‘I’d love to dance in a same sex couple on Strictly!’

Strictly sent social media into meltdown recently when professional dancers AJ Pritchard and Gorka Márquez danced together on the podium in the opening sequence. It was the first time Strictly had featured a same sex routine and it was a massive milestone for the show and the BBC. For years, fans and the LGBT community have been wanting this to happen and there it was on primetime television; two men dancing together. It was a big deal because the BBC have never done anything like it before and I think it’s fantastic. It’s about time they recognised it and it made me happy. I really think that at some point in the future, they should have same sex partners as contestants on the show. Why not? And if they want to sign me up one day to dance with a man, then brilliant – I’d love to do that. I see guys dancing together all the time in my job because of what I do for a living, being on stage and in musicals, like Priscilla Queen Of The Desert, so it’s just normal. I didn’t realise the importance of it until I saw social media and Strictly fans going crazy over it. It is so vital that the BBC are seen to be inclusive, as they were last year with contestants like Paralympian Jonnie Peacock and this year with Lauren Steadman, another Paralympic athlete. In the meantime, I am cheering on my former Blue bandmate and good friend Lee Ryan on Strictly. Lee’s doing so well – he’s working hard and putting so much effort in. I am so proud of him and of course he can win! He’s got a really good opportunity – go Lee!