Dan Walker praises Molly's Café and Deli in Sheffield as staff deliver food to ex-Strictly partner Nadiya

The BBC Breakfast host introduced his Strictly Come Dancing dance partner to several of his favourite Sheffield cafés and restaurants during their impressive run on the BBC show, giving them some much-needed promotion in the process.

Dan has not forgotten about those businesses since the pair’s dream run in the competition ended, and nor, it seems, has Nadiya.

The presenter described how he popped in on Monday to meet the team at Molly’s Café and Deli, on Middlewood Road in Hillsborough, grabbing a meat and cheese platter while he was there.

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“They were great supporters during Strictly – Nadiya Bychkova loves a bit of cheese,” he added.

Staff at the cafe revealed how not only had Dan visited that day but they had delivered another cheese board to Nadiya in Leeds, where she is performing as part of the Strictly Come Dancing live Tour.

Despite reaching the Strictly quarter finals with Nadiya, dad-of-three Dan chose not to join the live tour, saying he had too much work on and wanted to spend more time with his family.

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But Nadiya paid tribute during the live show by doing the lobster dance, which became a fan favourite, in his absence.

The 2022 Strictly tour will be coming to Utilita Arena Sheffield next Tuesday, February 1, and Wednesday, February 2, starting at 7.30pm each night, and although Dan is not scheduled to take part of the show, who knows, he may be in the audience to show his support.

Molly’s Café was not the only Sheffield business he bigged up during his run on Strictly, during which he and Nadiya trained at City Limits in Hillsborough.

He also gave shout-outs to, among others, Food Fusion on Trippet Lane, Proove pizza in Broomhill, Uncle Sam’s American diner on Ecclesall Road, and Indian restaurant Prithiraj, also on Ecclesall Road, where staff even created a special menu in his honour.

And he was full of praise too for City Taxis – particularly their driver ‘Wardy’ who ferried Dan and Nadiya around during their time on Strictly – and Capelli Hair on Hunters Bar, where Dan is a regular.