Strictly’s Louise... ‘I’m still terrified by dance routines’
STRICTLY Come Dancing star Louise Redknapp has spoken of her terror at the show’s dance routines.
Louise, who is married to ex-footballer and popular pundit Jamie Redknapp, told ITV’s Lorraine yesterday that her polished performances belied the fear she felt.
The 41-year-old former pop star and mother of two boys said: “I always start rehearsals in a bit of a flap and have a meltdown on Monday and Tuesday.
“Then it sort of starts coming together Wednesday and Thursday.
“But it’s quite a nerve-racking experience. I do get quite terrified on a Saturday night as you open yourself up to so much criticism.”
Meanwhile, her co-star Ed Balls has opted to appease judges tonight with his first spray tan after finishing bottom of the leaderboard last week with a new low score of 16.
The former chancellor streamed the experience live on Facebook, saying his wife, Labour MP Yvette Cooper, would be “appalled”.
Inspired by broadcaster Jeremy Vine who opted for a fake tan on the show in 2015, he called the experience the weirdest thing he had done since getting a “naked Balinese massage” on his honeymoon.
And Louise revealed that she has now become friends with Ed, along with the rest of her co-stars.
She told Lorraine: “It’s so random. I’m friends with Ed Balls, which is great. He throws himself into it every week. He’s a real part of the gang. I’ve got nothing but lovely words to say about him and everybody on the show.”
Talking about why she decided to take the plunge, Louise said she had always been a huge fan of the show.
She explained she was often left alone at home while her husband and two sons played football.
Louise, who is partnered with professional dancer Kevin Clifton, said: “As so many mums will appreciate, I was at home for quite a long time just being a mum.
“As much as I loved that, I did feel a little bit left behind.
“When Strictly came along, I thought I’m going to be a little bit selfish and take this for me.
“Then I will look forward to getting back home and being with the boys. I’m really just making the most of it while it’s there.”
Louise, a former member of all-girl band Eternal, said her mother-inlaw Sandra was recovering well after being injured by Jamie’s father Harry in a freak car accident.
The former Premier League football manager was dropping his 69-year-old wife off at the shops when he ran over her foot.
Louise said: “She’s fine. We all love her loads. Actually the first thing she said to the ambulance was, ‘I need to be well enough for Strictly on Saturday’. Every week my mum and Sandra have been there and it was her first thought.
“But she’s fine and Harry’s fine. I don’t think she’ll be there on Saturday but I told her she’s got to vote from home.”
Meanwhile, gold medal-winning Olympic athlete Greg Rutherford, 29, has told of his surprise at how tough he finds the training.
He said: “Strictly training has been a massive surprise. It’s normally very difficult for me not to be good at something that’s physical.
“This one is so hard. Long, long hours, much longer than what I do for track, but very different.
“Track tires me out because there’s so much impact. Dancing is just constant, that’s the problem.
“But it’s really fun and I’m enjoying it. I’m just chuffed I didn’t go out in the first week.””
Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC One tonight at 6.35pm, with the results show tomorrow at 7.15pm.