Paul Merson has admitted he had no idea what he was signing up when he agreed to do this year’s Strictly Come Dancing.
The retired Arsenal and England football player, 56, says he’s only taking part in the BBC dance show for his mum as it’s “her favourite show”, but didn’t expect the level of competition to be so high.
Speaking to the Standard and other media, the Sky Spots pundit said: “I can’t believe how big the show is. I’m doing it for my mum. My dad made me a footballer, if it wasn’t for my dad I wouldn’t have been a footballer.
“My mum never got the credit [Strictly’s] my mum’s favourite show but I didn’t realise how big it was. This is like I’ve played in cup finals and it wasn’t like this. I’ve played in front of hundreds and thousands.”
Merson - who has been married three times - continued: “I’ve danced three times, they were all at my weddings. I’m so far out of my comfort zone it’s scary but it’s good. Like when I got [to the first rehearsal], a group of the celebs were dancing I was blown away.
“I thought everybody was going to be s**t! Honestly, I’d never seen anything like it. Very impressive, some are mind blowing. Tasha [Ghouri] and Shayne [Ward] are really good.”
Footballers tend to do well with viewers when it comes to the public vote. Asked what he thought his chances of lifting the glitterball trophy were, he said: “I’m not very good but I’m a tryer and it won’t be for lack of trying.”
The former attacking midfielder and playmaker says his ultimate goal is “to be a better dancer”.
Merson - who has been open about overcoming drink, drug and gambling addictions in the past - says he also hopes his taking part serves as inspiration to others fighting their own battles.
He explained: “[I want] to give people watching this show at home that have got addictions that you can do something because addiction takes you away from everything, that’s all it ever does. It wants you on your own.
“Now, going in front of millions of people doing something that you’re not very good at, that’s my thing. Me I used to think ‘I can’t do things like that’, now I’ve got the opportunity.”
