As a long-time follower and enthusiast of dance competitions, I must say that Jamie Borthwick and Michelle Tsiakkas are an intriguing pair to watch this season on Strictly Come Dancing. With Jamie’s prior experience from the Christmas special, it seems he might have a bit of an advantage, but we shall see if the other contestants continue to call him a ringer!
Similar to numerous soap actors before him, Jamie Borthwick is transitioning from Albert Square to the Strictly Come Dancing dancefloor, but unlike some others, his eyes might not sparkle as much at the bright lights due to his previous participation in the Strictly Christmas special with professional partner Nancy Xu in December last year. Notably, he emerged victorious in that competition.
Currently, he’s returning with a fresh collaborator – marking the first time Michelle Tsiakkas, a third-year professional, has worked with a partner. Yet, one might wonder if the other celebrities will forever label him as a substitute.
Jamie, you won the Strictly Christmas special last December. How are you feeling going into this?
Jamie mentioned that Wynne Evans and Pete Wicks never seem to let him forget something. In fact, many of them take jabs at him, but Jamie is in high spirits because he received four perfect scores on it!
Michelle mentioned that Wynne occasionally exclaims unprovoked, “Cheat!”, but it’s important to recall that JB Gill has also emerged victorious in the Strictly Christmas special.
Jamie expressed, “I hadn’t anticipated returning to this place again. It seems like all the knowledge I gained from Nancy [Xu] has slipped my mind entirely.
What do your friends and family think about you doing Strictly round two?
Jamie: They’re genuinely excited and encouraging. They can’t wait to see it and find some humor for their Saturday evening.
Michelle: They won’t be laughing. They’ll be crying tears of joy.
Jamie: My dad was taking the mick. He was like, “Don’t fall over.”
Michelle: Everyone’s worried about falling over. It’s really funny, but it hardly ever happens.
Jamie mentioned that he might intentionally stumble to create some conversation among people. He’s feeling a bit apprehensive about the upcoming Charleston dance, as he’s not particularly fond of overly grandiose or cheesy things.
Michelle: Maybe we can be the first ones to do a miserable Charleston.
Have you had any advice from your EastEnders colleagues who are former Strictly contestants?
Jamie: Scott Maslen said, “Just eat everything.”
Michelle: Jamie forgets to eat. He needs to learn how to structure his day.
As a fan, I’d put it like this: “I’m rather petite to start with, but my mornings are rarely filled with hunger pangs. However, by the time we dive into our afternoon work, I’ve often skipped breakfast and find myself ravenous once more. I simply eat when I feel the need. It’s high time for a change in this routine.
Michelle: It seems to me that once he understands his exhaustion through rehearsal routines, he’ll likely realize he needs morning sustenance and should eat at certain times. In other words, “I believe he’ll figure out that he needs breakfast in the mornings and should eat at specific hours.
Jamie: Mum, here – she’s going to be mothering me.
Michelle: I’ll be mother. I’ll make sure he’s well nourished.
What was your prior dance experience?
Jamie: Zero. I’m merely a rhythm tapper and a gesture shaker. I excel in recalling sequences, though. People often assume that my brief stint at Sylvia Young Theatre School implies dancing proficiency, but let me clarify – my attention was elsewhere during those lessons. Frankly, I wasn’t fond of it. I was mostly goofing off instead.
How do you think you’ll react to the judges’ comments?
As a movie lover, I can’t help but feel that if Craig Revel Horwood hasn’t found something to critique, then my performance on Strictly Come Dancing just might not have been as exciting or polished as I hoped!
Michelle, how did you feel having Jamie as your very first celebrity partner?
Michelle: I’ve been eagerly anticipating this moment since I became part of the show! Dancing with Jamie is like receiving a precious gift, as he’s so charming. He’s incredibly talented and has an impressive ability to absorb information quickly. I’m thrilled for people to meet us, get to know me, and witness what we can achieve together. It gives me an opportunity to express my creativity, and reveal another aspect of myself.
Jamie: I feel a bit of pressure being her first partner!
Michelle: My main goal is simply to enjoy myself, and that’s the essence of Strictly. Our aim is to bring joy and happiness to everyone involved.
Jamie: This program is enchanting. It provides an opportunity for me to exhibit some aspects of my character that I haven’t shown before, which I’ve generally avoided. I’m not one to be overly formal. There are numerous events happening globally, and not all of them are positive. I feel fortunate and content to be present here.
A condensed version of this interview appears in the latest issue of TopMob.
Strictly Come Dancing continues at 7pm this Saturday on BBC One and iPlayer.
Have you heard that we’ve introduced a new service for ordering past editions of TopMob magazine through our back issues program?
Read More
- DOP PREDICTION. DOP cryptocurrency
- LDO PREDICTION. LDO cryptocurrency
- EUR PKR PREDICTION
- T PREDICTION. T cryptocurrency
- INDEX PREDICTION. INDEX cryptocurrency
- ONG PREDICTION. ONG cryptocurrency
- SABAI PREDICTION. SABAI cryptocurrency
- CORE PREDICTION. CORE cryptocurrency
- THE PREDICTION. THE cryptocurrency
- SEI PREDICTION. SEI cryptocurrency
2024-09-20 14:34