Celebrity: Darcey Bussell
Strictly judge and dancer Darcey Bussell says she is creative anywhere but the kitchen as she waltzes us through her typical ChristmasÉ
While Darcey Bussell has a close eye for perfection, as one of the longstanding judges on Strictly Come Dancing – having held the seat since 2012 – she is first to admit that she will happily take her eyes off the rule book when it comes to indulging over the festive season.
To us, she looks younger than her years, whether it’s sat on the judging panel of the BBC1 dance contest, giving dance classes or dressing super glam for the latest red carpet event. But for Darcey, she puts extra pressure on herself to look good because, in her own words she’s ‘naturally vain’.
‘I want to feel good in nice clothes,’ Darcey says. ‘If I’ve got a really nice dress, I want to look my best in it.’ And that’s not her only body hang-up,
‘I’ve always felt a bit tense in my neck and I always want less muscle in my legs,’ says Darcey. ‘But that’s just from my career as a dancer and everybody then goes, “You’re crazy, Darcey, it’s good to have shapely legs.”’
When it comes to Christmas, forget scoring a ‘Perfect 10’, Darcey admits she lets her guard down when it comes to tucking in to the festive food.
‘Of course I see Christmas as a “cheat” time, it’s a bit like Easter… I’ll always go back for second helpings,’ says Darcey.
The 48-year-old dance enthusiast tells us about how she spends the big day with her husband Angus and their two teenage daughters, Phoebe, 16, and Zoe, 13, and it’s not as strict as you’d think – considering she usually tries to stay off the sugar because it gives her ‘very highs’ and ‘very lows’.
‘We try not to get up too early but we
lounge around for a long time so we will open presents in pyjamas about
9am,’ explains Darcey. ‘Even though they are teenagers now, the excitement is still there. We have a lazy breakfast with some treats – there’s always a lot of Smarties – that’s the treat of Christmas, so there’s lots of chocolate for breakfast.
‘I am conscious of the amount of sweet goodies because I’m a serious chocolate fiend but I’ll love it and let go.’
Then, it’s a brisk dog walk and back to open a couple more presents before preparing the late lunch to eat around 3pm starting with smoked salmon on bread followed by a full traditional dinner with all the trimmings and mince pies and Christmas pudding to finish.
Aside from her sweet tooth, Darcey isn’t a big drinker – instead she says she’ll usually enjoy a glass of champagne with her Christmas dinner before adding, ‘I’ll fall asleep if I have too much, so I have to seriously pace it.’
But Darcey tells us there’s just one festive addition that she tries to put her foot down with: ‘The brandy butter, but it’s so good… I’ll probably only have that once.’
It’s no wonder Darcey is so strict with her diet, given her
Darcey’s new Diverse Dance Mix DVD will help you find a workout that you’ll love so much you’ll stick to it
long career as a professional ballerina. She’s widely considered one of the best in the world and, at just 20 years old, became a principal dancer at the
Royal Ballet. Although
Darcey retired in 2007, the discipline required for being a successful ballet dancer clearly never fully leaves you so she likes to keep fit... and being in the public eye doesn’t help.
‘I want to look my best.
I’m conscious of that. But it’s also because I have two daughters who I want to keep a healthy mind and fit body for.’
After the festive feast there’s plenty of time to tune in at home to watch the Strictly
Christmas Special, right?
Darcey confesses: ‘No, but we will have it recorded or watch it later on catch-up… We just have lazy afternoon, we watch an old movie and eat the leftover bits. We don’t go to any more effort [to cook in the evening], the lunch is enough.’
For someone whose pet hate is wasting food, you’d think Darcey would be a dab hand at throwing some leftovers together to make a sassy new dish but she tells us that’s far from the case: ‘No, I’m rubbish like that. I’m not creative in the kitchen at all, I’m creative everywhere else except the kitchen, which is to my poor husband’s dismay.’
And if you think Darcey steps up her fitness regime in the countdown to Christmas to counter-balance the extra calories she’s going to consume, you’d be wrong. She tells us, ‘I don’t work out enough. Once a week I do a dance fitness class because I find that the most entertaining way to keep fit and it doesn’t feel like a chore, but I’m quite an active person – I walk my dogs, I coach dancers most days as well – and that’s when I’m happiest. So I probably subconsciously think if I’m a bit healthier now it won’t be hard trying to get back in shape in the New Year.’
‘I don’t work out enough. Once a week I do a dance fitness class’
Darcey, who tells us she is working up until 16 December this year, is set to release her own Diverse Dance Mix DVD. So what’s the best gift to buy someone to encourage them to get fitter? Darcey tells us, ‘I always say, “Let’s just have an experience, let’s meet up here,” and you might find a new hobby that you love so you’ll want to carry on and stay fit. So get my DVD and take a class.’
The Darcey Bussell Diverse Dance Mix DVD is out on Boxing Day.
The Strictly Come Dancing Final is on 16 December and The Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special is on Christmas Day, both on BBC1.