'Strictly' pro Nikita Kuzmin fears for grandmother who is trapped in Ukraine

Strictly Come Dancing’s Nikita Kuzmin has told of his fears for his grandmother, who is trapped in Ukraine.

The pro dancer — who was born and raised in Ukraine — opened up about the 'heartbreaking' situation in the country as he appeared on ITV’s Lorraine from Germany.

During the emotional interview, he revealed that shots and blasts could be heard in the background when he and his family speak to his grandmother.

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"Luckily we still have a connection to her so we are video calling her all of the time," said Kuzmin, 23.

“She’s actually trying to protect us from being scared.

“Every time we can hear gun shots or explosions in the background, she’s always telling us that it’s a movie that she’s put on TV and only afterwards, a couple of hours later, she is confessing that actually it’s a real bomb, real gun shots.”

“It’s incredibly scary,” he said.

Kuzmin, who joined the BBC One ballroom contest last year and danced with Tilly Ramsay, told host Lorraine Kelly that he recognises lots of places when he watches footage of the conflict.

"I recognise the streets and just now see them being bombed, went over by tanks, fighting on the streets...” he said.

The TV star said it was “heartbreaking” and “wrong on so many levels”.

Kuzmin also pleaded with hospitals in the UK to help Ukrainian children in need and asked that people donate clothes and other goods.

And he urged people in the UK: “Don’t stay silent.”

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"Talk about it, discuss, inform, post, repost, donate, do something," he added.

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