Between 2011 and 2012 Kovalev moved to the United Kingdom to take part in the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing as a professional dancer.
[6] Despite facing backlash over her past dance experience and landing in the bottom two three times, he and his celebrity partner, Ashley Roberts, eventually finished as runners-up on the sixteenth series, even becoming the highest scorers in the show’s history – with an average of 36.9 – and holding the record until the twenty-second series, when they were topped by Tasha Ghouri and Aljaž Škorjanec, who achieved an average of 37.3; they also broke the record for the most perfect scores – with a total of five – which they still hold.
[2] After making it all the way to the Top 6, Kovalev was eliminated on 13 August, in the last round before the final, losing out to the two remaining males, contemporary dancers Danny Tidwell and Neil Haskell.
For Season 9, the following year, he returned to choreograph a Cha-cha routine for contestants Janelle Issis and Dareian Kujawa on the third week of live shows.
Finally, on 16 July 2014, Kovalev returned with Garnis to choreograph a new Jive routine for contestants Bridget Whitman and Emilio Dosal during Season 11.
[10] The couple received the-then only perfect score ever awarded for the Paso Doble and made it all the way to the finals, finishing as runners-up to Harry Judd and his partner Aliona Vilani.
[11] The couple received the first perfect score ever awarded for the Tango and made it all the way to the finals, finishing as the runners-up to Olympic gymnast Louis Smith and his partner Flavia Cacace.
[12] During their time at the competition, the couple were never at the top or bottom of the leaderboard, and on Week 6, despite receiving their highest score of the series, they were eliminated after losing out in the dance-off to Abbey Clancy and Aljaž Skorjanec.
[15] For the Thirteenth series of the show in 2015, Kovalev returned as the reigning Strictly champion, and was paired up with BBC Breakfast weather presenter Carol Kirkwood.
Kirkwood also set a record for joint lowest scoring Rumba on the show, tied with previous contestant Fiona Phillips, with just thirteen points out of a possible forty.
The pair matched Kovalev's previous record, set in 2014 with his former partner Series 12 winner the late Caroline Flack, of scoring perfect 40s for all three dances in the final.
On 4 January 2013, Kovalev guest starred in the music video of "One Day I'll Fly Away", the lead single of Centre Stage, his series 10 partner Kimberley Walsh's first solo album.
[28] In December 2015, the full lineup of the 2015 Christmas special featured six returning contestants, including four former champions, in a change to recent tradition.
[32] Kovalev was partnered with New Zealand writer and actress Pamela Stephenson, and danced the Cha-Cha to "Jump" from the "Love Actually" soundtrack.
[36] Key Performances and judges' scores In August 2009, Kovalev and his partner Garnis joined the cast of Jason Gilkison's production Burn the Floor, one of the leading ballroom based shows in the world, during its stint on Broadway.
[40] Kovalev and professional partner Anya Garnis started dating as teenagers after meeting in dance class in Siberia.
[46] In 2007, Kovalev headlined the So You Think You Can Dance Season 3 Live Tour, along with the other Top 10 contestants, visiting 50 cities in the United States.
[47] Although eliminated in the Top 12 stage of the competition, his professional partner Anya Garnis was invited to take part as an alternate performer.
The pair were able to perform together on the tour due to dancer Lacey Schwimmer needing a replacement in some of her routines because of an injury to her meniscus.
[52] Beginning March 2015, Kovalev performed throughout Britain, with original partner Anya Garnis as his special guest, on his Life Through Dance Tour.
Kovalev announced his appearance at Dancing With The Stars Weekend[55] Friday 24th – Sunday 26 April 2020 at Celtic Manor Resort Hotel.