Strictly Come Dancing’s stars are preparing to perform in Blackpool this weekend with professional dancer Lauren Oakley revealing there is “much excitement swirling round” ahead of the show.
Saturday’s live show at Blackpool Tower Ballroom will be the first time the 33-year-old has competed on the BBC dancing show at the venue famed for its bouncy floor, after she stepped in to partner JLS singer JB Gill when fellow dancer Amy Dowden was forced to pull out because of injury.
The show will also feature a performance from Pet Shop Boys, who will open it with a medley of hits as the Strictly professional dancers perform a routine, before performing their latest single, a cover of Mott The Hoople’s All The Young Dudes, which was written by David Bowie, on Sunday’s show.
During the show, Gill and Oakley will perform a quickstep to Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley, and former Love Island star Tasha Ghouri and partner Aljaz Skorjanec will perform a paso doble to Torn by Nathan Lanier.
Speaking about the upcoming performance, Oakley said: “There is so much excitement swirling round in such a prestigious place for ballroom dancing, the adrenaline is intense.
“It’s the home of ballroom and Latin, I’ve grown up there and the ballroom is a magical place. As soon as you enter, all the memories and feelings come flooding back.
“I think there’s definitely added excitement as it’s the 20th year of Strictly, and of course a little bit of pressure, but what’s most important is to soak it all up and enjoy.
“I haven’t competed at Blackpool in Strictly yet, but the group numbers are always one to remember.”
Former Olympian and Gladiator Montell Douglas and her partner Johannes Radebe will perform a salsa to Don’t Leave Me This Way by Thelma Houston, while Miranda actor Sarah Hadland and her partner Vito Coppola will perform a couples’ choice routine to Padam Padam by Kylie Minogue.
Ahead of the show, the 53-year-old actor revealed Blackpool brought back bad memories for her: “My mum took me to Blackpool when I was little.
“We got there and we did the rollercoaster, when our photograph came through everyone had their arms in the air but I’m nowhere to be seen. I’m in the brace position, probably screaming, brace, brace.
“After that, my mum took us to go on a little donkey ride on the beach. I got on a donkey but it got spooked.
“I swung under the donkey and was dragged with my face in the sand. This donkey was called something like Brenda.
“It’s like something in a horror film. After that, I think I was a bit traumatised and just came home.”
Opera singer Wynne Evans and Katya Jones will perform a Charleston to Carmen Suite No 1: 5 Les Toreadors by Georges Bizet, while reality star Pete Wicks and Jowita Przystal will cha cha to I’m Too Sexy by Right Said Fred.
Evans, 52, said his late parents “would’ve loved to be there to relive old memories with me” having visited the seaside town regularly as a child, and added “they would not have been able to believe that I’m dancing on the dancefloor”.
EastEnders actor Jamie Borthwick and professional partner Michelle Tsiakkas will jive to The Ketchup Song (Asereje) by Las Ketchup, while comedian Chris McCausland and his partner Dianne Buswell will take on the American smooth to Paul Anka’s Jump.
Speaking about performing at the venue, the 47-year-old comedian said: “It’s something that means a lot to the professional dancers.
“Strictly is a two-way relationship and they don’t get to dance there every year with a partner because they leave at different points of the competition each year.
“To be able to get to Blackpool with Dianne and give her that opportunity to dance there again means more to me than me being able to go there myself.”
The professional dancers’ performance at Blackpool will be set in a 1940s hotel, and see them perform an Argentine tango to Tango Jalousie.
Strictly Come Dancing: Blackpool Special airs at 6.45pm on Saturday on BBC One and iPlayer, with the results show on Sunday at 7.20pm on the same channel.
