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Alesha & Azuka leaving the Shanti Som Hotel in MarbellaBritain's Got Talent judge Alesha Dixon has found love again with a professional dancer.
Pop star Alesha, 33, has struck up a romance with Azuka Ononye, 31, who she first met six years ago when he was one of her backing team.
Friends of Alesha say she has been spending all her time with Nigerian Azuka, known as Az, in recent months and that he has helped her to finally get over the heartache of her marriage to MC Harvey, 32, who she dumped after he cheated on her.
The smitten couple spent a long weekend at a five-star yoga retreat in Marbella on Spain’s Costa del Sol last year, the Sunday Mirror can reveal.
The friend said: “Alesha and Az love spending time together. They’ve certainly got tongues wagging.
“Everyone’s really excited that Alesha has found love again. They get on brilliantly and Alesha likes the fact Az isn’t a celebrity and is just a normal, down-to-earth guy. Alesha’s obviously really busy with BGT but they see each other a lot.
The friend added: “Alesha’s put the past behind her and is focused on the future. Her life’s been really crazy recently.
Beret good news: Alesha sings with Azuka (2nd left) wearing a black beret
“Not only has she been filming Britain’s Got Talent but she’s been in the studio recording new music.”
Alesha first met Az in 2006 while she was launching her solo music career when her hit band Mis-Teeq broke up.
He was booked as one of her backing dancers and they got on well and quickly became firm friends. But it wasn’t until he joined her on stage in 2010 as she promoted her last album, The Entertainer, that Alesha and Azuka started spending more and more time in each other’s company.
He was in her team of backing dancers when she performed at the Miss World 2010 final in Incheon, South Korea and last September, they enjoyed their getaway to five-star yoga retreat Shanti-Som on the Costa del Sol.
They spent time in the upmarket town of Puerto Banus shopping and eating out, as well as meeting friends who were on holiday at the same time.
Handsome Az has also danced for X Factor star Alexandra Burke and Brit-winning rapper Tinie Tempah. He has worked as a model and starred in a TV advert in Nigeria several years ago.
Alesha married MC Harvey (real name Michael Harvey Jnr) in 2005 at a private ceremony at stately home Brocket Hall in Hertfordshire.
Happier times: Alesha with loverat ex MC Harvey
They had been dating for five years and she was devastated when she discovered he had been having an affair with Popstars: The Rivals reject Javine Hylton, 29. The pair had a daughter together, now four, but broke up after he cheated
on her too.
Alesha briefly went out with West Ham United and Norwegian international John Carew but they split in 2008.
In a frank interview last year, the former Strictly Come Dancing judge spoke openly about her love life and heartbreak over her failed marriage. She said she wanted to remarry if she met the right person.
Alesha said: “I’m fussy because somebody has to be really worth me giving my heart to.
“If I’m dating, then cool. If not, it’s cool.
“You just never know what’s going to happen. But I still totally believe in it.”
