Strictly star Molly Rainford may have eyes for her dance rival Tyler West, but they are in no danger of falling victim to the famous curse because her professional partner has banned her from dating.
Singer Molly has been romantically linked to Tyler, but says her dance pro Carlos Gu is super-strict, warning her to steer clear of distractions away from the dance floor as they strive for the Glitterball on the BBC Saturday night show.
The CBBC actress says: “Carlos told me, ‘You can’t be skipping any rehearsals to go on dates’. So I don’t have any time for romance. Tyler is a lovely boy. We all get on really well. But we are just training and working hard.”
Last week, 21-year-old Molly and Carlos, 26, survived their second dance-off of the series, with Ellie Simmonds and Nikita Kuzmin sent home.
The emotional toll on Molly was clear as she broke down in tears on Sunday’s results show.
She says: “It was tougher last week than the first dance-off because we’re getting further on in the competition. It’s getting easier to put those emotions in the locker, but they do creep up.
“I’m really working hard each week, and I’m really grateful to be on the show. You can only be yourself and hope that you connect with people and you hope that people enjoy what you do.
“All I want is to go out, make Carlos proud, make my parents proud, impress the judges and impress the audience.”
The emotion of the dance-off experience is also new to Carlos, as it is the Chinese National Dance Champion’s first series of Strictly. He says: “It was definitely hard to be in the dance-off again, knowing how hard Molly works.”
They have impressed the judges and were near the top of the leader board for their foxtrot, described by head judge Shirley Ballas as “the epitome of style and sophistication”.
Fleur East, 35, has also won through two dance-offs, so it is no wonder Molly relies on support from her new friend, who she shares a dressing room with.
Molly says: “Fleur is like a big sister to me. She knows how it feels to be in the bottom two, so she’s a good person for me to confide in.”
Molly and Fleur have both been on TV talent shows. Fleur was runner-up on The X Factor in 2014, while an 11-year-old Molly became the youngest ever finalist on Britain’s Got Talent when she competed in 2012. She wowed the judges, belting out Jennifer Hudson’s One Night Only, before losing to dancing dog act Ashleigh and Pudsey.
Molly says performing as a youngster on BGT in front of millions of viewers was much easier than Strictly.
She says: “As an 11-year-old, you don’t realise how big something is and how many people are watching. But I’ve grown up watching Strictly and I know how many people love it. It’s a big deal. Now the nerves come in – more than they did when I was a kid.”
After BGT, Simon Cowell and Sony Music honoured Molly with their first-ever drama school scholarship at the Sylvia Young Theatre School, where Dua Lipa and Billie Piper studied.
Since leaving school, Molly has starred in the title role of CBBC comedy drama Nova Jones as an intergalactic pop star. Essex-born Molly’s parents Dave and Sarah and brother Billy are her biggest fans and can always be spotted in the Strictly audience. She says: “My parents have been with me every step of the way. They are my biggest cheerleaders.”
Molly, who turns 22 later this month, is the youngest contestant in this series, but the youngest contestant ever was EastEnders actress Maisie Smith who competed last year at the age of 19.
Maisie has shown her support for Molly, who says. “It’s really nice Maisie has commented on social media on how much she’s enjoyed our dances.
“The general public has also been lovely, getting in touch to tell me they are enjoying my dances and I should carry on being me.” Molly can also depend on her “rock” Carlos. He says: “All we can do is our best this Saturday night. Then it’s out of our hands.
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“Molly loves dancing and I can see how much she’s enjoying the experience. This week I have been trying my best to make her love rumba.”
Carlos and Molly will show off their moves to All The Man That I Need by Whitney Houston tonight.
Molly says: “I’m hoping that I’ll get the feeling of the rumba. Everyone says it looks easy, but it’s one of the hardest dances. I’m really going to try and bring the emotion this week.”
And Molly let us into a little secret which explains how close the contestants are and why they all look so upset when one of them has to leave.
She says: “We eat dinner together on Friday nights before the show. Everyone is very supportive.”
- Strictly Come Dancing, BBC One, tonight, 6.55pm.
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