Former Strictly Come Dancing star Kimberley Walsh opened up about her own experience on the show, following controversy over contestants with a performing background
Kimberley Walsh has defended Strictly Come Dancing contestants who join the BBC show with performing backgrounds. Every series, famous faces who’ve previously graced the stage are often perceived as having an unfair advantage over competitors lacking such expertise.
This series, Love Island star Amber Davies and Emmerdale actor Lewis Cope have faced the brunt of these accusations, given their West End credentials. Nevertheless, both are flourishing in the contest alongside their professional dancing partners.
Kimberley, who took part in 2012 and returned for the 2017 Christmas edition, dismisses suggestions that having performers on the programme is unjust.
Looking back at her own journey, the pop star said she faced criticism too when she signed up, due to being a member of Girls Aloud. “I did get a little bit [of stick] and I think a lot of people who have done shows, or have been on the West End, or have come from my background, they do,” she revealed.
“They’re just like way harder on us, I think the judges were quite hard on me as well, I was like, ‘Yeah I’ve performed in a girl band but I have no idea how to do Ballroom and I’m doing my best’,” reports the Manchester Evening News.
Accustomed to delivering high-energy routines with the band, the 43-year-old said she could “fake” the Latin numbers somewhat, but struggled more with Ballroom.
“They’d be really hard on me and I’d be like, ‘No I really am trying my best’,” she concluded. “You feel the reward when it starts to click into place, the people who have dance training, they push them way more, so they’re still being pushed to their hardest.”
Kimberley also reckons performers can find it “harder to learn” the routines, as it can mean unlearning skills they already know.
“It’s really weird it’s like unteaching your body, it’s quite hard but it’s true they [past contestants who have said it’s harder] are not just saying it.”
She continued: “I don’t know if it’s unfair, but I can see why people think there is an advantage because if you’ve performed for a living, it’s obviously going to be easier to perform.
“So, that side of it I get, but I think sometimes you don’t realise how difficult some of the routines are that they’re doing, like for them they’re still really hard.
“And also it’s Strictly, let them just have a dance and enjoy themselves, do we have to pull people down? No,” she defiantly added.
Lewis, who Kimberley is supporting for the win, has previously starred in the West End production Billy Elliot and on the programmes Got To Dance and Britain’s Got Talent.
Since joining Strictly, he has been one to watch, but reached new heights last weekend when he secured the series’ first perfect 40.
As for Amber, while she is also flourishing in the competition, she found herself in the dance-off against Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink last month, but was saved by the judges.
The 29-year-old has previously defended her West End past, asserting that musical theatre is “world’s apart” from Ballroom and Latin.
During a chat on This Morning, she added: “I do understand where they come from, because I can perform. “But, there’s a great example. [When] we were doing our American Smooth, and even just walking left right, left right, brought me to tears.
“It’s so much more complicated than you can imagine.”
Lewis also told The Metro: “I don’t really know where all that came from, to be honest, I trained as an actor, I danced a bit when I was a teen, but haven’t since.”
Kimberley is supporting McDonald’s BBC Children in Need campaign.
In a move to help children express their emotions and start meaningful conversations, McDonald’s is temporarily replacing its iconic red Happy Meal box with a blank, doodle-friendly design this November.
Millions of limited-edition boxes and crayons will be available in UK restaurants from 5th to 18th November.
