Nadiya showed me that I could not only enjoy dancing but that, if I allowed myself to smile as I did it, the world would smile along with me.
I love to watch people who connect with their partner, encourage each other, enjoy themselves and never take it too seriously, at the same time as realising what a privilege it is to be on a show that means so much to so many people. There aren’t many days that pass without someone mentioning our lobster jive or walking past me using their hands as claws.
The “Class of 2021” was represented by Sara Davies, Rhys Stephenson, Judi Love and, the undisputed star of the biggest show on TV,I had the pleasure of writing about Rose, her mum and Giovanni Pernice in my recently published book. It’s all about people who help us to see a little further than we can on our own. Of course, it includes a chapter about Nadiya too – who is also a Ukrainian two-time world champion and european champion in Ballroom and Latin 10 Dance.