Nic’s hot feet are cha-cha-chapped

NICOLE Scherzinger said the relentless rehearsals for her latest project left her in agony.

The X Factor judge leads the cast in an ABC remake of the classic film Dirty Dancing.

She will thrill viewers with some sensational routines when it is shown on UK TV for the first time tonight – but it came at a cost. Nicole said: “We were in the dance studio and we were doing basic 101 Cha-Cha-Cha and the Mambo…rehearsing every day five, six, seven, eight hours. I had lots of blisters!

“I have a lot of scars all over my feet. The blisters are just callused over.” Filming in North Carolina also proved to be a problem for Nicole. Asked about the challenges she faced, she added: “My initial reaction would be shooting here because of my allergies, I can’t breathe during any scene. But I’m just using it as part of my character and incorporating it with my dialect. “A lot goes into something like this that people don’t see, but it’s really good because for me, I’m all about preparation.

“Practice doesn’t make perfect – practice makes permanent.” Nicole – who is pictured with co-star Colt Prattes as Johnny Castle – stars as Penny Garcia. Abigail Breslin plays Frances “Baby” Houseman.

Will & Grace actress Debra Messing also appears as mum Marjorie.

Dirty Dancing is tonight at 6.25pm on Channel 5.