By Lauren Del Fabbro
Copyright standard
Former England rugby captain Chris Robshaw has said Strictly Come Dancing is “completely” out of his “comfort zone”.
The former rugby player, 39, who retired in 2022, has been paired with professional dancer Nadiya Bychkova for the 23rd series of the hit BBC One programme.
Speaking ahead of the first live show this Saturday, Robshaw opened up about the challenges of retiring as a sportsperson and his decision to compete on Strictly.
He told the PA news agency: “I think a lot of sports people really struggle when they retire and it’s about that … adrenaline you miss.
“Stepping into the arena, performing, all that kind of stuff. You can’t really get that intensity.
“So, for me, doing something like this, which is completely out of my comfort zone, on a Saturday night, big crowds, it’s going to be nervy.
“But I think nerves are good as well.
“It focuses the mind, focuses the body and also, how often do you get the opportunity in life to learn a new skill with a top, world-class professional – world champion five times? I mean how often does that happen?
“We often get stuck in our ways, whatever that be, family, work, whatever it is, but to actually retrain – not saying I am suddenly becoming a professional dancer, just putting that out there, but never say never.”
The new series kicked off on Saturday night with its 15 celebrity contestants, including Apprentice star Thomas Skinner, Doctor Who actress Alex Kingston and former Geordie Shore star Vicky Pattison, taking the stage for the first time.
Robshaw’s feelings were echoed by Neighbours actor Stefan Dennis, who is partnered with professional dancer and fellow Australian, Dianne Buswell, who won the series last year with comedian Chris McCausland.
Speaking about stepping into the Strictly world, Dennis said: “I am overwhelmed.
“This is so far removed from what I am used to – I am talking about within a television studio.
“But this, to enter a television studio and be part of this type of glamour and build-up and phenomenon is really weird. I mean really weird.
“I feel uncomfortable for the first time in my life in a television studio, I feel uncomfortable.”
Pattinson, who is paired up with professional dancer Kai Widdrington, also described feeling nervous, adding that she is her own “worst critic”.
She said: “I’m a really nervous person. I don’t think people would necessarily associate that with me, but I can be really anxious, really in me own head and me own worst critic. I think everybody’s a little bit guilty of that. But I’ve wanted to do this show for years.
“I just wouldn’t forgive myself if I walked away from this and hadn’t had a brilliant experience, so I need to get out of me head, I need to listen to Kai.
“I need to enjoy it, relax, stop being so hard on myself and just feel like really honoured and grateful that I am here. So, I am working on that at the minute.”
It was announced on Tuesday that Love Island winner Dani Dyer-Bowen had to pull out of the competition, only days before the first live show, after she fractured her ankle in a fall during rehearsals.
The 29-year-old, who was paired with professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin, said she was “heartbroken” to not be able to compete.
The series, hosted by Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman and judged by Shirley Ballas, Craig Revel Horwood, Anton Du Beke and Motsi Mabuse, will return this Saturday at 6.55pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
