Gladiators star Harry Aikines-Aryeetey has revealed that Claudia Winkleman has a surprising behind-the-scenes habit on Strictly Come Dancing: she loves eating Skips crisps. The 37-year-old, who competed on the show last year, shared his experience with the Daily Express.
Claudia's Crisp Habit and Supportive Demeanour
Harry said: "Claudia's general demeanour is just amazing, same with Tess. The energy that she provides and the support, they were both so supportive. They're just awesome people and it was so nice to have been able to have that with them."
He added: "I didn't realise Claudia loves Skips so much. She actually loves a packet of Skips. That shocked me."
Karen Hauer's Final Strictly Series
Harry was paired with Karen Hauer, who has confirmed she will leave Strictly after 13 years as a professional. He praised her, saying: "She's been a great servant to the show."
"I'm very fortunate and lucky to have been her last partner. For me, I've got nothing but respect and admiration for her."
Challenges and Tour Memories
The duo reached the seventh week of the competition, and Harry admitted that the Rumba was their toughest task. He said: "Trying to put on a serious face was tough. It gave me and Karen the ick having to perform something fairly dramatic."
Reflecting on the overall experience, he said: "That experience [Strictly] was amazing. It was a learning lesson in terms of understanding a different craft and making yourself vulnerable."
He also enjoyed the tour, saying: "The tour for me was amazing, I really enjoyed the tour because you got to spend time with the whole cast and actually get to know more about them."
"When you do the main show, you don't get the opportunity to talk as much because you're never actually with them. The glitz and glam was lovely. It's a great show."
