Oct 28, 2013 09:18 AM EDT By Staff Reporter, UniversityHerald Reporter

Susanna Reid, one of the serious contender for this year's 'Strictly Come Dancing' crown, apparently, had a three-year affair with a professor of Bristol University. The affair generated a lot of buzz at that time when she moved in with the professor.

The 42-year-old BBC newsreader, who is well-known for her flirty TV interviews, was studying for a degree in Bristol in Politics, Philosophy and Law when the University professor Dr Eric Herring fell for her.

"It was an open secret that something was going on between them," a source at Bristol University told Daily Mail UK. "No one was surprised when she ended up sparking the interest of an older and more sophisticated man."

When Herring was asked about the affair, he described Susanna as 'a perfectly good person, a lovely person, and so I wish her nothing but the best. But I have no wish to talk about her.'

Currently, he is a reader in international politics at the same university.

On 'Strictly Come Dancing' Susanna is paired with ruggedly handsome Waltham dancer, Kevin Clifton. The pair has moved on to the next round of the competition after their American Smooth fetched 32 points from the judges, which was the third highest score of the evening.

"It was a very, very competent performance. American Smooth is slightly different because it has got lifts in it. It was the first time they have attempted lifts which came off okay," Clifton toldGrimsby Telegraph.

"Third on the leader board is really good and they have been in the top four or five every week. Susanna has shown herself to be very good in both styles, the public seem to like them, they are getting standing ovations all the time, so fingers crossed they will get through to the latter stages of the competition."

"We are just hoping everybody keeps voting for them as it will obviously keep Grimsby on the map for longer."

The Dancing star is currently living with her 46-year-old partner Dominic Cotton. The couple, who have been together for over 13 years, have three children aged ten, nine and seven.

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