Strictly star Jason Bell still ‘adored’ by ex Nadine Coyle following split

There is one special lady Jason Bell is hoping to impress with his performance on Strictly Come Dancing - his beloved daughter, Anaíya.

Jason, a former cornerback in the National Football League for the Dallas Cowboys, Houston Texans and New York Giants, was one of the first stars to sign up for this year's hit BBC show.

Now working as a broadcaster, the sportsman will be swapping the American football field for the Strictly ballroom and hopes to be in with a shot at winning the Glitterball trophy.

He said: "Strictly is the epitome of British television and this year, more than ever, I’m so proud and humbled to be participating. Strictly was the first show I ever watched when I moved to the UK and I’m a massive fan.

"My six-year-old daughter never got the chance to see me run out on the field at an NFL game but she is very excited about me taking to the dance floor. I hope I can do her proud.”

Jason shares his little girl with former Girls Aloud singer, Nadine Coyle. The couple were together for 11 years and had been planning to get married when they announced their shock split.

Nadine had previously described Jason as her "husband". She added: "I love to cook and hang out with my husband Jason and our daughter Anaiya. We’re a very close family."

But after selling her Los Angeles Irish bar, Nadine's Irish Mist, and moving back to Northern Ireland because she was homesick, things had changed between the couple.

Jason had stayed in the US to concentrate on his budding career as a pundit and broadcaster.

A source close to the former couple told The Sun: "Although Nadine and Jason were never married, they lived as a close family unit and remain good friends as they co-parent their young daughter.

“They still care for one another, but are no longer in a romantic relationship.”

Nadine herself admitted earlier this year that the reason for their split is because after 11 years together their relationship had changed.

She said: "I think it came naturally, to be honest. It can come to a situation where you’re almost (just) really, really good friends, so that can change the dynamic of a relationship.

"Jason and I are very, very close in that way. We’re more friends than in a romantic sense. He was in our house for Christmas. We still take Anaiya out, we have dinners. She’s always the main priority."

And she insisted that aside from living in separate homes, little else would change for their family unit and that she would always have strong feelings for him.

The Sound Of The Underground singer explained: "I adore Jason. He’s great and he’s Anaiya’s daddy. He’s brilliant. Obviously Jason and I spent a long time together but we are very, very close.

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Nadine CoyleJason BellBBCStrictly Come DancingAmerican football