
It comes after The Sun revealed Jowita was secretly seeing fellow Strictly star Giovanni.
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A TV insider revealed Hamza was left heartbroken, saying: "Hamza and Jowita became close and at times were quite touchy-feely.
"People would often see them sneak off together. Obviously their closeness really helped when it came to them winning the trophy.
“But while Jowita thinks the world of him, she held back from anything romantic and kept him slightly at arm’s length.
“When it was clear she was involved with Giovanni, the reason for that became clear.
"But while Hamza wants her to be happy, he was quietly devastated.”
CBBC star Hamza went from being an underdog to the ballroom series’ biggest success story — and credited Jowita with his progress at every step of the way.
In an emotional tribute to her after their win, he said: “You are an angel disguised as a human being, a ray of sunshine.”
