Cheryl’s backing Lauren
CHARLES VENN STRICTLY CONTESTANT AND ACTOR but now it’s cool to do a shirtless samba. They say, ‘He’s my old man, he looks good’.” It’s clear that Charles and Karen have a strong bond but he laughs off any chance of being struck by the Strictly Curse. He has been happily married to Zoe for five years, and they have been together for 20. He says: “It’s never been an issue for us. My wife loves Strictly. “She was trying to do the samba with me last week. She was saying, ‘Work those hips, baby’. If anything being on the show can help a relationship. Zoe likes the results, seeing her man’s physique.”
Charles and Karen have been in the bottom two three times and he believes it was because viewers didn’t “get” him.
He says: “In the very early stages of this competition people weren’t able to get me.
“A lot of it was like, ‘I just don’t take to the guy, he comes across as arrogant’.
“They just didn’t warm to me. Because it is a popularity contest as well. But over PARALYMPIAN Lauren Steadman may have found herself at the bottom of the leaderboard last week – but she has gained a new fan in Cheryl Tweedy. The athlete, 25, met the 35-year-old singer when she was rehearsing at the same dance studio. Lauren, who was born without her lower right arm, said: “When Cheryl said she loved our performance last week, that blew my mind.” She added: “I’m just a triathlete from Portsmouth who is on the biggest show on telly. I am loving every single minute of it. The support has been amazing.” Lauren top, and Cheryl Our Rhian with Charles time people are getting to know me and a bit about what I am like, my life, who I am.
“I am common as muck. I’m a regular local boy from humble beginnings.”
Growing up on a tough estate in West London, Charles knows how easy it is to take the wrong path in life.
He believes young people caught up in London’s gang violence lack role models.
He says: “It is very sad. I know as a young man I had influences in my life that stopped me going down that channel.”
He knows how lucky he is to have ended up dancing for millions every Saturday.
But after those three appearances in the bottom two, he admits: “The third time it was very emotional, it was horrible.”
Karen, who is sprawled on the floor like a starfish, exhausted from rehearsals, chimes in: “Being in the bottom two is one of these things that we’ve learned so much from and we are stronger for it.”
After last week’s performance, which saw Karen score her first 10 after seven years on the show, they are feeling positive about tonight’s Tango to Eleanor Rigby.
Charles says: “We’re really tired, but elated and blessed to still be in the show.” ■ Strictly, tonight, 6.50pm, BBC One.
With a tough taskmaster like Karen you can’t mess about