Rachel Riley shares impact of having children on marriage to husband Pasha Kovalev
Rachel Riley and Pasha Kovalev are doting parents to their two daughters, Maven, three, and Noa, one, and in a new interview with the Mirror, the Countdown presenter revealed how their relationship had changed since welcoming the duo.
The mum-of-two admitted that the pair weren't as passionate with one another, sharing: "All the romance and dates… we just kind of put a pin in it." However, she added that as the couple were "patient" with one another they were happy to wait until Noa had finished breastfeeding. She also opened up about her plans to go on foreign trips when her children were older, highlighting a 2017 stay in the Galapagos Islands.
Rachel insisted that she and Pasha were now done having children, explaining: "We're done in terms of kids. You can fit four in a hotel room or a car. So now when the girls grow out of clothes, they go to the charity shop. I'm not keeping them just in case."
The pair are clearly still as close as ever than when they married back in 2019, and they looked every inch the smitten couple as they celebrated a close friend's wedding last month.
Taking to Instagram to give fans a sweet snapshot into the special day, Rachel confessed it was the first time they had been to a wedding since their own nuptials prior to the pandemic. In a compilation of short clips and pictures, Rachel looked absolutely beautiful in a forest green dress as she took on bridesmaid duties.
One of the snaps showed Rachel, 37, and Pasha, 43, cuddle up for a candid selfie – and they looked so in love!
"A whole week since this goddess was taken off the market," gushed the TV star. "Congratulations to bestie Siobhán and the newest member of the Southend High School for Girls Husbands' Club - Pete!
SEE: Rachel Riley melts hearts with adorable family video – and Maven and Noa are twinning!
"The last wedding we went to was our own, pre-pandemic, but this was so worth waiting for, an amazing day for an amazing couple and who knew cèilidhs were a) spelt like that and b) SO much fun!"
She added: "An absolute privilege to be on bridesmaid's duties for the occasion. Love you @siobhanfreel, the most beautiful bride there ever was!" Both Rachel and professional dancer Pasha were also joined by their two adorable daughters.
The couple got married after meeting on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013. They began dating the following year and revealed in July 2019 that they had secretly tied the knot in Las Vegas. Rachel opted for an unconventional wedding dress in the form of a gorgeous patterned red and white mini while Pasha wore a smart blazer and chinos.
Despite meeting on the BBC show, Rachel previously opened up about her experience of the Strictly 'curse'. During her time on the show, the TV star announced her split from her first husband Jamie Gilbert. Shortly after the series, she and Pasha confirmed they were in a relationship.
Speaking to the Sunday Times Magazine last year, the blonde beauty expressed her feelings about the 'curse', the idea that celebrities tend to fall in love with their professional partners, arguing that it wasn't the right term for her experience.
Rachel teased: "Are you calling my babies a curse? That's not right!" The maths whiz went on: "If you have cracks, Strictly can expose them. It gave me the distance to make the break that was going to happen anyway."
See some of Rachel's sweetest family moments below...
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