Harry’s doing it for Glenn
HARRY SWAPS BALLROOM FOR BUGS
FOOTIE manager Harry Redknapp has revealed he is going into the jungle because his dodgy footwork ruled him out of the Strictly squad.
Harry, who at 71 is the oldest star to appear on ITV’s I’m A Celebrity, said he was in the frame for the BBC hit this year.
But he walked away at the last minute after they sent a dancer to give him a trial run – and he stomped all over her toes.
Harry said: “I was going to do Strictly this year, I was asked to do it. But you know, I didn’t think I could dance, that was one thing. I actually had a trial. I had a dance with one of the dancers who came round my house.
“I said to the programme, ‘Look, I can’t dance’ so they brought a dancer round for me to dance with and she was fantastic. But after I trod on her toes about five times I realised I wasn’t a very good dancer.
“So yeah, I chose the jungle. I couldn’t have danced really. I see them dancing people on there and they’re fantastic. Half are ex-dancers, doing dancing shows in the West End. What chance have I got?
“There’s always someone who’s there for fun value. What was the MP’s name? Ed Balls, he was great, he was fun. That’s all I could have been, someone to laugh at. But it wasn’t for me. I thought about it and thought, ‘No, I can’t dance’.”
Harry said there would have been no chance of him falling for the Strictly curse though, as he only has eyes for wife of 50 years Sandra.
He said: “I love her so much,
I’ve been very lucky. Jamie and Michael, my sons, say I’ve won the lottery. I think they’re right.
“It’s 54 years actually. We were going out for four years, we’ve been married 50 years. The secret? Just find someone you love. I love being with my wife. I love every day, just being with her. I’m not embarrassed to say that. I love her so much.
“I’ve never really been out of contact with my wife since we were 17. It is difficult without her here but it will go. Life goes so quickly, this next three or four weeks will fly by.”
Harry also got emotional as he talked of pal Glenn Hoddle’s recent heart attack.
He said: “It puts things in perspective. I’ve been through stuff before and I was with Glenn when it
happened. I love Glenn and I’m praying for a full recovery for him. I’m just sorry I’m away and can’t visit him. I’m going to miss the next four weeks. When I get home one of the first things I do will be to go and see Glenn. He’s on the mend, thank God.
“It didn’t make me have second thoughts about I’m A Celebrity though. Things happen anywhere. Look at Glenn. He was talking about playing golf, which we’d played two days that week before he had that heart attack, and he was in great health. You just never know.
“I’m probably as fit as half the people going in there. In all honesty, I had 15 years hop picking. I’ve roughed it. I didn’t always live in a big house. I was brought up in the East End of London and I’ve probably had more of these type of experiences than most of the people going in.
“I don’t know who they are but I’m sure they didn’t go hop picking for 15 years.”
Reflecting more on his age, Harry said he was doing the show as a last “great adventure”. He said: “I’m looking forward to it. This is an adventure. You get to my age and you think, ‘Hang on, this is great’.
“Millions of people at home would love the opportunity to do this programme. They watch it and they must love it.
“You’ve got to enjoy every day. My attitude is I’m on the home straight and I want to get as much in as I can. I’m not wishing my life away. I wake up early and want to get the most out of every day. You do when you get older. That’s the way you look at it.
“This is a great adventure for me. It’s something different. It’s not a chance everyone will get.” ■ I’m A Celebrity starts on ITV tomorrow at 9pm.
One of the first things I’ll do when I get home is go and see Glenn HARRY ON HIS CLOSE PAL GLENN HODDLE