EastEnders star Balvinder Sopal and professional partner Julian have fought into the Strictly Come Dancing semi-final after surviving five dance-offs, and this Hollywood musical star has taken notice of the pair
Strictly Come Dancing’s most resilient couple have done it the hard way, but Balvinder Sopal and her professional partner Julian have finally danced their way into the semi-final – and now even a Hollywood superstar knows exactly who they are.
Balvinder, 47, best known to millions as Suki Panesar in EastEnders, has become one of this year’s most talked-about Strictly contestants after repeatedly surviving the dreaded dance-off and refusing to let setbacks derail her journey. The actress and first-time Strictly pro Julian have faced the dance-off an extraordinary five times, more than any other couple this series, earning a reputation as the competition’s ultimate fighters.
And while the pressure has been intense, the pair admit the outpouring of support following last weekend’s emotional performance has been overwhelming – including a message relayed from Hugh Jackman via a mutual friend.
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“I’m still trying to process it,” Balvinder laughs. “He asked how we’d got on and my friend messaged me saying, ‘He knows who you are.’ I’m working on getting that message sent to me – ideally on video!” The semi-final milestone still hasn’t quite sunk in for either of them, with Balvinder admitting the reality only hits in small, surreal moments.
“We’re honestly still in disbelief,” she says. “It feels completely surreal to be standing here talking about the semi-final after the journey we’ve had.” That journey reached an emotional peak last weekend when Balvinder was left in the spotlight alone at the end of her dance, prompting an explosive reaction from the audience and visibly moving the actress to tears.
Reflecting on the moment, Balvinder explains that it was the crowd’s response that first overwhelmed her, before the judges’ comments finally broke through her emotional defences.
“Julian leaving me in the spotlight was such a generous thing to do, and we had spoken about it in rehearsals, but I don’t think I realised how big that moment would feel until it happened,” she says. “Listening to the applause and then hearing the judges say things I’ve never heard said about me throughout this competition was incredibly overwhelming.”
It was judge Motsi Mabuse’s words about the emotional toll of repeatedly fighting back from the dance-off that ultimately tipped Balvinder over the edge. “When she talked about how demoralising it must be to keep coming back and fighting every week, it all just hit me,” she admits. “It was like a release – just relief pouring out.”
Despite the repeated dance-offs, Balvinder and Julian insist they never allowed themselves to become bitter or defeated, instead choosing to embrace the narrative of being the competition’s fighters. “At a certain point, we just had to accept that this was our journey,” Julian explains. “Every series has a couple who has to fight for everything, and this year that’s been us.”
The mindset shift proved crucial, with both agreeing that once they stopped fearing the dance-off, they were able to enjoy the competition more fully. “No one is going to give this to you,” Julian adds. “We had to go out there, claw for it and give absolutely everything every single time.”
Physically, however, the toll has been undeniable, with Balvinder admitting her body is now paying the price for weeks of intense training. “I’m basically held together with sports tape at this point,” she jokes. “My Achilles are hurting, my rib’s been sore, I’ve pulled my glute – it’s probably quicker to say what isn’t hurting.”
Yet she is quick to praise Strictly’s support system, stressing that both physically and emotionally the show has looked after them. “There’s so much care here – physios, welfare teams, people checking in on you all the time,” she says. “Knowing that support is there really helps your mental health too.”
Julian, meanwhile, has been praised by viewers for his calm, intuitive partnership with Balvinder during his very first season as a Strictly professional, but insists he has never focused on viewer loyalty or voting patterns. “All of that is completely beyond my control,” he says. “All I can focus on is being the best teacher and support system I can be for Bal.”
The pair were also left devastated by the departure of Lewis and Katya last week, admitting that as the competition draws to a close, the bonds backstage have only grown stronger.
“At this stage, Strictly really does feel like a family,” Balvinder says. “Whoever leaves, it’s heartbreaking. They were the cream of the crop. That dance off was insane. Lewis and Katya created history.”
With the semi-final now looming, Bal and Julian who danced the Waltz to Michael Buble’s ‘At This Moment’, the couple are determined to savour every remaining moment – whether or not Hugh Jackman’s message ever makes it to Balvinder’s phone.
“He hasn’t sent the video yet,” she laughs. “But the fact he knows who we are at all feels pretty magical.”
Source: Mirror
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