THEY are one of the sexiest celebrity couples around – and now, after two almost two years of dating, Thom Evans has finally opened up about his relationship with Nicole Scherzinger. The former rugby union player says he is punching above his weight with the Pussycat Dolls pop beauty and reckons he has "hit the jackpot".
BackGridThom Evans has opened up about his relationship with Nicole Scherzinger '/caption ' 
The fitness fans have been together for almost two years 
InstagramTheir trips around the world during the pandemic left fans green with envy '/caption ' They have been joined at the hip since meeting in 2019 on The X Factor: Celebrity where Nicole, 43, was a judge and he performed as part of Tristar, a group of singing rugby players. Their trips around the world from Portugal to Hawaii during the pandemic have left fans green with envy, while the couple's choreographed routines on TikTok show they are perfectly in sync. Thom, 36, admits: "Nobody is asking Nicole how she got with me because I'm massively punching (above my weight). "She's so easy and fun to be around. I've hit the jackpot." And with exes including former fiancée Kelly Brook, Canadian actress Jessica Lowndes, former star of US teen drama 90210, and Made In Chelsea beauty Caggie Dunlop, Tom reckons he has finally found The One. He revealed: "People always say, 'When you know, you know' and I can honestly say I'd never really had that moment. But within the first couple of days with Nicole it was just awesome and it has been awesome ever since." Most read in Entertainment DEADLY PROP Gun that killed Halyna Hutchins 'used by crew for recreational target practice' 'IT RATTLED HER' Cinematographer killed by prop gun 'was harassed by Hollywood predators' NEARLY-NAKED NATHAN! Teen Mom Jenelle's ex Nathan poses shirtless to promote OnlyFans CHILLING ECHO Staffer who 'gave Alec gun' worked on sequel to The Crow where star was shot EMPTY SEATS Wendy Williams producers 'PAYING fans $75 to sit in audience' with guest hosts SOMEONE WILL PAY Film-maker's family demands answers after she's shot dead by Alec Baldwin The pair first got chatting after he went to her dressing room with his X Factor bandmates to thank her for not sending them home — and the attraction was instant. He said: "It wasn't even in my thought process to try it on with Nicole because it would have been unprofessional and she's so lovely and stunning in every possible way. I was just like, 'She's out of my league'. "It was only after we sang an awkward performance of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot and she kindly saved us in the show that we as a band went up to her dressing room to thank her. "That was the first time I met her and I've never looked back." Thom plucked up the courage to pursue her by following advice his gran always told him. He said: "'If you don't ask, you don't get', my grandma used to say, and it's helped me in my life so many times — not just in situations regarding girls. I've got so many things from when I've simply plucked up the courage. "But with Nicole, I just didn't think sliding into her DMs would be the done thing. "In my mind, if I'd done that I'd clearly have got rejected and it would have just been a bit awkward and weird. "I'm really grateful that it happened naturally. It was just an intimate first meeting and nice to meet her that way." The couple's work opportunities take them to both sides of the Atlantic — and Tom values 43-year-old Nicole's career advice based on her years in the entertainment industry. He said: "I speak to her a lot about the jobs I'm doing because she has a lot of experience and she's fought her whole life to get to where she's got. It helps to hear someone else's input on things. 'THERE WAS GOING TO BE A LOT OF NAKEDNESS' "It's only good to hear advice from someone else's perspective. That's helped me massively and reassured me in decisions I've made and helped me not make stupid mistakes." Nicole and Thom's paths may never have crossed if he had not lost out to Jamie Dornan for the lead role in movie bonkfest Fifty Shades Of Grey. Thom auditioned for the role of brooding Christian Grey in 2014 and thought it was right up his street. He recalled: "I had a couple of callbacks. It was one of the first acting jobs I ever went for and it was a massive movie coming off the success of the books. "It was about a guy from a broken background. There was going to be a lot of nakedness and you had to be prepared to do that. I remember reading the breakdown of the role and thinking, 'Seducing girls? Tick!' "I was like, 'This guy is awesome and probably an ar*ehole at the same time'. "I didn't think too much of it because I thought, 'I'm never going to get this'. So there was no pressure on me. "It was such a buzz, like the buzz I'd been missing for a long time, that of running out on the pitch before a game. I didn't get the part. I was like, 'This acting thing is easy'. But I've never got close since. "You're waiting for that one role which suits you and it's got to be the right time and the right place. "Any actor will tell you that. You've just got to be patient." After missing out, Thom took part in Strictly Come Dancing in 2015, partnering with Lithuanian pro Iveta Lukosiute. But he found it so hard to learn the routines that he often needed to punch out his frustration. He said on The Growth Show podcast: "I had boxing pads at every session just so I could take out some of that stress. "It's the hardest thing I have ever done, psychologically and physically. 'I STRUGGLED WITH STEPS ON STRICTLY' "It's completely new to you. I'm a confident dancer in a bar or club because you're freestyling. "But when I was told to do particular steps at particular times in coordination and formation, I struggled. You had a window of four days to learn a dance that you've not even tried before and a routine that you will never remember again. "Being as competitive as I am, and my attention span being as bad as it is, it was just this pressure to learn the moves — plus you're going to be on TV. "I'm a bit of a perfectionist and if I'm not getting something, frustration kicks in. It always has and I can't get myself out of that headspace. Some people can deal with it but I'm the opposite." At least now he has found the perfect dance teacher in Nicole. 
Rex FeaturesThom and Nicole met when he appeared on Celebrity X Factor '/caption ' Her exes 
GettyNicole was on-off with Lewis Hamilton until 2015 '/caption ' 
Splash NewsThe next year she got with tennis ace Grigor Dimitrov '/caption ' NICOLE lived love in the fast lane with F1 king Lewis Hamilton after meeting at an MTV awards bash in 2007, but the on-off pair split for the last time in early 2015. The next year she got with Bulgarian tennis ace Grigor Dimitrov but they parted in early 2019. His exes 
GettyThom dated Kelly Brook in 2010 '/caption ' 
GettyHe dated Jessica Lowndes after ending his engagement '/caption ' THOM began dating glamour girl Kelly Brook in 2010. They got engaged but the pair broke up in early 2013. He dated Canadian actress Jessica Lowndes that year then was briefly linked to Made In Chelsea beauty Caggie Dunlop. Source: Fashion Mag
