Former Strictly Come Dancing star Ashley Roberts has confessed to feeling intensely nervous ahead of her highly anticipated return to the BBC dancefloor for this year's Blackpool special.
The Comeback Journey
The 44-year-old singer, who originally competed on the show in 2018, is joining forces with fellow Strictly alumni Danny Mac, Jay McGuiness, and Layton Williams for a spectacular group routine. Ashley, who was previously partnered with professional dancer Pasha Kovalev, admitted that walking back into the training room after seven years brought back a wave of anxiety.
"It's been seven years since I did Strictly now and I can't believe I'm now back," Ashley reflected. "Blackpool is the marker, right? Everybody wants to get there. It's truly legendary and iconic." During her original series, Ashley and Pasha proved to be a formidable partnership, never finding themselves in the dance-off and ultimately finishing as runners-up to Stacey Dooley and Kevin Clifton.
Reliving Iconic Moments
The Blackpool Tower Ballroom holds particularly special memories for Ashley, as it was there she received her first perfect scores from the judges. Her standout performance was a vibrant Jive to 'Shake Ya Tail Feather' by The Blues Brothers, complete with a fish and chips theme that audiences loved.
"There are a few dances that are just stapled in my memory as my favourite moments, and that is absolutely one of them," Ashley shared. Despite her initial nerves about returning to training, the former Pussycat Dolls star found that her dance skills quickly resurfaced. "It was stored in the memory with a lot of cobwebs around it that we needed to clean out, but it was in there somewhere," she explained.
Strictly Wisdom and Blackpool Traditions
Having experienced the intense pressure of the competition firsthand, Ashley offered valuable advice for current Strictly contestants. "I walked in thinking I can do this," she recalled. "And it soon became very clear that it is much harder than you anticipate it to be. The schedule is tough, the dancing and everything is tough on the body, so you've got to just enjoy it and soak it up."
The singer also shared a practical backstage tip: "Also, have a wee before you get sewn into your costume!"
Looking ahead to her Blackpool visit, Ashley emphasised two essential local experiences that visitors shouldn't miss. "Anyone visiting Blackpool cannot miss out on fish and chips," she advised, "adding that drag shows in the city are pretty iconic, too."
The special routine for this weekend's show will feature highlights from each returning star's original performances, including Jay and Ashley's Jives, Danny's iconic Samba, and Layton's Quickstep.
Ashley previously expressed her excitement about returning to the famous dancefloor: "I'm so excited and grateful to be back on the shiny floor in Blackpool again. Nearly a decade later, let's see if these Jive legs can still do their thing! Sequins always help, I'm sure."
Her fellow returning stars echoed her enthusiasm, with Danny Mac describing Blackpool as "an absolute highlight" of his Strictly experience, while Jay McGuiness expressed feeling "extremely lucky" to be part of the special performance.
