Strictly's Angela Scanlon details 'traumatic' time backstage as she admits 'I hated it'

Edinburgh Live

6 hours ago

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Former Strictly Come Dancing contestant Angela Scanlon admits she found one dance particularly more challenging than the others, and "hated" doing it. The 41-year-old was partnered with professional dancer Carlos Gu in BBC's 2023 series, and together they made it through to week 10.
Reflecting on her Samba routine to Jennifer Lopez's hit Ain't It Funny, Angela confessed: "It was a tragic week for me, it actually was one of my favourite dances in the end.
"No actually I hated it, it was really traumatic, but I realised that loads of people have praised me on that dance and now I'm like, 'yeah I loved it too', like no I didn't, I f*****g hated it, but it was J Lo and it was like on the edge of a fountain, like a senorita, so it was full sexy."
On the Late To The Party with Grace Campbell podcast, she continued: "It was [the] fear of being really like sexual, then Carlos would sit on the end of a chair and be like, 'So we're going to teach you how to be a sl***y lady', it was excruciating for me to like step into that."
Recalling the intense emotions she faced leading up to the live show, Angela admitted she had to "mentally push through" and managed to do so by channelling her inner Jennifer.
After taking to the dance floor to perform, the mother-of-two and Carlos were awarded 27 out of 40 points for their efforts.
Angela received her highest score of 38 during Blackpool week, when she danced an Argentine Tango to Amy Winehouse's Back To Black.
At the time, Shirley Ballas, Motsi Mabuse, and Anton Du Beke all reached for their 10 panels, while Craig Revel Horwood gave her an eight.
However, just a week after this high point, the Irish beauty's journey ended when she performed a Cha Cha.
This meant that she missed out on a spot in the quarter finals, after a dance-off with Layton Williams.
The 2023 series was won by former Coronation Street actress Ellie Leach and Vito Coppola, followed by Chris McCausland and Dianne Buswell last year.
The BBC will soon start announcing the line-up of brave celebrities who are hoping to win the Glitterball trophy this year. Rumoured names so far include; Helen Flanagan, Tom Parker Bowles, Sir Mo Farrah, and Georgia Toffolo.
What is confirmed so far is that the same four judges will be making a return to the panel, and the professional dancers making a comeback include; reigning champion Dianne, Karen Hauer, Johannes Radebe, Nikita Kuzmin and Katya Jones.
Angela is one of the guests on this week's Saturday Kitchen with Matt Tebbutt, alongside her podcast co-star Vicky Pattison.
Saturday Kitchen airs weekly from 10am on BBC One.