Fleur East was left emotional during her appearance on Lorraine after she was announced as the latest celebrity to be taking part in Strictly Come Dancing 2022. The Hits Radio host revealed the news on her breakfast show on Thursday morning (August 11), making her the 12th star to sign up to the BBC One dance contest.
In a statement about being in the line-up for the hit show, the singer and presenter said: "I’m equally nervous and thrilled to be part of this year’s Strictly line up. I’m excited to learn new skills and I want to soak up every moment of this magical experience. It’s such an honour to be on the show after years of watching it with my Father who loved it so much.
"Unfortunately, my Dad is no longer with us but I know he will be watching over the ballroom in spirit. I’m doing this to make him and my family proud and can’t wait to get my dancing shoes on!"
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And the emotion about the loss of her late father, Malcolm East, continued as she spoke to Ranvir Singh on ITV show Lorraine. In her first TV interview since being announced as a contestant on the hit dance show earlier today, Fleur told Ranvir, who is filling in for Lorraine Kelly over the summer, said she hopes she will be able to dance to some of her own songs.
"I hope I get to dance to some of my songs… for me it’s quite emotional. My dad who passed away in 2020, Strictly was his favourite show."
Begging to get emotional, she said of her dad, who died in 2020: "I’m going to be doing it for him. I’m just gutted he can’t see me do it, but I’m going to keep him in mind during the show… I’m excited, my family, just for that reason, will be buzzing." Fleur added: "I wasn’t expecting to get this emotional about it."
Amid her tears, Fleur, who came runner-up in series 11 of ITV's The X Factor before appearing on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, also revealed she’s looking forward to doing the Cha-Cha-Cha. She said, “I know it’s speedy and Latin vibes, so I’m looking forward to that!”
On having dance experience from performing on stage and being on a Saturday night live entertainment show in the past, the 34-year-old admitted she’s feeling the pressure of being expected to do well. She said, “There’s too much pressure, I’m so nervous, Ranvir. I can dance in the club and when I'm singing on stage, but I have never done any technical dancing, so I don’t know anything ballroom, how to point a toe or anything like that.”
She then added "This is a completely different level. You need to give me some advice, Ranvir!" But she's hoping being professional personal trainer may work in her favour. “Hopefully that will work for me with stamina, but I’m terrified of the level of technique that I have to learn because I’m working with professional dancers that have done this for years and I’m completely out of my depth," she said.
Fleur also revealed her husband of 12 years is excited for her to be on the show. She said: "He is so excited. Marcel cannot wait for me to do this. He’s like, ‘Right let’s go, let’s get you focused.’ He’s going to be like my coach at home."
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