FIRST STRICTLY EXIT
Brain injury left me struggling says James
JAMES Cracknell lights up Strictly Come Dancing jiving to Tutti Frutti – but he was still given the booty.
The Olympic rower, 47, and dance partner Luba Mushtuk became the first pair to be voted off the show last night.
Despite moving up from last week’s position at the bottom of the leaderboard, James found himself in the dance off against ex-England goalie David James.
After both danced again – James and Luba in a jive to the Little Richard classic, and David and Nadiya Bychkova in a paso doble – the four judges unanimously voted for David to dance again next week.
James has admitted the brain injury he suffered in 2010 made it difficult to remember his steps.
But he said he had “definitely enjoyed the last three days of the last week as I got to grips with the steps and started to enjoy it”.
He added: “I’m a way better dancer than I was two weeks ago.
“Luba’s been amazing with being so patient with a couple of left feet.”
James was hit by a petrol tanker at 70mph as he attempted to cycle across America in 2010, and told how his injuries had a profound effect on him.
He said: “Especially with the part of my brain that got injured, the frontal lobes, how you process and learn. “You become more regimented, so you have to work within that.
“It’s probably been a struggle for Luba, her having to say, ‘Do the steps and they will come’, rather than having to make sure it’s perfect.”
James had also faced criticism on the show for looking too glum during performances.
He said: “I go into myself to try and get better, so I’m not smiling a lot.
“She’s worried I’m not enjoying it and says, ‘Am I being too harsh?’ And I’m like, ‘I can take it, I’m processing it’.
“But it is a show where people want to see everyone having a good time.”
James finalised his divorce from TV presenter Beverley Turner, 45, in July. The couple have three children – Croyde, 15, Kiki, 10, and Trixie, eight.
Last year, James enrolled at Cambridge University to study evolutionary and behavioural science – and that is where he met new girlfriend, Jordan Connell.
● Strictly Come Dancing is on BBC One on Saturday at 7.10pm, with the results show on Sunday at 7.15pm.