CELEB DANCERS ARE SHARING L ATE NIGHT SAUNAS
STRICTLY favourite Karim Zeroual has revealed he’s been having steamy sauna sessions... with Glitterball rival Chris Ramsay.
When they’re not competing on the dancefloor, the pair have developed a bromance and enjoy winding down together after gruelling rehearsals.
CBBC presenter Karim, 25, says it’s just what he needs after 14-hour days.
“I go to the sauna and steam most nights with Chris,” said Karim, who has been dating university student
Poppy Birtwistle for three years.
Chris, 33, is married to Rosie and they have two-year-old son Robin. Karim said: “It’s nice. We rest our weary bones and our worries roll away.”
Topping the show’s leaderboard in previous weeks, expectations are high for Karim.
He danced the Viennese waltz to Ed Sheeran’s Give Me Love with partner Amy Dowden on last night’s show.
But despite being one of the favourites to win, Karim says he can’t sit back.
“There’s no time to slack,” he said. “Anyone can go at any time, including me. I’m working hard and not getting complacent.”
The telly host always delivers a high energy performance, which hasn’t always been met with praise from hard to please judge Craig Revel Horwood.
He told him to “tone it down” – and Karim agreed with the criticism.
“I go out there and want to give it everything. But because of the nerves it can sometimes looks erratic. We’ve taken it on n board,” he said.
Whilst in previous vious years the Strictly ctly curse would uld have struck k by now, this year’s ear’s crop really do appear to be focussing on the dancing.
Karim and Amy brushed off romance whispers.
“Karim is coming to my wedding next July,” said Amy. “I don’t know if I’ll let him on to the dancefloor, it depends how well he does.”
Karim hopes the show will be a springboard for other roles.
“I want experience in other telly. Children’s TV is the best job in the world. I get paid for eating hot dogs and getting pied in the face. But I’m hoping Strictly is the platform that helps me branch out into other professional work.”