Strictly stars in high spirits as they hit Blackpool
STRICTLY Come Dancing’s Gemma Atkinson and Aljaz Skorjanec were in a fun mood as they arrived at Blackpool Tower wearing brightly-coloured novelty specs.
The soap actress and her professional partner were joined in the popular seaside resort by their Strictly co-stars ahead of this weekend’s Blackpool Week special.
The episode is one of the highlights of the BBC One dancing show every year, and is a milestone moment the celebrities aim for.
Singer Alexandra Burke looked cheerful as she turned up alongside professional partner Gorka Marquez, as did Saturdays star Mollie King and partner AJ Pritchard.
Broadcaster Debbie McGee revealed her affection for the northern city with a printed ‘I [heart] BPL’ bag as she arrived for rehearsals.
The remaining four stars to make it through are Jonnie Peacock, Joe McFadden, Susan Calman and Davood Ghadami.
Aljaz took to Twitter to share a video of Gemma as she made her way into the world-famous venue for the first time.
The actress and radio presenter admitted she was ‘nervous’, but was stunned as she entered the ballroom.
‘We’re going to dance in here,’ she said, adding that it is a ‘magical’ place.
Saturday night’s Blackpool extravaganza will see Gemma and Aljaz dance an American Smooth to Downtown by Petula Clark.
Debbie and partner Giovanni Pernice are to attempt a samba to a Spice Girls medley, while Alexandra and Gorka are set to do a quickstep to The Gold Diggers’ Song (We’re In The Money) from musical 42nd Street.
Jonnie and his partner Oti Mabuse will tango to Eurythmics’ Sweet Dreams, Susan and Kevin Clifton will be doing a paso doble to a track from the film Strictly Ballroom, while Davood and Nadiya Bychkova will take on the same dance, but to Paul McCartney and Wings’ Live And Let Die.
Mollie and AJ will perform a Charleston to Little Mix’s Wings, and Joe and Katya Jones will salsa to 1990s dance hit Ride On Time by Black Box.
Strictly Come Dancing’s Blackpool week special airs on BBC One at 6.45pm on Saturday, November 18
Author: Ann Jones
