Girls Aloud star Nicola Roberts was brutally honest when discussing training with pro dancer Giovanni Pernice ahead of the Strictly Christmas special.
Nicola, 37, and Giovanni, 32, will dance together in the festive show, and the singer joked she "might have wanted to strangle him" while they trained for the waltz.
Taking part in the dancing spectacle alongside Nicola are EastEnders star Larry Lamb, who is partnered with Nadiya Bychkova, podcaster Rosie Ramsey who will dance with Neil Jones, Radio 1 DJ Rickie Haywood-Williams and CBeebies presenter George Webster, who are partnered with Luba Mushtuk and Amy Dowden, respectively.
Appearing on The One Show yesterday to chat about the special, Nicola said, when asked about working with Giovanni: "Gio is a great teacher – he's a perfectionist - as am I..."
She went on: "The waltz is so technical and its so different to anything I've done before. I don't necessarily like the learning process because I lose concentration and Gio is very 'again, again, again.' But I was grateful because when I finally got to do the waltz I was prepared."
The Masked Singer winner said that she knew she had put the training in and followed directions "as much as I could."
"And as much as during the rehearsal process I might have wanted to strangle him, I was glad that when I left the ballroom I thought I had done a good job of the waltz," she added.
Last week Strictly spin-off, It Takes Two, gave viewers a glimpse of Nicola and Giovanni in training, and poking fun at each other.
Speaking to the camera, Nicola admitted she was nervous ahead of the Christmas special, noting she is usually dancing while singing as Giovanni told her he has seen her perform.
Nicola told him of the girl group’s dancing: “They’re very different to this,” as Giovanni then teased: “We call it moves. Not real dancing,” prompting Nicola to roll her eyes to the camera.
The Beat Of My Drum hitmaker announced she would be on this year’s festive Strictly special during Zoe Ball's Radio 2 Breakfast Show.
She said: “It’s truly an honour to be part of Strictly, but to be invited on to the prestigious Christmas day episode is something very special indeed.
“They’ve promised me extra glitter, sparkle and frosting all wrapped up together with a big bow on top. What more could a girl wish for at Christmas!”
Speaking about Giovanni, she continued: “You're having to dance with someone who is a professional and it's a lot but I'm with Giovanni. He's a great teacher, he's very persistent, I've struggled to maintain the position so for me it's like my process.
“To be honest, I don't like the learning process, I have never liked it. I need time to just let it marinate and I need time to sleep on it. But he doesn't work that way!
