Is Mollie King the most ambitious Strictly contestant ever?
It seems former Saturdays singer Mollie King will do anything to be famous…
Following in her old bandmate Frankie Bridge’s footsteps, Mollie King was an early bookies’ choice for victory when she was announced for Strictly Come Dancing.
And the fame-hungry blonde, 30, is causing a stir by looking extremely cosy with her Strictly dance partner, AJ Pritchard, 22.
The ambitious singer, it seems, will do anything to be a star. From a young age, Mollie was determined to see her name in lights, saying, ‘I’ve wanted [fame] since I was six.’
But initially, it was the Olympic podium that Mollie had set her sights on. After impressing her family with her skiing abilities, aged 10, she trained and competed with the junior British ski team for seven years.
However, music soon beckoned, and Mollie auditioned twice for The X Factor. Firstly, solo in 2005, when Sharon Osbourne slammed her white shorts and metallic vest combo as ‘completely inappropriate’.
Then she auditioned again in 2007 with girl band Fallen Angelz – who made it to Boot Camp. They didn’t achieve their dream, though. By the time the show aired, Mollie had already jumped ship to audition for The Saturdays.
Mollie, Frankie Bridge, 28, Rochelle Humes, 28, Una Foden, 35, and Vanessa White, 27, were chosen to be moulded as ‘the new Spice Girls’ by British record label Polydor.
The Saturdays toured relentlessly, releasing three albums in four years. By 2014, the girls wanted a break – well, everyone except Mollie.
Speaking two years earlier, she confessed, ‘The band is my life. The thought of it coming to an end is devastating.’
Mollie then launched her solo career last year with the single Back To You, which limped just inside the Top 40. Thinking on her feet, she released another single, Hair Down, just before starting Strictly – capitalising on the dancing show’s popularity.
Mollie clearly knows what she wants, saying recently, ‘I want to win. I’m very competitive, so watch out!’