Rachel Riley has opened up about her home life with Strictly Come Dancing professional Pasha Kovalev as she discusses "challenges" she has encountered. The Countdown presenter was paired with Pasha during the 11th series of the programme.

The couple started their romance shortly after recording wrapped in December 2013. They tied the knot five-and-a-half years later in Las Vegas, and have since brought two daughters - Maven and Noa - into the world.

Rachel, 39, reveals her "comfortable" family life means she believes she can "tackle anything" that crosses her path. She calls the strong foundation with her loved ones the "most important" aspect of her existence.

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Speaking on the ActionCOACH Business Growth podcast in 2024, Rachel revealed: "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 revealed that her domestic situation has especially supported her through difficult periods in her life. This includes, she explains, when she dedicates her time to battling antisemitism, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Rachel, who is Jewish, has campaigned against antisemitism in the Labour Party and served as an ambassador for the Center for Countering Digital Hate to attempt to hold social media platforms responsible for hateful content shared online. As part of her role, she's had the privilege of meeting Auschwitz survivors and collaborating with Jewish leadership groups.

In 2019, she delivered a speech at the Houses of Parliament for Holocaust Memorial Day. She has previously expressed that Holocaust education was "ingrained in her as a child". The maths whizz believes the foundation provided by her home life empowers her to continue her campaign work.

She further commented: "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 shot to stardom when she took over from Carol Vorderman on Countdown in 2009. The Oxford graduate was one of 1,000 applicants for the job, although she once confessed she never actually aspired to be a TV presenter.

Her mother encouraged her to apply for the position. She joined the show in January 2009 alongside Jeff Stelling, who replaced outgoing 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 featured in the comedy series, 8 out of 10 Cats Does Countdown alongside Jimmy Carr, Joe Wilkinson, and Countdown regular Susie Dent.