Everything happens for a reason and it’s amazing to be finally doing Strictly
MADE IN CHELSEA’S JAMIE LAING TELLS MARION McMULLEN WHY HE’S DREAMING ABOUT STRICTLY COME DANCING JUDGE CRAIG REVEL HORWOOD
You’re embracing the Strictly Come Dancing experience. Would you describe yourself as a natural dancer?
(LAUGHS) I have never danced in my life apart from bobbing about in a couple of nightclubs, but Strictly is all about the journey and bringing fun and energy and excitement.
My professional dance partner Karen (Hauer) is so supportive. We arrive for rehearsals each day at nine or 9.30am and we go on until I simply can’t move any more. There’s a bit of a lull about four and I always want to go to sleep, but Karen won’t let me. Basically I have to keep going.
I think it’s important to have a dance partner who is supportive and patient and Karen is so, so patient. It basically like teaching a toddler Shakespeare. I’m not the best at picking up things quickly and I’m all over the place in terms of my energy.
This year has been so cr*p. It’s actually lovely to go out there on a Saturday night and have some fun and entertain everyone.
Has Strictly taken over your life?
(LAUGHS) I dream about Strictly and judge Craig (Revel Horwood) EVERY night. He pretends he doesn’t like our dance routines, but I think he does .... he just doesn’t like to admit it yet.
Being in one of the dance-offs was purgatory.
What is the biggest challenge for you?
THE nerves. I played a lot of sports growing up and I was almost sick running in races and I have that same nervousness going into any dance.
I find myself talking myself out of it instead of into it before a performance. (Laughs) I went into Strictly thinking I’m Chris Brown and would be unbelievable on my feet. Karen has been dancing all her life and it takes a long time to be really good.
I remember talking to TV presenter Mike Bushell, who did Strictly last year, and I asked ‘Is it hard?’ and he said you think it’s going to be hard, but then you need to times that by 10. He was right. Strictly is the hardest thing I’ve ever done.
Are you disappointed Strictly is not going to Blackpool this year?
THE only reason I wanted to do Strictly was to go to Blackpool and as it’s not happening this year I have decided to drive up to Blackpool with Karen when we can and dance and busk in the streets of Blackpool.
Are your family cheering you on?
MY Mum is having an absolute ball watching it. It is her favourite TV show and my Gran up in Scotland also watches it. I called her after doing the American Smooth and asked her what she thought about it and she said I was OK. I said ‘Did you vote for me?’ and she said ‘I don’t know how to vote’. I said ‘You just pick the phone up’. I think my entire family are forgetting to vote for me.
I thought our American Smooth routine on the show was an absolute delight. The lines were there, I had my suit on and I was light on my feet and I was dancing with such an amazing partner.
I do a podcast with my Made In Chelsea buddy Spencer (Matthews) and he goes ‘it’s not as hard has having two children’. Huh, I think it is. I’ve been so tired, but everyone is really supportive.
Are you managing to juggle everything?
I AM trying to do everything. I’m dancing every single day and then I’m doing several podcasts a week. I finish dancing, go home and do a podcast.
My poor girlfriend Sophie has had to deal with a tired child. I just dance all day and then do a podcast and I’m exhausted. I said if I won Strictly I would celebrate by proposing to her. She said ‘If you do that I’ll never speak to you again’ so maybe that is a bad idea. (Laughs) Maybe I’ll celebrate by eating the glitterball instead.
Have there been any sore muscles and blisters?
THE muscles are pretty tired right now. It’s really intense. Strictly is 100 per cent hard, but always exhilarating and fun. You get incredibly fit and it does weird things to your body. People talk about these things calls abs. I’d never seen them before in my body and suddenly there are these bumps appearing.
Was it tough having to drop out of Strictly last year because of injury?
IT was really such a blow when I couldn’t do it last year after injuring my foot so I’m really excited to be doing it now. It’s the greatest thing.
Kelvin (Fletcher) who stepped in last year went on to win and, boy, could he dance. It was incredible for Kelvin. He came on and he just completely bossed it.
Everything happens for a reason and it’s amazing to be finally doing Strictly. Of course, we don’t have the audience but there is an amazing bond between everyone who is taking part and I feel very lucky. I feel this year is really special and everyone is going to remember it.