A drip-me-up
seen the film, but she still said yes. Their first dance at the wedding was “jumping up and down to Sun Is Shining by Axwell & Ingrosso, which is a bit of a trance tune, so quite unconventional”.
Emily, who said her first impression of 5ft 5in Mike was “Gosh, you’re quite short”, has Katya to thank for her hubby’s new slimline body.
At the start of the series, she pointed out, with a pat on his tum, that she would work on his belly. Did the jibe hurt?
“Oh no, I’m an average bloke on the sofa,” says Mike. “I go running and play football sometimes but it’s not enough to work off the odd pint and takeaway. The intensity of the training works every muscle, you naturally become leaner.
“I’ve lost over a stone. I can wear shirts I couldn’t get on two months ago.”
Does Emily like his new look? “Oh indeed! Emily’s really finding a new me, physically.”
Emily’s not the only one, as Mike is winning legions of new fans who love his cuddly cheeriness.
“Lots of mums have been sending nice messages. It’s lovely to have people think I’m cuddly but I’m not when I’m all sweaty and tired. But I’ve not been asked to do a calendar yet – I’d scare people.”
But the calendar offer is bound to come this weekend, after his samba to the Sugarhill Gang’s Jump On It. “There’s lots of hip action, hip thrusting and a samba roll,” he says.
Going by previous form, which MIKE ON THE LUCKY SOCKS BOOSTING HIS ROUTINES Saturday.” Strictly is already one judge down, with Bruno Tonioli skipping the fifth show of the series to focus on his Dancing With The Stars commitments.
He will be replaced on Saturday by Fresh Prince of Bel Air star Alfonso Ribeiro, 48. Shirley in her Insta post Mike and Katya dancing and, above, her tears of joy has seen Mike as a rhinestone cowboy and whipping off a fireman’s uniform after sliding down a pole, his next routine is sure to entertain.
Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d be a cowboy with Katya flipping up on to my shoulders, or sliding down the biggest pole in Strictly history. They are iconic moments that will stay with me for life.”
But after Radio 1 DJ Dev Griffin’s shock exit, Mike knows no one is safe. “We were stunned to see Dev go. Up in the auditorium, Chris Ramsey nudged me and said, ‘This is embarrassing, they’ve got us two dad dancers up here and we’re through, yet Dev’s out’. It was such a shock we all gasped.
“As the oldest contestant, it’s obvious I’m not the best dancer. All I can do is work extra-hard in rehearsals, do exactly what Katya says and wear my lucky socks.”
■ Strictly is on BBC1 tonight, 7.10pm.
I think they might be Emily’s... but they’re definitely not stockings