{"id":66682,"date":"2023-08-29T12:16:10","date_gmt":"2023-08-29T12:16:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rapidcelnews.com\/?p=66682"},"modified":"2023-08-29T12:16:10","modified_gmt":"2023-08-29T12:16:10","slug":"strictlys-male-pros-on-their-love-lives-babies-and-the-pressure-of-the-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rapidcelnews.com\/tv-movies\/strictlys-male-pros-on-their-love-lives-babies-and-the-pressure-of-the-show\/","title":{"rendered":"Strictlys male pros on their love lives, babies and the pressure of the show"},"content":{"rendered":"

Strutting across our London studio in their sharpest suits to Kylie Minogue\u2019s Padam Padam, Strictly Come Dancing stars Johannes Radebe, Carlos Gu and Kai Widdrington impress us as they\u2019re coming up with new choreography on the spot. <\/p>\n

Neil Jones has emerged from the dressing room after a quick outfit change, ready for the first group shot of the day, while Vito Coppola \u2013 looking suave in a double breasted jacket \u2013 cheers on his friends from behind the camera as they show off their moves. <\/p>\n

The ballroom boys are back for another series of BBC\u2019s Strictly and ready for the next few months of relentless rehearsals, dreaded dance-offs and fake tan top-ups. Still waiting to hear whether they\u2019ll be paired with one of this year\u2019s 15 celebrities, the five professionals are preparing for that big launch show.<\/p>\n


\n<\/p>\n

Speaking to OK! in an exclusive interview ahead of the show\u2019s 21st series, Johannes, 36, Carlos, 29, Kai, 28, Neil, 41, and Vito, 30, reveal their hopes for this year, their thoughts on the line-up and how they balance their home lives with the gruelling schedule…<\/p>\n

How do you feel about this year?<\/b><\/p>\n

Johannes:<\/b> My excitement is coupled with a bit of nerves because you don\u2019t know who you\u2019re going to be paired up with. As for the pro dances, we\u2019ve come up with world class routines. It\u2019ll be phenomenal. <\/p>\n

Carlos:<\/b> This is my second year and I feel like I\u2019m more excited this time. Last year, I knew nothing about Strictly \u2013 I didn\u2019t even know there was a dance-off. I\u2019m still a newbie but now I know what\u2019s going on. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

How do you prepare?<\/b><\/p>\n

Neil:<\/b> I have some go-to movements to put in routines so it saves time. But the best way to prep is making sure you\u2019re fit and healthy because once it starts, it doesn\u2019t finish. <\/p>\n

Johannes:<\/b> I did absolutely nothing for two months to be in my best shape for Strictly. I went on holiday for the first time in many years and I tried to stop controlling so much because I\u2019m very competitive. As long as your body is rested, it means you can take on whatever is thrown at you. <\/p>\n

Vito:<\/b> This year, I want to understand more about English culture so I\u2019ve been watching a lot of movies and TV. I went home to Italy for one day to see my family, take my grandparents to the beach and to say hello to my dog, but the rest of the time I\u2019ve been in the UK preparing for Strictly. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

What do you think of the celeb line-up? <\/b><\/p>\n

Kai:<\/b> They\u2019re all fantastic \u2013 there\u2019s some rhythm there. There\u2019s definitely potential! <\/p>\n

Johannes:<\/b> From Angela Rippon and Annabel Croft to Les Dennis, it\u2019s such a diverse and different line-up. They are a very excited bunch and I think you are all in for a surprise. <\/p>\n

Carlos:<\/b> I\u2019m really excited because I do meditation and I know Nigel Harman spent a few years learning meditation skills. There\u2019s such great vibes with this year\u2019s line-up. <\/p>\n

Vito:<\/b> After half an hour, we felt like we\u2019d known each other for months \u2013 although I didn\u2019t know who any of them were. I\u2019m very Italian and I don\u2019t even have a TV over there. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Who do you want to be paired with?<\/b><\/p>\n

Neil:<\/b> I honestly don\u2019t mind. There are so many different personalities and challenges. It\u2019s quite nice just getting a partner! <\/p>\n

Kai:<\/b> If I can get someone that\u2019s willing to work hard, wants to learn and wants to have a laugh at the same time, that\u2019s all I care about. <\/p>\n

Do you ever get starstruck?<\/b><\/p>\n

Kai:<\/b> I was starstruck by Amanda Abbington because I was a massive Sherlock fan. I got obsessed with that show. I don\u2019t usually tell people but I said to her, \u201cI\u2019m a really big fan. <\/p>\n

Neil:<\/b> I don\u2019t think so but I do love football players. I\u2019m just so intrigued by what people are doing and how they find stepping into our world.<\/p>\n

How do you prepare your celebrity partner for the show?<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n


<\/b><\/p>\n

Neil:<\/b> I say, \u201cJust enjoy the process.\u201d People think it' all about Saturday night, but it\u2019s not. Enjoy your Sunday. Enjoy the process. If you get knocked out first, you want to be able to say, \u201cI had the best time.\u201d <\/p>\n

Johannes:<\/b> The most important thing as a pro is to make your partner walk away from this having fallen in love with your art form. My partner last year, Ellie Taylor, said that Strictly gave her a confidence that she never had. And that\u2019s what you hope for. <\/p>\n

Carlos:<\/b> Last year, I didn\u2019t tell my partner Molly Rainford anything because I didn\u2019t know anything, but I think not telling them what\u2019s ahead of them is a good thing. <\/p>\n

Vito:<\/b> I tell them that I\u2019m the kind of teacher that likes to have fun, joke, prank \u2013 but I\u2019m also very tough. In Italian, we have a saying which is, \u201cFirst you do what you need to do and then after you get the pleasure.\u201d <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Do you have a pre-show ritual?<\/b><\/p>\n

Kai:<\/b> In the boys\u2019 dressing room, we play music and have a laugh. Do silly dances or TikToks. Sometimes I blow on my fingers \u2013 that\u2019s what Greg Rutherford would do before he did the long jump. Sometimes you get sweaty hands and it helps to make sure my partner doesn\u2019t slip! <\/p>\n

Vito:<\/b> I go with the flow. If I\u2019m too anxious, I think about my grandparents because they always make me calm. Or I think about my Labrador Aaron. <\/p>\n

Who is your favourite ever celebrity contestant?<\/b><\/p>\n

Neil:<\/b> Ed Balls was so entertaining. I loved Rose Ayling-Ellis \u2013 she was incredible. Even the really good ones like Hamza Yassin, he was fantastic because no one was expecting it. Each year, I make a joke with the guys like, \u201cIt\u2019s good to see some gingers in here,\u201d because the moment you see someone on screen that looks like you, that gets you excited. My mum is a taxi driver and she was driving a little boy who\u2019d had his leg amputated when Jonnie Peacock was on the show. He was so excited to see him on TV. <\/p>\n

Johannes:<\/b> The one that sticks out in my memory is John Waite. I never thought a same-sex partnership would be possible
in my lifetime so I will always consider that to be something iconic that I\u2019ve been a part of. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Neil, you\u2019re expecting your first baby with<\/b>Love Island<\/b>\u2019s Chyna Mills. What will you do if she goes into labour during<\/b>Strictly<\/b>?<\/b><\/p>\n

Neil:<\/b> I\u2019m going to tell her to hold on as long as she can! We don\u2019t know what\u2019s going to happen but if it happens during a live show, we\u2019re ready for that. Strictly is really supportive. People say, \u201cAre you ready for not sleeping?\u201d And I\u2019m like, \u201cI\u2019m a dancer, I\u2019m used to it.\u201d We\u2019ve had so many new Strictly babies \u2013 both Janette Manrara and Gorka M\u00e1rquez have just had babies. When they\u2019re older, we should do a competition with all the babies! <\/p>\n

How do you balance<\/b>Strictly<\/b>with your personal lives?<\/b><\/p>\n

Kai:<\/b> During the show, myself and my girlfriend [fellow professional Nadiya Bychkova] try to spend as much time together as we can but it\u2019s difficult because of rehearsals. We don\u2019t actually get a day off because you\u2019re rehearsing Monday to Saturday and on Sunday you\u2019re choreographing for the following week. Strictly is work and you\u2019ve got to get the job done. <\/p>\n

Carlos:<\/b> If you\u2019ve got one day off, you\u2019re choreographing. You can\u2019t rest because you want to make it to next week and you want your partner to have the best experience. I don\u2019t have a personal life during Strictly \u2013 I donate all my time to this show. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Why does the public love<\/b>Strictly<\/b>so much?<\/b><\/p>\n

Neil:<\/b> Saturday night TV is a major thing in the UK. Strictly is one of those shows where your nan, your mum and your dad will watch \u2013 although the dads always pretend that they don\u2019t watch. But they\u2019re the first ones who notice you when you\u2019re walking down the street. Life can be really hard sometimes so it\u2019s nice to have something to smile about and that\u2019s what Strictly is. <\/p>\n

Kai:<\/b> I remember watching Strictly as a seven-year-old kid and it inspired me to dance. My parents sent me to dance classes, which I didn\u2019t want to do. But then Strictly started and I saw Darren Bennett and Brendan Cole and I thought, \u201cOh, they actually look quite cool when they do the samba.\u201d <\/p>\n

Carlos:<\/b> The UK is the heart of ballroom dancing. Dancers from all over the world come here. Strictly has diversity and they\u2019re always trying to better themselves each year. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Would you like to be in a same-sex partnership this year? <\/b><\/p>\n

Neil:<\/b> My sister used to dance with a girl so that\u2019s normal, I\u2019ve been brought up with that. I think it\u2019s fantastic and I love to get creative so anything that I\u2019ve not done before gets me thinking a lot. Bring it on! <\/p>\n

Kai:<\/b> I\u2019d be totally up for it. Let\u2019s see what happens. <\/p>\n

Johannes:<\/b> Listen, I opened that door for people to walk in when I danced with John Waite. I\u2019m sitting on the other side and welcoming all of them in. <\/p>\n

Carlos:<\/b> I would love to. <\/p>\n

Vito:<\/b> I\u2019m open to everything. I\u2019ve watched a lot of same-sex dances from previous Strictly series and I met Layton Williams. He\u2019s so good and funny \u2013 I wouldn\u2019t mind dancing with him. <\/p>\n

Who would be your dream celeb partner?<\/b><\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

Johannes:<\/b> Roman Kemp. He said in the press that if he were to do Strictly, he would dance with me and when I heard that, I was like, \u201cStrictly, do something about this!\u201d I think he\u2019s a lovely guy. I\u2019ve never seen him dance but I know I would laugh and that\u2019s one of the most important things. Him or Andrew Garfield. <\/p>\n

Neil:<\/b> Queen Camilla! She loves the dancing, I think it will happen one year. Also, after the women\u2019s football, England goalkeeper Mary Earps. <\/p>\n

Kai:<\/b> Miriam Margolyes. I think I would die from laughing. She\u2019s absolutely hilarious. <\/p>\n

Carlos:<\/b> Lucy Liu. She\u2019s my dream girl. <\/p>\n

Vito:<\/b> I would like to dance with Adele. I can see she\u2019s a very sensitive person. <\/p>\n

How long do you want to stay on<\/b>Strictly<\/b>for?<\/b><\/p>\n

Neil:<\/b> When I joined Strictly, Anton Du Beke was the oldest of the group but I\u2019m the new Anton \u2013 myself and Karen Hauer [41] are the oldest pros in the group. Everything I do in life I do because I enjoy it and Strictly is something I really enjoy. As long as they want me here, I\u2019ll be here. <\/p>\n

Kai:<\/b> I want to stay on Strictly for as long as these legs keep working. <\/p>\n

Johannes:<\/b> For as long as my bones allow. I think I\u2019d have FOMO [Fear Of Missing Out] if I had to leave Strictly Come Dancing. <\/p>\n

Carlos:<\/b> As long as I have a passion for dancing, I\u2019ll be on Strictly. <\/p>\n

Vito:<\/b> I hope to stay here for as long as I can. <\/p>\n

Strictly Come Dancing starts on Saturday 23rd September on BBC One.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/p>\n