BBC Strictly star Nick Knowles frank admission on 'commitment issues' - 'this isn't on'

Nick Knowles, 62, says a lot of his previous relationships have followed the same pattern but the TV presenter been loved up with successful businesswoman Katie Dadzie since 2021

DIY SOS host Nick Knowles has been having a testing time on Strictly Come Dancing.

The broadcaster aggravated an arm and shoulder injury sustained changing a tyre, putting this weekend's performance - an American smooth with his pro partner Luba Mushtuk - in doubt.

Offscreen Nick, 62, is fully loved up with Katie Dadzie, 34 but he admits his 'commitment issues' have hampered previous relationships.

"My relationships have pretty much followed a pattern," the star said back in 2008. "They last six months and start off with me explaining that I work a lot, so will have commitment issues.

"The women involved agree that that is fine, then after a month I get a phone call saying: 'This isn't on'. After three months, we split up, then get back together. After five, there's another tussle. At six, it's all off."

Nick is a dad of four, with two marriages under his belt. His first wife Gillian was from 1995 until 2000, with a daughter Tuesday and a son, Charlie. His second son Tyrian-J was born out of a two-year relationship with beauty therapist Paula Beckett-Vass.

One of the star's most high-profile romances last for three years with presenter Suzi Perry. The couple broke up in 2003 and in 2012 the DIY guru married Jessica Moore – who is 26-years his junior – and welcomed a son named Eddie with the TV star prior to their split in 2016.

Nick and Jessica had been together for years before they wed in an intimate ceremony in Rome but their relationship was tumultuous and during one temporary separation, Nick had a brief fling with Emmerdale star Gemma Oaten. He returned to Jessica, 34, when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer.

Expressing regret over their subsequent split, he told Hello magazine: "We've tried several times to get back together, but no matter how much you love someone, if you've burned some bridges, it's very difficult to rebuild them. I'm at a stage now where, if Jess found somebody who looked after her and made her happy, I'd be happy for her."

Nick has been with new love Katie since 2021, first meeting her at his son Eddie's playgroup. He was recently forced to defend her from social media trolls, who branded her a 'gold digger' in reference to their 28 year old age gap.

Referring to the fact his other half has two degrees and runs three businesses, he said: "She is wealthier & more successful than me and is intelligent and independent, unlike the abusive trolls attacking her".

In a subsequent chat with The Sun, Nick said: "I've chosen to be on TV but my children, or my family, or people I date, for them I feel it’s unfair to have a go at them."