Heart surgery taught me there’s no time to be cool
Peep Show Robert on Strictly bid
ACTOR and comedian Robert Webb has told how his near-death experience with a heart condition has made him grab opportunities such as Strictly.
In 2019, the Peep Show star was told that if he didn’t have emergency surgery, he “wouldn’t last two days”.
“I had a prolapsed mitral valve,” said Robert, 49. “So I had open heart surgery.
“Since then, I think my attitude is basically, ‘This is no time to be cool and sitting at the edges, watching the other people do the dancing.’ That actually, if you’ve got something to offer, it might be time to offer it.” Robert hopes he can win over the judges and public by milking his operation. “I’m going to mention it as often as possible,” he laughs.
“Actually, it’ll be the two-year anniversary of my heart surgery on Halloween, so that will be the show where I get my scar covered in glitter.”
Having previously won Let’s Dance for Comic Relief with a hilarious rendition of Flashdance, he believes people might expect a lot from him.
He said: “It would be lovely to win. If I get more than halfway through, I expect I’ll become very defensive and start poisoning other people’s energy drinks, and setting trip wires for Greg Wise.”
Robert bravely wore a skimpy black leotard for his Flashdance routine, saying of it: “I think I’ve shown I’m not afraid of an extreme costume.
“I’m really up for more or less anything – within the laws of public decency.”
And will he be dancing to the Peep Show theme tune?
“Oh God, I hope not. That would be cheesy as f***, wouldn’t it?”