As 2020 draws to a close, so too does Strictly Come Dancing for another year, but not before Jaimie Laing, Maisie Smith, Bill Bailey and HRVY compete for the Glitterball Trophy.
Lucky Bill and HRVY never had to experience the dreaded dance-off, but Maisie and Jamie certainly have. The latter found himself in the bottom two three weeks in a row, but won every single time.
Jamie and his dance partner, Karen Hauer (or Goose as he calls her) have been speaking to RadioTimes.com and other press about their journeys on the show, what it’s like to work together and how it felt to watch people like Ranvir Singh leave while he was kept on.
“We were saying that everything happens for a reason, and it’s been a really long journey and a really great one. So, yeah, I think it’s meant to be 100 per cent,” Jamie said when asked whether he thinks a spot in the final was destined for him. “Everything happens for reason and I couldn’t be happier with Goose. We just had the best time. It’s been unbelievable.”
On the subject of whether it has been tough to watch others in the Strictly Come Dancing line-up leave after a dance-off against him, Jamie joked that it wasn’t, before admitting that being saved does have its drawbacks.
“It is it’s really tricky. And if you know me, you know this Strictly family, you really do become a family. Everyone asks what will I miss the most, and it’s this, the ensemble. And I think you would get that if you work in different places and for me, I haven’t had that sort of ensemble thing for a while. And it’s incredible and so when one of your buddies go, it’s a weird combination because you don’t want to go, but you don’t want to see someone else go home and you also want them to do a great dance.”
“But then at the same time, you think well if they do a great dance, then we will have to do a great dance. So it’s one of those things that it is tough and it is hard, and you know it’s part of the show – you know that’s what happens. Someone has to go home and if it was us at any point I would have stood there and said you know what, fair enough, that is what happens. That’s part of the show.”
He went onto joke about the response to him being continually saved by saying, “I think people think we’re bribing the judges”.
Karen also spoke about last weeks dance-off that saw the end of the road for Ranvir, saying: “It’s a tough decision for the judges because last week Ranvir danced a really good waltz and we had a salsa – two completely different dances. So, I have to bow down to the judges and, you know, it’s up to them, especially our head judge Shirley, who, at the end of it all had to make this hard decision, but it’s the nature of it.”
As for dancing with Jamie, Karen has nothing but nice things to say about the experience. “I’ve never seen anybody bounce back with such positivity and such resilience. I made a friend and I’ve made a machine now because he’s got awesome abs.
“But I think it’s the whole mentality of the fact that during these times where everybody needs lifting and the fact that he’s been able to lift me up himself at times and lifting people at home with all these amazing routines and all his amazing enthusiasm and energy – I think that’s what’s brilliant about Jamie. I feel like I’m doing an advertisement. I’ve said this before that everybody should have a Jamie in their life. I am so proud of him because, with all those ups and downs, he’s always managed to have a smile on his face.”
Jamie went on to add that while he is not the best in the competition, he more than makes up for it with enthusiasm. “If we’re totally honest, and this has taken me to Week Nine to understand, but I’m probably not the best dancer. As much as I thought I was. But what we do bring is our work ethic, and we really go for it.”
We’ll find out whether that will be enough when the winner is revealed this weekend.
The Strictly Come Dancing final airs Saturday at 6pm on BBC One. Check out what else is on with our TV Guide.
from Radio Times https://ift.tt/3h2Lmp1
