‘Simon and I will have a waltz after a few tequilas!’

His Blue bandmate Simon Webbe danced his way to the Strictly final in 2014 – and now Lee Ryan says that he will be supporting him all the way, and has even tried to teach him some dance moves! Lee, 35, says, “Simon and I were out the other night and we had one too many tequilas. He thought that was a good time to show me how to do the waltz. We were waltzing around the dance floor, but it didn’t really go down well – everyone else was jamming to R&B! Other than that, the main advice Simon’s given me is to just have fun and enjoy myself.”

Lee – who will be taking to the dance floor with Nadiya Bychkova – adds that his Blue bandmates – which also include Duncan James and Antony Costa – are ecstatic he’s on the show, and his biggest supporters. “Simon did so well when he was on the show, but there’s no pressure for me to beat him or anything,” says Lee. “I’m happy to just be on the show – I’m not even thinking about winning! The boys are all so supportive. There’s no competitiveness between us, we’re all as tight as brothers.”

But Lee says his 11-year-old daughter Bluebell (with ex Jessica Keevil) is more excited that Youtube sensation Joe Suggs will be taking part. Lee adds, “My little girl was more excited that Joe was on the show. When I told her, she went, ‘Oh my God, Joe Suggs is on the show! You’re going to embarrass me!’ And when I got him to Facetime her at rehearsals, she was so excited. She even said she was going to vote for him, and not me!”