Rachel Riley has shared an insight into her home life with Strictly Come Dancing star Pasha Kovalev as she addresses “challenges” she has faced. The Countdown star was partnered with Pasha during the 11th series of the show.
The pair began dating shortly after filming finished in December 2013. They married five-and-a-half years later in Las Vegas, having since welcomed two children – Maven and Noa – into the world.
Rachel, 39, says her “comfortable” home life means she feels as though she can “tackle anything” that comes her way. She describes the solid foundation with her family as the “most important” thing to her.
On the ActionCOACH Business Growth podcast in 2024, Rachel said: “Success for me means contentment and I’ve got a contentment. Even through really hard times, and terrible external stuff going on, I’ve got my solid unit and I can take on the world and do whatever outside of that.”
Rachel explained that her home life has particularly helped her get through challenging moments in her life. This she says includes when spends her time fighting against antisemitism.
Rachel, who is Jewish, has spoken out against antisemitism in the Labour Party and worked as an ambassador for the Center for Countering Digital Hate to try and hold social media companies accountable for hateful messages spread online.
As part of her work she has met with Auschwitz survivors and worked with Jewish leadership groups. In 2019 she spoke at the Houses of Parliament for Holocaust Memorial Day.
She has previously said that Holocaust education was “ingrained in her as a child”. The maths guru says the foundation offered to her by her own home left means she feels able to continue her campaign work.
She added: “In the recent years I’ve had big challenges. I got an MBE for Holocaust education which stemmed from fighting antisemitism and that’s one of the biggest challenges I’ve faced, and continue to face.
“I can be brave because I’ve got this solid core at home. I know friends who try to take on the world and don’t have that support at home and you just can’t, it’s just not the same.”
Rachel rose to fame when she replaced Carol Vorderman on Countdown in 2009. The Oxford graduate was one of 1,000 people to apply for the job, although once revealed she never actually wanted to be a TV presenter.
She was encouraged to apply for the job by her mother. She joined the show in January 2009 alongside Jeff Stelling, who replaced departing host Des O’Connor. Speaking to the BBC, Rachel said: “There’s only one cool maths job around and I was lucky enough to get it so I’m absolutely thrilled.”
Since 2012 she has also starred in the comedy series, 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown alongside Jimmy Carr, Joe Wilkinson, and Countdown regular Susie Dent.